At Yondu Culinary Studio in Lower Manhattan, chef Jaume Biarnés demonstrates how to coax deep, spicy flavor from a handful of vegetables.
He believes the centuries-old technique of Korean fermentation holds part of the answer to one of the most pressing questions of our time: how to feed a growing global population without exhausting the planet.
“Korea has the highest vegetable consumption in the world, and that’s because they use fermentation to make vegetables taste delicious,” he says. “If we want people to eat more vegetables and eat more sustainably, it has to be through pleasure and fun.”
Going green without going broke
For Mr Biarnés, who used to work at the legendary El Bulli in Spain – voted the world’s best restaurant five times – sustainability is not a trend, but a fundamental part of being a chef and running a kitchen.
In an industry where costs are high and margins are tight, any “green” initiative must make economic sense. “Sustainability is being able to secure the resources for the future so that you can continue to operate,” explains Mr. Biarnés. “On a restaurant level, it means being financially sustainable. On a global level, as a species, it means the same thing.”
Nevertheless, he insists that restaurants that are not built with sustainability in mind can do so if they take one step at a time.
Food waste control, he notes, is already embedded in sound kitchen management. The more difficult challenge lies in sourcing local products: busy chefs often lack time to seek out regional suppliers, and the dominant food distribution networks do not prioritize proximity.
“That’s what we need to fix to make it easy for chefs to have easier access to local produce and at a more competitive price.”
Politics also play a role. He points to Europe, where many single-use items are banned or restricted, contrasting the situation with the US, where single-use plates and cups remain ubiquitous. “Policemakers must help companies move away from single-use materials,” he emphasizes.
The modern relevance of an ancient technique
At Yondu Culinary Studio, where Mr. Biarnés serves as director, the focus is on Korean vegetable fermentation—a practice that predates refrigeration but is still strikingly relevant in an era of climate-conscious cooking.
“Fermentation is a traditional technique for preserving products,” he explains. “Pickles, sauerkraut, cheese, beer … we have fermentation all over the world. It’s been used as a method of preserving food as well as a flavor-building technique.”
A market in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
By extending shelf life, fermentation reduces waste. By intensifying the taste, it makes plant-rich diets more appealing, a double benefit in a world where switching to vegetables is one of the most effective dietary changes individuals can make for the planet.
Love and sharing
Mr. Biarnés, a native of Catalonia who now champions Korean culinary traditions in New York, embodies the cross-cultural flow that defines modern gastronomy.
“We live in an age where ideas travel very fast, sometimes faster than ingredients,” he notes. “Chances are you’ll see a recipe on TikTok or Instagram before you can actually find the ingredients.”
“A kitchen and a table are the way to understand each other,” he says. “There is no better way to convey your own culture and the love of your country than to share your dishes, your ingredients with other people.”
For those who want to apply these principles in their own kitchens, Mr. Biarnés offers straightforward guidance, echoing American author Michael Pollan: “Eat food, not too much, and mostly vegetables.”
Practical tips for your kitchen:
- Buy ingredients, not processed foods. Fresh ingredients tend to be more local, more flavorful and have a lower carbon footprint.
- Check the origin. If a product traveled from the other side of the world, it is probably neither sustainable nor in top taste.
- Embrace seasonality. “Who wants to eat peaches in winter? They’re tasteless,” he says. A visit to a local farmer’s market reveals what’s ripe and ready.
- Plan to avoid waste. Know what you want to cook before you shop, buy only what you need for the next few days and use your freezer to cook.
Above all, Mr. Biarnés urges, enjoy the process. “The most important thing is the pleasure factor,” he says. “Vegetables are good for you because they give you pleasure. The vitamins and fiber come later.”
Sustainable Gastronomy Day is observed on June 18 every year to recognize gastronomy as a cultural expression related to the natural and cultural diversity of the world.
