From Design to Dining… New Sustainable Restaurant Brings Superb Vegetarian Cuisine to New York City
By Otarian, PRNESunday, April 18, 2010
Otarian boasts big flavor and the industry's first carbon footprint menu analysis
NEW YORK, April 19, 2010 - Otarian, a new boutique fast-casual restaurant chain, is set to have a
big impact on the competitive New York food scene with the opening of its
first two locations in the United States this spring, and a third location
opening later this year. Built on a sustainable platform and based on the
principles of vegetarianism, Otarian will be the first global chain to carbon
footprint all of its menu items according to the internationally recognized
standards of PAS 2050. Otarian is also participating in the "road testing" of
the World Resources Institute's new product carbon footprinting standard,
which is set to become the new gold standard. This will help diners better
understand the environmental impact of their food choices in a highly
measurable and quantifiable way.
According to Otarian founder Radhika Oswal, the Otarian concept combines
a strong commitment to sustainability with a passion for superb cuisine,
resulting in a mouth-watering dining experience that is also good for the
planet. The business has been built on the three key pillars of
sustainability: environmental, social, and economical.
"Vegetarianism is the most sustainable way of eating and being.
Vegetarian food has a lighter ecological footprint, reduced resource impacts,
and lower carbon emissions than non-vegetarian equivalents. Our goal is to
provide consumers with the quantifiable and measurable benefits of each
delicious vegetarian alternative they choose at Otarian, and thus, empower
them to make a positive impact on the environment one meal at a time," said
Mrs. Oswal, a lifelong vegetarian and committed environmentalist.
"We are very pleased to have Otarian participate, alongside 70
organizations from around the world as a road tester of our new Product Life
Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard," said Pankaj Bhaita, Director of GHG
Protocol at WRI. "By participating as a road tester, Otarian will provide
some interesting insight into the application of supply chain tools within
the food sector, which may ultimately affect the food choices consumers make
in the future."
The diverse Otarian menu features a delicious array of globe-spanning
vegetarian choices. These include lighter dishes, such as Mushroom O Cheese
Flatbread (US$6.45) and Beet O Feta Salad (US$7.45), as well as more
substantial meals like Roasted Vegetable Lasagne (US$9.95) and the VegO
Burger (US$7.95). Otarian also offers sustainable options to satisfy any
sweet tooth, including Choc O Mousse (US$4.95) and Panna Cotta O Berry
(US$4.95). And the restaurant chain's "Carbon Saving Combo" meals allow
consumers to order a "set" meal that represents the largest possible carbon
savings - or a 21 mile drive in an eco-car. Over the course of a year, this
saving equates to the carbon used to drive an eco-car from New York to
Orlando.
Otarian also represents a significant advancement in sustainable business
practices. All decisions about Otarian's food and operations are made with
sustainability at the forefront. Some of these include:
-- Dishes that yield lower carbon footprints than comparable meat-based dishes - "Carbon Saving Combos" provide at least 3kgs of carbon savings compared to equivalent meat-based dishes. If every American ate an Otarian Carbon Saving Combo meal instead of the meat equivalent, the nation would save 26.5% of its Copenhagen Accord commitment for that day. -- No air freight policy - Ingredients that would typically be air freighted, such as Otarian's fresh herbs from Israel or select produce from California, are instead transported by road. Dishes are reformulated to exclude these ingredients if a reliable supply is unavailable without using air transport. -- 98% of restaurant waste composted or recycled - Otarian will have waste collected by private companies to ensure it is recycled or composted and is paying double the price to achieve this rate, which is unprecedented in the fast food sector. -- All packaging compostable, recyclable or reusable - Otarian will use innovative materials like bagasse to help minimize the environmental impact of the packaging. Bagasse is a fully bio-degradable by-product of the sugar cane industry that has historically been treated as waste. -- Sustainable design and architecture - Otarian leads the way in the fast-casual restaurant design, incorporating sustainable materials throughout the establishment, including floor tiles made from recycled glass, table tops made using recycled plastic, ceiling decor made from recycled aluminum, and chairs made from sustainably sourced bamboo.
Otarian will open the doors of its first restaurant in New York at 154
Bleecker Street on April 19th, with another location opening at 947 8th
Avenue on April 23rd. A location on Lexington Avenue is scheduled to open
later this year. Restaurant hours at the Bleecker Street location will be 12
p.m. - 1 a.m., Monday - Saturday; and 12 p.m. - 11 p.m. on Sundays. The 8th
Avenue location will be open from 11 a.m. - 12 a.m., Monday - Saturday; and
11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Sundays. Prices range from (US$7.45 - US$9.95) for a main
dish. For more information visit www.Otarian.com.
About Otarian
Otarian is a new boutique global quick service restaurant chain and
retail brand built on a sustainable platform. It is based on the principles
of vegetarianism and its benefits to human health and the well being of all
living creatures and the environment. The first Otarian outlets will open in
New York and London in early 2010. London outlets will be located on Wardour
Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, with a Regent Street outlet opening later in
2010. The first New York outlets will be located on Bleecker Street and 8th
Avenue with a Lexington Avenue outlet to follow later in the year.
Otarian is the flagship Quick Service Restaurant of the Oswal Group
Global operated by its Australian subsidiary, Oswal Projects.
Lori Shachtman, Ogilvy Public Relations, +1-847-975-2330, lshachtman at bcapltd.com
Tags: April 19, New York, Otarian, United Kingdom