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As a casual diner, it\u2019s possible to miss this guiding principle. It\u2019s not broadcast save for a line on their menu and social media channels<\/a>, plus a mention of it on their website<\/a>. But the Prettys have put tremendous thought behind the endeavor and their new farm is one more signal they’re taking the practice seriously.<\/p>\n Heritage already sources its food close to home. Produce is mainly from Santa Monica farmers. Seafood comes from Long Beach. Slabs of brisket and pork belly on its sandwiches are on ciabatta bread and country loafs from Hey Brother Baker in Bellflower. Cheeses are from Oh La Vache in Retro Row.<\/p>\n With Heritage Farm, the company aims to shrink its carbon footprint further.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that this is going to be grown in Long Beach is huge,\u201d Lauren said. \u201cI cut personally from the garden this morning to take to the restaurant. It doesn\u2019t get any more local than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Heritage Farm isn\u2019t large enough to provide high-volume produce such as lettuce, Lauren\u00a0explained. \u201cOur goal is to grow things we can use as a whole,\u201d she said, such as herbs, fruits and vegetables that reflect the needs of Heritage\u2019s seasonally changing menu.<\/p>\n At the farm, Philip\u00a0points to a patch of earth that will hold a new yuzu tree. Further down, a kumquat tree they\u2019re transferring from the restaurant will be planted. Another plant bed will soon sprout beets and radishes. All their herbs will be grown in-house.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t had to buy basil since we took over the place,\u201d Lauren\u00a0said. \u201cEventually the goal is for the whole garden to be sustainable and organic. It\u2019s going to take a little bit to get to that point, but hopefully by spring everything is blooming and every season we\u2019re turning everything over.\u201d<\/p>\n The Prettys started Heritage Sandwich Shop in 2020 and its fine-dining counterpart in 2021 with sustainability in mind but opening during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic slowed their efforts. The restaurant has since achieved blue and green certifications from the city, meaning that Heritage is more water and energy efficient and takes the extra steps to recycle and reduce its waste output.<\/p>\n For instance, Lauren said the bulk of the cleaning products used are certified green products. All the paper products, from bags to napkins to printer paper were made from recycled material. The to-go silverware is compostable. Their trash system is divided between what\u2019s recyclable and compostable, with the rest still going in a traditional trash bin.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have people come out and do trash audits on us to make sure we\u2019re not bagging our recyclables and all the trash is being thrown away properly,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Last year Heritage joined the city\u2019s Commercial Food Scraps Collection Program, which collects restaurants\u2019 food waste and takes them to the Puente Hills Materials Recovery Facility in Whittier where they\u2019re converted into renewable energy.<\/p>\n The Heritage system isn\u2019t 100% zero-waste, few restaurants have the means or infrastructure to make eliminating a trash bin possible. But the core of what zero-waste means for the restaurant revolves around the kitchen.<\/p>\n Philip\u2019s prime example is how they use their California-raised Mary\u2019s ducks. The legs are comfit and used in a sandwich for lunch. The duck breast is aged for seven days and served as an entr\u00e9e for dinner. With the leftover bones, they create a sauce that\u2019s used throughout their menus. Every vegetable, herb and ingredient is used to its max edibility and any scrap goes straight into the compost.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re thoughtful with the menu and we think about the byproduct of everything,\u201d Philip said. \u201cIf there is a use for the byproduct, we use it and if there\u2019s not, it goes into the compost if it can. And we\u2019ve done this since jump street.\u201d<\/p>\n Why go to all this effort? Philip’s simple answer: All the waste: \u201cit sucks.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/img.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/26123830\/0824-Heritage-0-737x1024.jpg\")
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