Ansvar 2 - EN

“We really don’t want to preach. It’s not up to us to decide what people eat, but we do like to challenge our guests. We want to expand their understanding of the green kitchen and show that sustainability and great food very much go hand in hand”

Martin Sørensen Head chef

VISION

At Ansvar, we strongly believe that sustainability and good food go hand in hand. We do not have to compromise as long as we dare to challenge each other and the traditional way of thinking of food.

It’s estimated that the food industry accounts for a quarter of all CO2 emissions. The good news is that with small changes we can make a big difference in the industry. With good products and culinary craftsmanship, we can give our guests the chance to make positive and active sustainable choices.

At Restaurant Ansvar, our sustainability efforts are a natural part of everyday life, and we always try to find a good balance between environmental, social, and economic issues. In every case we go for decisions that have the best benefits on all three fronts.

We want an open dialogue between our kitchen and our suppliers to further develop the way we work and to ensure the least possible impact on our planet. By constantly challenging each other and daring to see new opportunities, we can help change both how we see things and how we use the scarce resources of our planet.

To us, this increased focus on sustainability is not an obstacle. Rather we see it as a necessary opportunity to further develop our traditional way of thinking and working with food. Sustainability is a relatively new concept, and the term was not used when we as a society decided to constitute our welfare state. Therefore, today’s challenge is how we can create a fully sustainable society without sacrificing our welfare.

At Restaurant Ansvar, we dare to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. We still have a lot to learn, but we know that our approach is a step in the right direction. We look forward to having you join us on this journey.

INGREDIENTS THE VERY BEST INGREDIENTS

At Ansvar, we let the vegetables play the lead role and we believe that we can create the best results by letting the seasons determine our menu. Therefore, our menu at Ansvar is always based on the ingredients that are in season. This means that we serve quality Danish ingredients all year round, but also that our menu is constantly evolving in line with the changing season. At the same time, it is important for us to work with suppliers who show a great love for their products through organic, biodynamic, or similar approaches to production. You can really taste that love, and our skilled suppliers are a decisive factor in the food we serve in our restaurant.

CAREFULLY SELECTED PROTEINS

At Ansvar we try our very best to promote green food, which includes minimising our purchase of animal products. Our menus are always vegetarian or vegan, and meat is a secondary protein that our guests can add as a supplement if they want to. We do not serve beef or veal but it is possible for our guests to opt for lamb or chicken produced according to good animal welfare. You can also choose fish from Fiskerikajen, which are caught by using sustainable fishing methods. At Ansvar, there is no finger pointing, just plenty of opportunities to make good, climate-conscious choices.

OUR URBAN GARDEN

In collaboration with TagTomat, we have an edible urban garden on our roof terrace, where we grow some of the herbs and flowers that we use in both our cocktails and dishes. TagTomat has locally produced the planters made out of larch tree with self-watering systems on the terrace that extend the life of plants and provide fresh local herbs for our kitchen.

“Organic farming plays a significant role in our daily work, and we constantly assess the ingredients we serve. We have a strong familiarity with our suppliers and consistently challenge them when it comes to organic produce. As a result, we are able to serve 60-90% organic ingredients, and we are truly proud of that.”

Lucas Winther Restaurant Manager

ECOLOGY

Ansvar - Greenery Lab has received the silver Organic Cuisine Label, which means that 60-90% of the food and drink we serve in our restaurant is organic.

The organic concept is based on the idea that food production always consider the natural systems of the earth and that sustainable food production do not adversely affect the climate, biodiversity, or natural resources. Organic ingredients therefore do not contain pesticides, but focus on improved animal welfare, space for nature and respect for the environment.

This places major demands on our suppliers, who must be able to produce good, high-quality organic ingredients all year round. That is why we work with a selection of small, innovative, and organic Danish producers, who provide us with the best ingredients for the dishes we serve at Ansvar.

FOOD WASTE

Food waste accounts for almost 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions, which is why minimizing this is a critical factor in our sustainability work.

At Restaurant Ansvar, we are constantly working to find solutions that enable us to convert, reuse and minimise food waste. We do this by, for example, having a flexible menu that allows us to use any left-over products in new dishes.

NOTHING SHOULD GO TO WASTE

Our creative team of chefs is continuously developing new methods to prevent food waste. That is why we use our vegetable scraps to make bases and purees, or dry them into herbal powders, which are then sprinkled on the bar snacks.

Ansvar’s kitchen is also constantly experimenting with methods for preserving ingredients – both to develop flavours but also to create long-lasting products and thus avoid food waste. This is done by various means including fermentation as well as pickling and drying of the different ingredients.

THE REMAINING LEFTOVERS BECOME BIOFUELS

Although the vast majority of the ingredients are used in the kitchen, there will always be a small amount of leftover food. For this reason, we have invested in a biotrans system that enables us to convert all our food waste into bioenergy.

Biotrans is a modern food waste disposal solution that works by running all our leftovers through a food grinder and then consolidating it into a central tank. From there, it is transported to the nearest biogas plant, which can use the biomass to produce renewable energy, district heating, and other things.

“We work with the best of the seasonal vegetables from local suppliers and let them play the main role in our dishes, but also make sure nothing goes to waste.”

Martin Sørensen Head chef

FROM BREAD TO BEER

In collaboration with the Northwest microbrewery, BRØL, we have created our own beer brewed with excess bread from Scandic hotels, including Spectrum, the hotel where Ansvar is located.

The bread is frozen and gets picked up once a month from the hotels and is then crumbled and prepared for brewing. Here, it replaces 25-35% of the malt that would otherwise have been used. The brewing process takes 3-4 weeks, and the beer is then bottled in recycled bottles with labels made from recycled paper and delivered to Ansvar, where it is served with the food.

But the bread’s journey doesn’t end here. In addition, the brewery has several residual products, such as mash, the insoluble products remaining from the malting and mashing processes. We make use of this product at Ansvar, where it is made into a paste with soybeans and served as a spread for our bread.

THE BEST DROPS ALCOHOL FROM SMALL DISTILLERIES

At Ansvar, we collaborate with Local Spirits, which currently manages the sale of more than 300 products from 25 smaller Danish distilleries and producers. This means that the alcohol we serve in our cocktails are from small producers such as Herbie, LSD, and Stauning Whiskey. Local Spirit’s selection is 40% organic, and the best-selling products are delivered not only in bottles, but also in larger and more “climate-friendly” packages to restaurants like ours, that serve a lot of cocktails.

MICRO-BREWED SODA WATER

We collaborate with Fatdane, one of the first organic micro-breweries that produces soda water, with the aim of challenging the existing soda water industry. Fatdane reinvents the way we produce soda water and tonics, and their philosophy is to create honest products without unnecessary dyes and pesticides. All of their products are produced locally in Denmark and can be enjoyed with a clear conscience.

EVERYTHING WE USE TO SERVE THE FOOD ON

At Ansvar, our sustainability approach is not only the basis for the food we serve, but also everything we use to serve the food on. That’s why our plates, glasses and cutlery are also carefully selected to have the least possible environmental impact.

PLATES

Our plates from the Revols No.W collection are made from recycled ceramic clay and are part of an overall goal of reducing the use of water and primary minerals in the production of porcelain. As part of this process, Revol has developed a new method of treating industrial wastewater, which means they can purify the water and bring it back to its natural state while restoring the minerals that come from the clay.

UTENSILS

When you use a piece of cutlery to taste one of our many green dishes, you can do so with a clear conscience. Our cutlery comes from production processes that use up to 70% recycled material.

GLASSES

Our glasses are from The Aware Collection by Paşabahçe and are made from 100% recycled glass. Collecting and reusing glasses as raw materials reduces the need for new raw materials, while reducing energy consumption and the CO2-footprint during glass production.

LOCATION

With a foundation built on great organic products and a sustainable mindset, our location is very important. Ansvar is situated at the top of Scandic Spectrum, which is a part of Denmark’s only hotel chain with the Swan Ecolabel. They have operated with a minimal climate impact approach from the onset and the Scandic chain is continuously working to set new standards for hotel operations.

RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SOLAR CELLS ON THE ROOF

Scandic Spectrum is powered by renewable energy from waterworks in western and south-eastern Norway, as well as solar cells on the roof of the hotel. The solar panels are a part of the architectural expression of the building and therefore the solar cells are specially manufactured in precise shapes that fit the individual roof surfaces.

THE FACADE RETAINS THE HEAT

The hotel is built with a double façade with efficient sun shielding and technically controlled openings. This ensures optimal energy conditions and ventilation of excess heat in the double-walled structure during the summer period. The glass façade also helps ensure a healthy indoor climate, optimal noise reduction and good lighting for our hotel and restaurant guests.

A HOTEL WITH THE SWAN ECOLABEL

Scandic Spectrum carries the Nordic environmental certification Swan Ecolabel, which means that the hotel is certified to meet strict requirements for reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions, increased use of eco-labelled products for cleaning, an increased proportion of served food that does not harm the environment, as well as increased efforts to reduce food waste. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s requirements for certification are constantly being tightened and therefore place great demands on the development of a hotel operation with a smaller environmental impact.