In the U.S., we throw away more than thirty percent of the food we buy, which translates into roughly 92 billion pounds of waste, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Much of that ends up in landfills, producing significant amounts of greenhouse gasses and exacerbating the climate emergency. A good chunk of that waste comes from restaurants. This is why the efforts of a new crop of chefs and cooks–like siblings Lauren and Phil Pretty of Heritage Restaurant in Long Beach–are essential to the future of fine dining.

The Michelin Green Star is an annual award highlighting restaurants at the forefront of the industry regarding their sustainable practices. Last year, the award went to Heritage, run by siblings Lauren and Phillip Pretty. Today on AirTalk we get a better idea of what exactly goes into the sustainable practices of running a restaurant and what it symbolizes for the future of the restaurant industry. Joining us for this discussion is Gab Chabrán, associate food and culture editor for LAist. Also with us is Phil Pretty, head chef and owner of Heritage Restaurant, a part of the Full Belly Good Group family of restaurants. Lauren Pretty, owner of Heritage Restaurant. Have questions or suggestions on how to run a sustainable restaurant or kitchen call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.