We at UP are rounding up some of Charlotte’s best to give their best take on everything from devilishly good deviled eggs to the crispiest chicken wings. This time, they’re taking a break from the kitchen to chime in on the subject of culinary sustainability. Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Earth Day is April 22, but it should be observed each day. It’s the small changes, collectively, that create impact. That’s why we are departing from our regular format for this month’s Chef’s Takes. Instead, we will closely examine green culinary approaches over three segments, from three Charlotte food and beverage industry pros. These two cooks and one mixologist will share insights beyond the obvious and tired, culled from ways they practice sustainability in day-to-day operations.

• (Part 1) Matt Martin, Director of Culinary Operations at Freshlist and Former Executive Chef of Fern
• (Part 2) Ken Aponte, Executive Chef of Alchemy
• (Part 3) Colleen Hughes, Mixologist and Beverage Program Manager at Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group

Their unique vantage points all strive towards a common goal: turning a carbon footprint into more of a toeprint. Reducing food waste and overreliance on animal meat as a primary protein source are both worthwhile steps to take in decreasing overall ozone-depleting gas emissions.

Our second expert, executive chef Ken Aponte, is advancing plant-forward dining in Charlotte by offering thoughtful plant-based and meat dishes at Alchemy.

The owners of Alchemy have supported Aponte in his desire to provide an atmosphere where the vegan and meat eater can dine together at one table, both happy with their selections. His vision of one diner enjoying a filet over blue cheese tortellini while trying a bite of the other’s lion’s mane mushroom pot pie is now reality at Alchemy, enabled by Aponte’s seasonal menus. He is not about limiting himself or customers to one style of food, which he feels “misses the point” of eating out at a restaurant and experiencing many different sensations. He expresses frustration that restaurants have grown to be so niche, diners aren’t always sure what to make of his menu at Alchemy. He’s not asking Alchemy patrons to give up meat; he says he is inviting them to experience what is possible on a plant-based plate. A reduced-meat diet makes it possible for Charlotteans to expand their palates while also promoting a greener world.

Take a look at some statistics associated with animal agriculture’s impact on the environment (source: Reducetarian Foundation):

• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the meat industry alone accounts for nearly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• According to National Geographic, it takes nearly 2,000 gallons of water to produce a single pound of beef in comparison to fewer than 200 gallons for a pound of potatoes or wheat.
• Clearing land in Brazil to grow chicken feed is responsible for the destruction of about 3 million acres of rainforest. Locally in the United States, nearly 300 million acres of land has been cleared to make room for range, pasture land, and crop fields used to grow livestock feed.
• Animal agriculture is responsible for around 30 percent of global biodiversity loss due to the effects of deforestation, pollution, and climate change.
• Aquatic biodiversity is strongly affected by animal agriculture through runoff pollution from farms and processing facilities into marine and freshwater ecosystems.
• Factory farms produce an estimated 500 million tons of manure each year – more than three times the sewage produced by the entire U.S. human population. Animal excrement often leaks into adjacent waterways causing the contamination of rural water sources.

The Reducetarian Foundation defines Reducetarianism this way: “The practice of eating less meat — red meat, poultry, and seafood — as well as less dairy and fewer eggs, regardless of the degree or motivation. This concept is appealing because not everyone is willing to follow an ‘all-or-nothing’ diet. However, reducetarianism is still inclusive of vegans, vegetarians, and anyone else who reduces the amount of animal products in their diet.”

Aponte has crafted the Alchemy menu in this spirit, to be one where no one — herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore — has to compromise.

That’s why he strives for originality over mimicking when designing a vegan or vegetarian entree. The art of taking materials and transforming them from original form into something completely new comes naturally to Aponte, a sort of alchemist in the kitchen. He is less interested in trying to replicate a meat item in plant form and more keen on taking quality ingredients, whether short rib or eggplant, so they can shine in their own right. He understands why some vegan establishments use beets for a burger to remind customers of that medium-rare juiciness, but that is not his goal as a chef. He points out that such a strategy could even unintentionally upset the vegan who moved away from meat due to concerns over animal welfare.

Alchemy is described as a “vegetarian-focused” restaurant; however, some customers still sit down, peruse the menu, and make the remark “I thought this was a vegetarian restaurant” when they spot meat on the menu. Aponte believes that an establishment doesn’t have to be classified vegetarian to offer interesting, tasty plant-based dishes, and it’s okay to let those reside on the same menu with meat and seafood delights, as well. In fact, one of Aponte’s plant-innovative creations may lead someone to become more curious about eating less meat.

Other Charlotte restaurants like Dish and Enat Ethiopian operate by this principle, too. Just because they are not defined as vegan or vegetarian, they offer vegetarian dishes and accommodations on the menu. Enat’s Passport Plate, for example, is a vegan platter with a choice of one tibs (lamb, beef, chicken or mushroom). Dish has a multitude of Southern comfort plates like country fried steak and a spicy lentil “meat” loaf that coexist on the menu.

Not strictly vegan or vegetarian himself, Aponte considers himself an omnivore. He grew up in Puerto Rico, where his family would enjoy a chicken dish for one meal and rice and beans with plantains the next. “The protein was there to complement the other dish elements,” he says. “Butter was a luxury, and we rarely had steak.” These days, when he orders a chicken-broth based pho, he opts for tofu as the protein, simply because he likes the way both taste (and that’s what his body is craving).

While reducing meat consumption and emphasizing plants comes naturally to Aponte, it takes intentionality for others. That’s why we’re sharing some tips to try at home.

• Melissa Clark, cookbook author and food columnist, for The New York Times:
  • Reconsider protein sources. Protein-rich beans, grains, nuts, and seeds are available in plentiful flavors and textures.
  • Offset tofu’s blandness with spices and even a small portion of meat.
  • Find a plant-based food to befriend. You won’t like everything you try, but you’ll find something. Her favorite is seitan.
  • Use a little meat that will go a long way. Small cuts of meat with concentrated flavor still add impact to a dish.
• Margaret Eby, food writer, for Food & Wine:
  • Inject high-octane meatiness to soups, salads, and pastas without a lot of meat. Use a parmesan rind or ham hock to do the job in stock, a bacon vinaigrette atop greens, and a minimal amount of bacon or pancetta in classic meaty/reduced meat dishes like carbonara.
• Richard H. Turner, creative director of the UK’s Meatopia Festival, food director at Hawksmoor  restaurant, and author of PRIME: The Beef Cookbook and Hog: Proper Pork Recipes from the Snout to the Squeak:
  • Change your outlook about it. From an evolutionary perspective, Turner reminds us we originate from a primarily vegetarian diet. “The only answer is to treat meat like gold: a precious resource or luxury. For the last decade, I’ve cut my own [meat] consumption down to around four ounces a day,” Turner says.
• Joel Gamoran, cookbook author and chef:
  • It’s all about the umami. Enhancing plant-based foods with ingredients like soy sauce, Worcestershire, and mushrooms can impart some of the taste sensations we crave and get from meat.
• Reducetarian Foundation: Insert thematic ideas into your regular diet, such as Meatless Monday, Vegan Before Six, and Weekday Vegetarian.

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