Sustainable restaurant group Lussmanns was last night named MSC UK Foodservice Champion of the Year at the prestigious Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) UK annual awards.
The judges highlighted Lussmanns’ constant commitment to go above and beyond what’s expected of a small group to champion seafood sustainability, especially during such challenging times for hospitality. They also praised Lussmanns’ ongoing dedication to offer customers a diverse and delicious range of seafood dishes that showcase the riches of UK waters while safeguarding stocks for generations to come.
Changing their menus at their six restaurants, five in Hertfordshire and one in Highgate, north London, eight times a year, Lussmanns works closely with MSC certified supplier, Stickleback Fish Company, to devise dishes to match what’s in season and plentiful. Cornish sardines on toast, hake with peperonata and Manx kipper croquettes are just some examples of the wide array of sustainable options for customers to enjoy.
Loren Hiller, Commercial Manager at MSC UK & Ireland, said: “With six established restaurants and plans to expand the business further, Lussmanns continues to be a leader in championing sustainable seafood in the foodservice sector. As its footprint grows, it has demonstrated that it’s possible to be both ethical and profitable whilst continuing to adapt and evolve in an ever-changing hospitality industry.”
Speaking about the win, Andrei Lussmann, Founder and Managing Director at Lussmanns Sustainable Kitchen, said: “Ten years after achieving MSC certification, it’s immensely gratifying to win this award. As a restaurateur who’s always strived to offer customers a tempting variety of sustainable seafood options, the expansion of the range of MSC-certified items over the past decade has made that goal ever easier to achieve, especially with the brilliant support we have from our longstanding supplier, Stickleback. Ling, kippers, hake, clams and cods’ cheeks are just some of the fabulous, certified fish we’ve served in recent years. Our most popular dish remains our MSC Haddock fishcake, and our customers love knowing that whatever they choose will have been caught with future stocks as the top priority.”
Foodservice supplier, Brakes and M&J, a Sysco Company, was also awarded the MSC UK Foodservice Supplier of the Year award, marking a well-deserved win. The companies have been working to ensure their seafood products (amongst others) are made with a mindful and conscious approach to caring for the planet. Online, Brakes has 118 MSC lines available to customers, with every product showcasing the easily recognisable blue MSC ecolabel.
Winners of the MSC & ASC’s annual awards were announced at last night’s ceremony in Plymouth’s major award-winning museum, art gallery and archive, The Box and hosted by London-based Scottish comedian and environmental economist, Dr Matt Winning.
This year’s MSC award was handmade by eco homeware company Rawr, using crushed cockle shells from the MSC certified Thames Cockle fishery and mussel and scallop shells from Shetland’s MSC certified fisheries.
The MSC is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised, science-based standards for sustainable fishing and assurance in the seafood supply chain. The eleventh MSC & ASC UK awards were held as a celebration of the commitment to sustainable seafood across the whole supply chain from ocean to plate. MSC & ASC UK awards 2024 are sponsored by Seafood Scotland, Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Gin.
Other notable winners on the night included:
- Sainsbury’s – awarded Gold in the Supermarket of the Year category for offering the greatest range of MSC certified seafood
- Birds Eye and Iceland rewarded for their perfect fish finger sandwich formula marketing campaign
- Tesco Finest Cornish Sardines in Tomato Sauce, which combine Cornish sardines in a rich tomato, black olive, caper and chilli sauce, being awarded MSC UK Product of the Year. The Product of the Year award was voted for by the public for the first time this year, in a move to drive consumer engagement and increase knowledge of the awards and winners.