Culinary art meets species conservation

Relais & Châteaux

Photo provided

31. December 2025 |

Alexandra Gorsche

31. December 2025

Alexandra Gorsche

“Let's listen to the ocean together before it falls silent.”
Mauro Colagreco, Vice President of Chefs, Relais & Châteaux

When culinary excellence becomes an ecological statement—and top chefs take responsibility: Sustainability doesn’t end with packaging—it begins with product selection. This is impressively demonstrated by the Relais & Châteaux association, which, with over 580 member establishments, is considered the world’s largest gourmet community. Together with the NGO Ethic Ocean, it has launched an initiative that could not be more consistent: its chefs are committed to removing endangered fish and seafood species from their menus until stocks have recovered.

Initiative shows results

With these words, Mauro Colagreco, three-star chef and pioneer of ethical cuisine, calls on his colleagues worldwide to take action. Because what ends up on our plates affects not only our enjoyment, but entire ecosystems. Whether Atlantic wild salmon, European eel, or crab: many popular species are on the Red List. And this is exactly where the campaign comes in.

The initiative is having an impact: 84% of members have already stopped serving eel, many of them permanently. Other species such as bluefin tuna were banned back in 2009, with measurable success: thanks to such measures, stocks in the Northeast Atlantic are no longer considered overfished (ICCAT 2022).

With this stance, Relais & Châteaux is positioning itself not only as a network for first-class hotels and cuisine, but also as a voice for change in the restaurant industry. A voice that should be heard – before the ocean falls silent.

Relais & Châteaux & marine biodiversity

Active in over 60 countries on 6 continents
No longer serving 18 endangered fish species, including eel, wild salmon, and mackerel
84% of members no longer serve eel
Positive impact on stocks through shift in demand
Collaboration with Ethic Ocean since 2009

Impetus for the industry:

Menu design is power – those who refrain from using certain ingredients change the supply chain
Sensitizing guests without lecturing them: through attitude rather than morality
Cooperation with NGOs creates credibility and impact

From Genusspunkt 3/2025

A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît! A la table, s'il vous plaît!

Beeswax cloth meets bread culture

Zero waste for professionals and guests

The Austrian brand Kumanu shows how circular thinking can be applied in everyday life—and makes doing without plastic both practical and aesthetic. With its “Frischefritz” beeswax wraps and ‘Krümelkarl’ and “Pausenpaul” bread and snack bags, it provides the industry with a well-thought-out solution for keeping food fresh for longer – without any plastic or aluminum foil.

The products are made from GOTS-certified organic cotton, organic beeswax from Austria and Germany, and tree resin from traditional pitch production – a combination that has an antibacterial effect and guarantees natural durability.

future trends

Leonardo Hotels Cleanup Days

Working together for a clean neighborhood

Leonardo Hotels is expanding its commitment and turning World Cleanup Day 2025 into a European movement: Employees from 140 hotels in 12 countries are participating in cleanup campaigns – from Berlin to Bucharest, from London to Rome. Instead of a single day, the period has been extended to ten days to allow as many teams as possible to participate.