Policy Areas

Sourcing

Good food sourcing policies are what the entire Euro-toques philosophy is based on.

The Euro-toques Commitment

In the sourcing of their food ingredients, Euro-toques Members commit to:

• respecting principles of seasonality
• sourcing food as locally as possible
• knowing where their food ingredients come from and how they are produced
• using ingredients of high quality and superior taste, produced conscientiously, with respect for the environment and animal welfare
• supporting and promoting small & local food producers
• accurately and truthfully acknowledging their fresh food suppliers on their menu

The commitment to accurately and truthfully acknowledge fresh food suppliers on menus became a requirement of Euro-toques membership in June 2009. From 2009 Euro-toques will self-audit by carrying out random checks to verify supplier listings.

Why?

By acknowledging their suppliers, our members assist in promoting local famers, butchers and food producers and letting consumers know where they can source quality food. It also enables Euro-toques to promote and uphold our philosophy and stand over our claims that our members support local and artisan producers. Finally, by carrying out checks, we are protecting are small suppliers, ensuring that their reputation is not damaged by false claims.

What does it all mean?

For the consumer our commitment means that the Euro-toques plaque and logo really are a mark of quality and that you can be confident of getting the best of carefully selected, locally sourced food where a Euro-toques member is in the kitchen.

Just Ask!

In April 2009 Euro-toques supported the launch of Bord Bias Just Ask! campaign.

Just Ask! is a public awareness campaign that aims to encourage consumers when eating out to look for information on where the food (particularly meat) on their plate comes from and to encourage chefs to provide this information on their menus. With so many fantastic and great value restaurants right on your doorstep, eating out is still on the menu.

For more see www.bordbia.ie/justask

Why is Euro-toques involved?

The main aim of the Just Ask! Campaign is to encourage local and Irish food sourcing by industry, through developing consumer demand. While the Just Ask campaign concentrates primarily on meat and on country of origin, Euro-toques takes the principle much further, in that we encourage local sourcing of as much produce as possible and provision of information regarding supplier or precise provenance. We are now in a position to help Bord Bia promote these principles and to hold Euro-toques members up as champions of local sourcing and industry leaders in this respect. Since local sourcing is at the core of Euro-toques principles. Euro-toques chefs do not have any issue with consumers asking where produce is from and we encourage as much transparency as possible in this regard. Indeed greater consumer awareness and demand for local sourcing is advantageous for businesses who uphold this principle. As this new approach is consumer led, it does not involve additional bureaucracy or expense for chefs and restaurants.

Euro-toques Press Release Euro-toques offers qualified support to Just Ask campaign 18.03.09

Bord Bia Press Release: Launch of Jusk Ask 30.04.09