Gastronomy and Sustainability: The Circular Economy at NYN ESTI Restaurant of the nice n easy Group
A recent visit to NYN ESTI, the restaurant of the nice n easy Group located on the 4th floor of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), allowed us to witness the strides being made today in the field of sustainable gastronomy when a Chef decides to prioritize sustainability.
At NYN ESTI, the charismatic head chef Stamatis Misomikes uniquely implements the principles of circular economy, recycling, and sustainability. Recognizing the waste occurring in kitchens, he realized that recycling is a crucial factor for maintaining a sustainable environment. Being well aware that home economics has always been the modus operandi of rural communities in Greece, he decided to creatively reuse his kitchen leftovers, transforming them sometimes into juices, broths, and sauces and other times into flavorful seasonings that add depth and intensity to his dishes.
In cooking, recycling means breaking the “supply-preparation-disposal” chain, thus reusing, so that future generations have the energy and resources they need to keep our planet sustainable and healthy. Furthermore, recycling promotes economic and social sustainability, as well as environmental sustainability. It is proven that it takes less energy to recycle items than to create new ones, and this brings people closer who share similar values.
Within the context of sustainable gastronomy, NYN ESTI adopts a wide range of principles and practices. These include the holistic use of materials, utilizing every part of the raw materials through techniques such as drying, creating seasonings, and fermentation. The zero-waste principle is also adopted, with systematic measurement and reduction of waste, while recycling practices and composting are used. The restaurant focuses on local and ecological products, sourcing seasonal ingredients from local producers without the use of chemical fertilizers and using returnable packaging. Additionally, there is responsible energy management with water and electricity savings through water filtering and recording electricity consumption. Finally, sustainable materials such as biodegradable paper packaging, reusable utensils, and ecological plates are used.
On this holistic logic, chef Stamatis Misomikes based his menu philosophy “BIOTOPOS,” incorporating his gastronomic manifesto of locality, seasonality, and sustainability. At the same time, he connects gastronomy with the visual arts and technology, harmonizing his flavors with the artistic landscape of EMST.
“BIOTOPOS” is the synthesis of three tasting menus: “Flora,” “Fauna,” and “Als.” The “Flora” menu is vegetarian but can also serve as the basis for a flexible culinary journey, combined with dishes from the “Fauna” menu, which offers elements – proteins from the land, and the “Als” menu, which focuses on elements – proteins from the sea.
For scientists, the biotope represents the non-living elements of an ecosystem, such as soil, air, moisture, temperature, light, and chemical elements. For Stamatis Misomikes, the imaginative chef of NYN ESTI, his “BIOTOPOS” is a living field of creative expression.