Essential Journal - Issue 47

style

lifestyle

drinking

dining

culture

A look at Hiut’s new short run denim

Oliver Cheshire turns landfills into goldmines

Drinking with Weapons and Toys

Tommy Banks talks human sustainability

Design & innovation according to Land Rover

page 12

page 19

page 34

page 39

page 49

In pursuit of a quality lifestyle

Issue 47

In This Issue From recycled resort wear to zero-waste restaurants, we look at the many faces and multiple facets of the sustainable revolution

www.essentialjournal.co.uk

NEW NEWJAGUAR JAGUARXE XE

THE THENEW NEWWA WA Y YTO TO GO GOYOUR YOUROWN OWNWA WA Y Y ..

Introducing Introducing the the new new Jaguar Jaguar XE. XE. Our Our most most refi refi ned ned and and advanced advanced sports sports saloon saloon now now looks looks even even more more distinctive distinctive and and dynamic, dynamic, with with itsits new new body body styling, styling,additional additionalwheel wheeloptions optionsand anda arefreshed refreshedpaint paint palette. palette.

We’ve We’ve signifi signifi cantly cantly enhanced enhanced the the interior interior with with some some ofof the the latest latest on-board on-board technology. technology.

It’s It’s the the first first Jaguar Jaguar toto integrate integrate wireless wireless phone phone charging, charging, and and with with Touch Touch Pro Pro Duo* Duo* – our – our most most advanced advanced car car infotainment infotainment system system ever ever – you – you can can stay stay eff eff ortlessly ortlessly connected connected toto your your world.** world.** And And thanks thanks toto our our Ingenium Ingenium engines, engines, developed developed and and built built inin the the UK, UK, XE XE isis asas effi effi cient cient asas it it isis seductive. seductive.

Hatfi Hatfi elds elds Jaguar Jaguar Liverpool Liverpool Columbus Columbus Quay, Quay, Riverside Riverside Drive, Drive, Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside Merseyside L3L3 4ED 4ED 0151 0151 728 728 2000 2000 hatfi hatfi elds.co.uk elds.co.uk

2 Emissions OffiOffi cialcial WLTP WLTP FuelFuel Consumption Consumption for the for the XE range XE range in mpg in mpg (I/100km): (I/100km): Combined Combined 50.750.7 – 30.5 – 30.5 (5.6(5.6 – 9.3).

– 9.3).

NEDCeq NEDCeq CO2CO Emissions 168 168 – 130 – 130 g/km. g/km.

TheThe figures figure p 2 and CO2CO and fuelfuel economy economy figures figures maymay varyvary according according to factors to factors such such as driving as driving styles, styles, environmental environmental conditions, conditions, loadload andand accessories. accessories. *Touch*Touch Pro Duo ProisDuo a standard is a standard feature feature on 20MY on 20MY XE HSE XEand HSE XE and HSE XEDynamic.

HSE Dynamic. **All in-car **All in-car features features shouldshould be used beby used drivers by drivers only when only safe whenfor safe them for to them do so. to do Drivers so. Drivers must ensure must ensure they are they in are full control in full control of their ofvehicle their vehicle at all times. at all times.

provided es provided are are as aas result a result of offi of cial official manufacturer’s manufacturer’s tests tests in accordance in accordance withwith EU legislation.

EU legislation.

ForFor comparison comparison purposes purposes only. only.

RealReal world world figures figures maymay differ. differ.

NEW RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

CAPABLE. NEW RANGE ROVER EVOQUE YET INCAPABLE CAPABLE. OF BLENDING IN. YET INCAPABLE OF BLENDING IN.

New Range Rover Evoque is as at home on city streets as it is on mountainous roads. It has all the capability credentials of a true Land Rover but with all the city smarts too, such as ClearSight Groundview* technology. This displays what’s underneath the bonnet so you can keep an eye on those awkward high kerbs New Range Rover Evoque is as at home on city streets as it is on when parking. The Evoque really can do anything. Apart from mountainous roads. It has all the capability credentials of a true avoid admiring glances.

Land Rover but with all the city smarts too, such as ClearSight Groundview* Thisdrive displays what’s underneath the Call or visit to technology. book your test today. bonnet so you can keep an eye on those awkward high kerbs when parking.

Evoque really can do anything. Apart from Hatfields LandThe Rover Liverpool avoid admiring glances.

Riverside Drive, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 4EN 0151 559 3000 Call or visit to book your test drive today. hatfields.co.uk Hatfields Land Rover Liverpool Riverside Drive, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 4EN Official WLTP Fuel Consumption for the Range Rover Evoque range in mpg (l/100km): Combined 28.5-44.9 (9.9-6.3). NEDCeq CO2 Emissions 188-143 g/km.

0151 559 3000

The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

hatfields.co.uk CO2 and fuel economy figures may vary according to factors such as driving styles, environmental conditions, load and accessories.

Nolita Grey on First Edition only for 12 months from launch. *ClearSight Groundview not available on First Edition. Requires 360 camera. All in-car features should be used by drivers only when safe to do so. Drivers must ensure they are in full control of the vehicle at all times.

Official WLTP Fuel Consumption for the Range Rover Evoque range in mpg (l/100km): Combined 28.5-44.9 (9.9-6.3). NEDCeq CO2 Emissions 188-143 g/km.

The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ.

CO2 and fuel economy figures may vary according to factors such as driving styles, environmental conditions, load and accessories.

Nolita Grey on First Edition only for 12 months from launch. *ClearSight Groundview not available on First Edition. Requires 360 camera. All in-car features should be used by drivers only when safe to do so. Drivers must ensure they are in full control of the vehicle at all times.

Contents

Features

8 | THE PRIMER A rundown of the places we’ve been, the shows we've seen and the drinks we've enjoyed this month 10 | BOOKS FOR THE MONTH AHEAD From the outspoken protests of child prodigies to the budding philosophies around inanimate objects

15 | IN CONVERSATION WITH DEAN CHALKLEY

We sat down with the world-renowned photographer to talk Ben Sherman, new masculinities, and the enduring appeal of the humble Vespa

23 | ON LINEN: A PANEL DISCUSSION

Sustainability at Oliver Spencer has always been about promoting conversation, their latest panel discussion with ourselves and the I Love Linen initiative is no exception

31 | CHEVY ROUGH: ON FAILURE

Performance and mindfulness coach, Chevy Rough, lets us in on his experience with anger and self-destruction, where it took him, and what he learned from it

43 | THE SQUARE ROOT OF SUSTAINABILITY

We delve into the sustainability movement within the soft drinks industry, exploring how one brand are paving the way with their uniquely British product

29 | GOING THE EXTRA MILE

We take a look at how Barry’s Bootcamp is breaking a sweat to provide the greenest, most sustainable workout in the world

CONTRIBUTORS Oliver Horton Gill Gledhill Blue Burnham James Hamill Oliver Cheshire Adonis Michael Tommy Banks Roisin Hanlon Ian Harrold Matthew Gonzalez

53 | THE TALE OF TOMORROW

Utopian architecture aimed to overcome social divisions and political strife, to put us in touch with nature, and to enable us to live humane, healthy lives.

PUBLISHERS Singleton Publishing

12 | ONE THING DONE WELL: HIUT DENIM Producing just 200 pairs of jeans a week, Hiut are dedicated to making the best jeans they can, not the most they can

34 | DRINKING WITH WEAPONS & TOYS Matt Whiley and Rich Woods - the guys behind your favourite bars, books, and booze lists - have joined forces to bring you drinks design collective, Weapons and Toys 37 | OUT OF THE BOX & INTO A CASTLE With a firm focus on community & conversation, La Marzocco’s annual summer event succeeded in creating a space to create, celebrate and counsel 39 | AT THE PASS WITH TOMMY BANKS Tommy discusses the many faces of sustainability in the food and drinks industry

16 | MEET THE MAKERS: JAMES HAMILL Our conversations on craft continue this 41 | SUSTAINABILITY DOWN SOUTH We sit and chat with some of London’s month with third-generation beekeeper, most forward-thinking and sustainablyJames Hamill minded restaurants 17 | SMEDLEY AND SUSTAINABILITY 42 | REACHING A CONSENSUS: For all of its rich history and enduring SUSTAINABILITY heritage, John Smedley is a brand with We reach out to those in the know to its eyes firmly on the centuries to come find out how the hospitality industry is 19 | RESORT WEAR REDEFINED tackling sustainability Turning landfills into Goldmines, Oliver 46 | ADDRESSING THE TABLE Cheshire’s Ché Studios offers modern, Jake O'Brien Murphy, waxes lyrical on sustainable resort wear for the sustainability through the lens of environmentally-conscious sunseeker Havana’s world-famous El Foridita 27 | TAILORED THOUGHTS ON 47 | PRE-INDUSTRIAL FOOD LAPEL FLOWERS FOR THOUGHT Often overlooked but never Douglas McMaster, Chef-Founder of unappreciated, the boutonnière Silo London talks us through his own, might just be the thing to set off personal philosophies on the subject your summer suiting of sustainability 27 | A CUT ABOVE 49 | THE FOUR-WHEELED & Sustainability comes in many forms.

THE FUTURE-PROOF This month Ian Harrold ponders on the We sit down with Tom Underhill and challenges of running a business that Nicola Danks at Land Rover to discuss goes the distance design, innovation, and the balance of performance and luxury 21 | THE RECIPE: FRESH PEAS, ROOFTOP MINT, AND FRIED BREAD 51 | ARCHITECTURAL THOUGHTS ON SUSTAINABILITY Compliments of Robin Gill, The Dairy, Róisín Hanlon looks at RIBA’s latest and Clapham, London long-term efforts to offset our current state of climate emergency 33 | HIGH SPIRITS SPOTLIGHT: SUSTAINABILITY The Whisky Exchange Raises a glass to 54 | COFFEE & COUNSEL WITH ADONIS MICHAEL the people and brands that are helping Adonis Michael talks us through his to make our planet greener personal tips and secrets to a more sustainable business

PARTNERSHIP MANAGER Lara Poynor l.poynor@singletonpublishing.co.uk

EDITOR Will Halbert | w.halbert@singletonpublishing.co.uk CREATIVE DIRECTOR Thomas Sumner | t.sumner@singletonpublishing.co.uk STAFF WRITER | Elliot Ramsey LEAD DESIGNER | Jennifer Swaby SOCIAL MEDIA | Shona Radcliffe

For all advertising enquiries please contact: sales@essentialjournal.co.uk For all other enquiries including guest editorial and feature opportunities please contact: info@essentialjournal.co.uk

TERMS & CONDITIONS Under no circumstances must any part of this publication be reproduced without prior permission to the

FRONT COVER Oliver Cheshire, wearing Ché photographed by Colin Dack @colin_dack

publisher. Whilst every effort is taken, the publisher shall not be held responsible for any errors.

Furthermore, the publisher shall not be held responsible for any advertising material/content. Please also note that the views and opinions written within this publication do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the publisher. All prices and details stated within this publication are correct at the time of print, however these are subject to change and the publisher shall not be held responsible for these. Third party contributions own exclusive copyright to their own material that they have submitted as part of the

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18/07/2019 12:20

THE PRIMER

FIVE-IN-FIVE

‘The world is a fine

Short but sweet Essential

place and worth the

Journal Favourites

fighting for’

MUSIC

ERNEST HEMINGWAY

A note from

It was in Glen

the editor

Adamson’s Fewer, Better Things, where

I first came across the idea of ‘material intelligence’ and its relevance to the current debates around sustainability. Material intelligence refers to an all-butlost link to the craft that lies

Where We’ve Been Eating

Where We’ve Been Visiting

Hoi Polloi, London

Flight Club, Manchester

This month, we headed down to London to sample the delights of Hoi Polloi. Situated in the creative neighbourhood of Shoreditch and accessed through the door to a florist, this stylish brasserie offers up a carefully curated culinary experience.

Its edgy, Art Deco-inspired interiors make it a venue just waiting to be instagrammed, and with its resident string quartet performing pop-songs while you unwind, they’ve got the soundtrack to your breakfast covered. With a modern menu serving the likes of Moroccan eggs with labneh and French toast with elderflower mascarpone, plus juices provided by the East London Juice Co, Hoi Polloi is a prime destination for the seasoned foodie.

The newest addition to Manchester’s iconic King Street and the third site to open in the UK, Flight Club is revolutionising the classic boozer sport: darts. With five different multiplayer games to choose from, dart-tracking technology and instant scoring, Flight Club have dubbed their game Social Darts, a simple, user-friendly iteration ideal for beginners and pros alike, built around socialising and connecting. With weekly tournaments and brunch socials, as well as packages available for corporate events and celebrations, Flight Club is an experience-led event you won’t want to miss out on. Combine all the darts fun imaginable with killer cocktails and sharing boards, and you’ve got yourself a darn good evening planned out.

Tiny Changes A story of human sustainability

APP

Good on You A digital directory of sustainability

INSTAGRAM

behind the creation of an object.

Regaining a sense of material intelligence boils down to an appreciation of garments - and

Fashion Revolution Insta-based call for fashion transparency

indeed objects in general - in terms of the time, effort and skill that went into creating

TV

them. In today’s all-consuming, fast fashion climate, I think it’s more important than ever to slow down and think about how

What We’ve Been Watching

What We’re Drinking

Midsommar

Frapin 1993, 22 Year Old Cognac

Trippy at the expense of any real tension, Midsommar is essentially a break-up film with a pagan edge. While, on the whole, Ari Aster’s follow-up to 2018’s Hereditary is a sunnier, slower-burning, style-over-substance indulgence, it’s not without a certain meandering, afterthe-fact charm. Indeed, there are scenes that will no doubt come back to haunt viewers after the initial runtime (which, at a pretty glacial 140 minutes, represents another of the film’s many self-indulgences). For all of its (admittedly superb) cinematography, perhaps Midsommar’s most impressive trick is to mask its own superficiality by being so opaque that any interpretation spoken with enough conviction or pretension - will cut muster. In short? We liked it.

This month’s tipple of choice comes in the form of a Whisky Exchange Exclusive. Frapin’s 1993 singlevintage, single-cask bottling (both rarities in their own right) is a rich but delicately- rounded Cognac from the prestigious region of Grand Champagne. Over two decades of aging have gifted this French fancy some seriously seductive notes of dark fruit and a soft, cinnamon-esque spice that will go toe-to-toe with the best of the whisky world. This is a finely-tuned and wholly approachable Cognac, no doubt, one that’s perfect for newcomers and aficionados. Not to be missed.

a particular object came to be and, of course, how long it will continue to be. Things stick around, after all. They remain and amass. Sustainability is a question of being alert to that very fact, and acting accordingly.

It is also the theme of this month's issue. Enjoy!

Will HALBERT Editor

8

The Image Eco-Boulevard, Madrid

by Ecosistema Urbana

When They See Us A gut-wrenching tale of injustice

PODCAST

Green Dreamer Solutions-driven podcast for environmental regeneration

Designed with the purpose of climatically transforming the urban architecture of one of Madrid’s most diverse, working-class neighbourhoods, the Eco-Boulevard is built entirely from recycled materials and uses stateof-the-art technology to combat rising inner-city temperatures. The project’s primary function is to lower the temperature by 10ºC when it senses temperatures above 27ºC in its surroundings which is achieved through its system of passive air conditioning in cylindrical pavilions called Air Trees. Entirely self-sufficient and powered by photovoltaic panels, any extra energy the structures produce is sold to the power grid and reinvested back into the maintenance of the boulevard. Environmental sustainability aside, it is also social project at its heart, concerned with redeveloping the area and generating activity for its residents.

The Essential Journal | Issue 47

THE IMAGE

Image Credit: Emilio P. Doitzua. Featured in Green Architecture (p.206) by Philip Jodidio (published by Taschen), available now

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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BOOKS

From the outspoken protests of child prodigies to the budding philosophies around inanimate objects, here’s our round up of books for the month ahead words by Elliot RAMSEY

Fewer, Better Things explores the history of craft in its many forms, explaining how raw materials, tools, design, and technique come together to produce beauty and utility in handmade or manufactured items. Whether describing the implements used in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, the use of woodworking tools, or the use of new fabrication technologies, Adamson writes expertly and lovingly about the aesthetics of objects, and the care and attention that goes into producing them. Reading this wise, elegant and eloquent book is a truly transformative experience, and represents essential reading in today’s fast fashion climate.

Fewer, Better Things

by Glenn Adamson

Fewer, Better Things: The Importance of Objects Today (Bloomsbury) is available now

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference

by Greta Thunberg

In November 2018, Greta Thunberg decided not to go to school one day. Instead she stood outside the Swedish parliament in Stockholm, where she protested against climate change and sparked a global movement. Six months down the line, over 1.4 million students from 112 different countries across the world have joined her in school strikes, and Thunberg herself has, at the age of 16, been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference is a collection of Thunberg’s speeches from climate rallies over the last year - words that the young activist has spoken to inspire change, encourage political participation and preserve our planet for future generations.

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference (Penguin) is available now.

Root to Stem

by Alex Laird

This new volume from Alex Laird, a medical herbalist with over twenty years of experience, is the perfect companion for those wanting to learn more about eating sustainably.

She guides us through the seasons, detailing the plants and vegetables that come into fruition during these periods, and encourages us to lead a more sustainable lifestyle through taking advantage of the produce naturally available to us. She encourages us to explore the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of eating particular foods, underpinned by her professional experience, and highlights our diet’s effect on the planet and how eating seasonally can help restore balance to the complex ecosystems in which we exist.

Root to Stem (Penguin) is available now.

The New Outsiders

by Jeffrey Bowman

The Art of Dying Words by Ambrose Parry

10

Historical crime fiction is a genre all-too-often saturated by wornout tropes and predictable plot twists. With the same old story being told again and again, finding a novel that deviates from the well-trodden path of clichés is not an easy feat - but Ambrose Parry’s hotly-anticipated second novel The Art of Dying manages to do just that. Following the trials and tribulations of Will Raven and Sarah Fisher, this page-turner of a sequel is a masterful reimagining of the genre. Marrying fiction with real life historical figures, this is a novel that paints a vivid, haunting depiction of the landscape of Victorian Scotland but with an urgent and contemporary resonance.

In this new volume, edited by Jeffrey Bowman, stunning photography accompanies fascinating essays and profiles of outdoor adventurers. It details the weird along with the wonderful, retelling the stories of its contribu-tors and homing in on the inspiring values that underpin the responsibility of their relationships with the natural world. The New Outsiders paints a vivid picture of the creative lives lived in the wilderness, encouraging the reader to reconnect with nature, to embrace the world in which we live and to explore far-flung places. Welcome to the great outdoors: a landscape of idealism, a world where limitations are lifted and possibilities are realised.

The Art of Dying (Canongate) is available from 29th August 2019.

The New Outsiders (Gestalten) is available now.

The Essential Journal | Issue 47

Find out more at johnsmedley.com/discover/legacy

l l i m a H s e m Ja r e p e e K Bee X y e l d e m S n h o J

View our collections at: 55 Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6LX | 24 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 8TX | 24 Brook Street, London, W1K 5DG | johnsmedley.com

no.

23 Hiut Denim One Thing Done Well

Hiut’s Grand Masters of denim handproduce just 200 pairs of jeans a week.

By their own admission, Hiut are dedicated to making the best jeans they can, not the most they can words by Will HALBERT

O

n the far Western edge of Wales lies a town called Cardigan. At one time, this little town was home to the biggest manufacturer of jeans in the UK; a colossal factory that put out some 35,000 pairs of jeans a year for over 40 years until they were forced to close. Overnight, one in ten of Cardigan’s denizens, all highly-skilled workers, found themselves out of a job. Enter David and Claire Hieatt, who - in 2011 - set up Hiut Denim with two clear goals: To get the town of Cardigan making jeans again; and to make those jeans to the best possible standards.

Eight years on, it’s safe to say they’re making good on both of those fronts.

Hiut make good jeans. In fact, they make great jeans. Some of the best, even. From their choice to source their denim from only the finest mills of Japan and Italy, to their uncompromisingly small-batch, it’s-ready-when-it’s-ready approach to production runs, Hiut have dedicated themselves to doing one thing and one thing well. Bottom line? We like Hiut. We like them a lot. Theirs, after all, is a philosophy very much in line with our own: They celebrate the joys of craft; they revel in the smaller details; and they’re as resolute in their vision as they are exacting in their standards.

But it’s their refreshing candour in the face of the fashion industry’s environmental shortcomings that truly sets them apart. ‘As a maker, everything we do has some impact,’ admits David. ‘We are part of the problem. Let’s not sugar coat that.

The question we must ask ourselves today, and every day, is how can we reduce that impact.’ Hiut’s latest Short Run is but one of their many experiments into reducing that impact.

Aptly named the Re-Gen Short Run, each pair of these limited edition jeans is cut from a fifty-fifty split of recycled cotton and Lyocell (wood pulp). ‘It takes 2,500 litres of water to grow enough cotton for one pair of jeans,’ says David. ‘By using this denim for this short run, we save 312,000 litres of water.’

Boasting a 13 oz, white-listed selvedge from none other than the Candiani Denim Mills of Italy, this small-batch run of sustainable jeans (cut to order and limited to a run of just 125 pairs) uses 75% less water and 65% fewer chemicals. Pair this with denim’s innate tendency to get better with age and Hiut’s lifetime offer of free repairs, and you have yourself some seriously sustainable selvedge.

In their patent lack of pretense, Hiut say that they simply aim to do one thing well. But that’s a modestly that warrants immediate correction. They make great jeans, no doubt. But there’s more to Hiut than their (admittedly superlative) selvedge wares. In their almost decade-long quest for greatness, Hiut have become a force of moral and economic rejuvenation for the town of Cardigan: They’ve championed craftsmanship; they’ve restored prestige and meaning to those who extol its virtues; they’ve taken a stand against the relentless and reprehensible march of the fast fashion status quo. And they’ve done all of this with a profoundly refreshing matter-of-factness: ‘We make jeans. That's it. Nothing else. No distractions. No trying to conquer the whole world. We will just do our best to conquer our bit of it.’

In the humble five-pocket jean, the small team at Hiut have sent a loud-and-clear message that being environmentally accountable isn’t about sanctimonious showboating; it’s about approachable, practicable, pick-your-battles pragmatism.

As much in their business practices as in their environmental commitments, Hiut have created a business model - and indeed an overarching philosophy - that isn’t just sustainable, but positively restorative. EJ

Hiut’s Re-Gen Short Run will be shipping from August 16th.

To order your pair, or to check out their other styles, visit www.hiutdenim.co.uk 12

The Essential Journal | Issue 47

Royal warrants

& right royal futures

SirGordonBennett.com Pur veyor of Great British Goods

Welcome to a new destination for modern heritage brands. Brands that not only look splendid, are made well and work as intended but come with British provenance guaranteed. Discover a plethora of handcrafted products; from apothecary, grooming and accessories to homeware, kitchenware and workwear.

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

ESSENTIAL JOURNAL X BEN SHERMAN

Your work exists at an all-important intersection between music, art and culture, does that make working with brands Like Ben Sherman that little bit more rewarding?

Yeah, working with brands like Ben Sherman is a treat. The set up and DNA of the company means that there is an understanding of how culture works and interconnects. I’m all for heading out and introducing people to new things, but it’s great to just get straight in on the right track and then start creating and having fun.

On the subject of Ben Sherman, how was the Carnaby Street store re-opening?

It was a blast! The decks were set up in the window of the freshly-refurbished store. Once we started to boom out the music, people crammed in to check out the shop and have a drink. I must say: Full respect to Flash Gordon the Urban Dandy, Durrassie, Neil Barker and Marley, who all came down, got the party started and danced like mad. Flash even did a bit of MCing. I think everyone who came enjoyed themselves. Several times I turned round and there were even crowds out in the street having a ball.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you were spinning and exhibiting?

I played right across the board, so Northern Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Ska, Latin Boogaloo, Jazz, Rare Groove.

One of the best moments was when I put on ‘Easy’ by one of my favourite contemporary Soul singers, Laville.

As if by magic, right on cue, he only flippin’ walked in! Like, right at that very moment. It was uncanny to be honest!

As for the exhibition, I was asked to pull out a selection of vinyls from my personal collection that has significance to me. I chose a cool 50 gems.

The records were photographed, printed, and had my little story attached to them. Some of them were pretty funny, too. Amongst my choices were The Who’s ‘Anyway. Anyhow Anywhere’, Wade Flemons’ ‘Jeanette’, The Selecter’s ‘On My Radio’ and The White Stripes' ‘Elephant’. It was great doing 50, to be honest, it became a deep dive into my psyche. I feel like I learned a thing or two about myself in the process!

What do you think it is about the Mod and Northern Soul movements that still captures people’s interest to this day?

The Mod and Northern Soul movements are separate, of course. But there are crossover points. The Mod movement grew out of the cool, young, suited-and-sharp-styled modernists. They were in to Modern Jazz in the late 1950s, then, as time moved on, they got into Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Ska, and bands like the Small Faces and The Action. Over time the clothing and hairstyles underwent significant changes, becoming more swingin’ 60s. It didn’t stop there of course, there was the Mod Revival, Acid Jazz scene etc, all developing in slightly different ways and all have their place in the fabric of the culture.

The Northern Soul Scene started with elements of the Mod Scene in the North of the UK, but really focused on Soul sounds. The fashion, Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

We’re working closely with Ben Sherman to celebrate one of Britain’s most iconic brands bensherman.co.uk

was a full-on day, but through it all we demonstrated that there is such variety in our society. Really important stuff was talked about and everyone had a good time in the process.

In Conversation with

Dean Chalkley With both an eye and an ear for the sights and sounds of history in the making, few people know British subculture quite like Dean Chalkley. We sat down with the world-renowned photographer to talk Ben Sherman, new masculinities, and the enduring appeal of the humble Vespa interview by Will HALBERT

clubs, dancing styles and stylistic tastes separated from what you could call a strictly Mod background. The music drives the culture and although originally rooted in 1960s Soul and R&B, it is expansive and explores totally different avenues to the sounds that Mods would be listening to. I’m sure your readers from both scenes will want me to explain that just in case people might not know.

For me and countless others there is great love for both. You just have to look at my record collection to have that illustrated. More often than not nowadays, there is a great blend of people at clubs and out and about.

All are brought together and can get down to great music.

But to finally answer the question.

It still captures people’s interest because you can’t keep a good thing down. There is an overwhelming passion at work here: a collective individuality. Once people experience it, they are often hooked. There is such a rich heritage - aesthetically, sartorially and sonically speaking in both the Mod and Northern scenes, so much stuff to explore and to find and to be thrilled by.

If you had to sum up the Mod Scene in one record and one item of clothing, what would they be?

Tough question! The Mod scene has so many facets. Sartorially, it can be smart or casual. And musically, it can be so wide ranging. But to answer the question I’d say the one item of clothing that I really think has the ability to say so much about a person is a suit. The general cut of the suit; the material selected; the taper,

length and rise of the trousers; style of pockets; the number and orientation of buttons. All of these elements can really say something. So it’s got to be the suit.

Musically speaking, I think it could be Mark Murph with his vocal version of ‘Milestones’. It’s a dynamic, straight-ahead, modern jazz track originally composed by Miles Davis.

That alone makes it very, very cool.

But Mark Murphy’s lyrics add an even more agitated pace and urgency, this is distilled, pure Mod. Speaking of Mods and Northern Soul; I hear you have a 1958 Vespa Sport. How did you find it, and how well is it running?

It’s a lovely little scooter, actually.

Buying it came down to one of those funny moments where you say to a mate, ‘If you’re ever thinking of selling your scooter let me know’ and, two years later, having that same friend call you and tell you he’s moving to Australia in a few day’s time and needs to sell his scooter! Sounds far fetched but it was true.

I’ve had lots of scooters in the past: Vespas and Lambrettas - even a Cento and a J125 which are Lambrettas, but with pressed frames like a Vespa (hope you don’t mind me getting too train-spotter on you there). I might be selling my Vespa soon though, as it just sits in the garage and I really think it deserves to be with someone who rides it more.

Any takers amongst your readers?

As far as brands go, Ben Sherman have a pretty rich relationship with some of Britain's most enduring and

endearing subcultures. What are your earliest memories of the brand?

My earliest memories of Ben Sherman would have been at school.

I should say right now: The school I went to was not a fancy place! It was the school you went to if you’d failed your 11+ exam. But to be fair, it was a school that instilled its pupils with resilience and transferable skills beyond the academic. It was around the time of the Mod revival, so in the playground and on the streets of Southend-on-Sea, Mods (and all other rival sub-cultures) were everywhere.

My mate’s dad was a Mod back in the 60s, and he passed all his lovely Ben Sherman stuff down to his lucky son.

I have to say, I always wanted those fine shirts.

Earlier this year, your ‘Looking for Men’ did a great job of examining changes in the concept of masculinity through photography. Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the project?

I worked on ‘Looking for Men’ as part of the final event in their Festival of New Masculinity series. I set out to show a cross-section of men all photographed on one day. I worked with a Lomo Instant Camera and a digital camera. We exhibited the results that very night. We were aiming for an almost impossible amount of 100 men, but in fact I ended up photographing 106 men.

Straight after the shoot, we did a Q&A in the basement of the Book Club venue, I presented the results from the day’s shoot, and then we all danced the night away to the sounds provided by DJ Justin Robertson. It

Do you think the ways in which we express ourselves have changed over the years? Are music and fashion still important avenues of self-expression?

We do express ourselves differently, and the diversity of our society is thankfully celebrated more than ever.

Hopefully, there is more consideration and care for those around us too.

I know that’s not always the case, but I think things are changing for the better. The internet allows a global font of reference, and I think that we need to hold on to the notion of what it is to be an individual person who can explore and plunge deep into fashions that they feel drawn to.

Music is the engine of culture.

The emotion, energy and theatre that it delivers can be really stimulating.

Fashion can be a part of that, or it can be inspired by it. Then once it all gets into the hands, ears and heads of the audience, it can become even more powerful. The fluidity of culture and gender should not be seen as a threat to the status quo. Instead, it is a rich part of what will be the future of our society. So the answer is yes, music and fashion are possibly even more important now than ever.

And lastly, what are you working on at the moment? Anything we should be keeping and eye out on?

I’m constantly shooting stuff, whether it’s commissions for publications like the Sunday Times Magazine, The Observer or NME. I’ve recently done shoots with Paul Weller, Liam Gallagher and his kids, Virgil Abloh, Mark Ronson, Rosamund Pike and Loyle Carner. I also did the Danny Boyle ‘Yesterday’ film posters and Cush Jumbo for the Young Vic’s ‘Hamlet’, too. When commissions pop up they are generally with short notice, so I don’t even know what the next couple of weeks hold in store.

But I am in the early stages of collaborating on a piece with Discordo for an exhibition celebrating Ian Dury due out next year called ‘All Kinds of Naughty’. Harris Elliott and I did Return of the Rudeboy, and in July we presented a small version of it in Coventry (The home of 2-Tone, obviously) which is a teaser to a bigger version that’s being scheduled for 2021 hopefully.

I do a monthly radio show on Totally Wired Radio (on-line station), the show is called PULL UP!! and it’s also with Harris. I’m looking forward to the screenings of my film ‘Kojey Radical: A Short Film’ at the We Out Here festival and Filmstock in Margate.

Loads of DJ dates coming up too, including The Corner at The House of St Barnabas, The Modcast Weekender in October and a guest spot at the South London Soul Train later in the year. And, of course, I’ll be DJing at Berlin’s Ben Sherman store with my good friends Eddie Piller and Dom Oré. So it’s a busy ol’ time all the time really, but that’s how I love it.

One thing feeds the other in terms of inspiration and energy.

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JOHN SMEDLEY X ESSENTIAL JOURNAL you to start your craft?

My family. I have always been fascinated by nature. I love all creatures big and small. I long to be outdoors and in all weather conditions. That’s when I feel most free and happy. Beekeeping has allowed me this freedom. Bees are so clever and unpredictable. I never get tired of being around them, hearing their warm comforting buzzing or just being allowed to witness their amazing secret world.

Do you work with any other craftsmen/women to create your products?

Yes, many! Beekeeping cannot be mechanised. It demands a good set of hands and a strong back. All of what I do depends on both inner and outer strength. I rely on other craft people to help me achieve various non-physical aspects of my work. I am currently working with a metal worker, Harvey, in Norwood. He has helped me create a unique honeybee blower stand. This stand is vital this year, to help blow the bees out of the honey boxes to clear them before extracting the fresh honey. No stand of this kind existed, so I collaborated with Harvey to produce it. I so enjoy watching other craftspeople at work.

It inspires me to be better at my craft.

What is your criteria for working with fellow craftsmen/women?

I have very, very high standards and expect others that I work with to have the same. Nothing delights me more than looking at an object were the maker tried to achieve perfection. It fills me with a sense of calm, order and peace.

What is the hardest part about what you do?

The uncertainty of nature. Nectar is only produced under very strict weather conditions. Too much wind, too much rain, too little rain, too hot, too cold, too little heat will mean plants will not produce nectar and the bees will suffer. Spending so much time among my beehives, you get to know the bees of each colony very well. They are part of my family.

So, if a colony dies for any reason I take that loss personally and it really hurts.

Meet the Makers

How would you describe your craft?

Looking after the welfare of British honeybees.

James Hamill

What is your favourite part about what you do?

The quiet time alone away from all modern distractions, just me and my bees.

Our conversations on craft continue this month with third-generation beekeeper, James Hamill

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How long have you been doing it?

Since the age of 5.

What other Craftsmen stand out to you most and why?

The late beekeeper Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey in Devon. His devotion, management and research into bee breeding still carries on today. Then there’s the basket weavers. Early bee hives were fashioned from straw and binding to make skep beehives. I have tried to make a number of them and they take a lot of skill, hard work and time.

They are beautiful works of usable art. So I really respect those who can make them.

Did anything in particular inspire

Where did you learn the skills required for your role?

My family first and foremost. Then, I attended the British Black Bee Project at Hadlow Agricultural College grounds in Kent. I gained a lot of useful beekeeping skills and understanding while I was there, like queen bee breeding, bee genetics testing, bee disease identification and analysis. I met wonderful dedicated beekeepers of all ages and we shared our knowledge and worked closely together towards bettering bees for Britain. I then traveled the world searching out beekeepers to learn what I could from them. The wonderful thing about beekeeping is it cuts out any religious or political The Essential Journal | Issue 47

Image credit: Asia Werbel

words by Will HALBERT

How did you begin your career?

I come from three generations of beekeepers. I was taught the craft of beekeeping at the age of 5 by my grandfather and father. My grandmother showed me ways to use the beeswax and honey to make ointments, lip balms and candles. I was amazed that these tiny insects made a perfect sweet food from flowers. I would sit and watch them for hours coming and going about their business. My lifelong passion

working with honeybees started there.

What makes your craftsmanship most rewarding?

Knowing that I am giving back more to the planet than I take away. My bees help pollinate plants, creating seeds and food for other animals and humans to exist. My bees keep the ecosystem rolling along.

constraints. People just look at you as a fellow beekeeper and we share that common bond.

What has been the most important learning curve for you?

Not to be so hard on myself, but to never stop trying to achieve perfection.

Have you had any major pitfalls to overcome to maintain your craft? in 1996, I had my first baby on the way while the pressure of trying to build my honey business demanded I work 17 hours a day to keep afloat. Then Varroa - a parasitic mite that feeds on honeybees was discovered in the UK. It devastated my bee population, killing most of them. I went from 160 beehives down to 56. I just worked day and night to try and keep the

remaining beehives alive.

Many of my professional beekeeping colleagues were wiped out. I was on the razor’s edge but managed to survive.

For all of its rich history and enduring heritage, John Smedley is a brand with its eyes firmly on the centuries to come words by Will HALBERT hen you really think about it, businesses don’t really come more sustainable than John Smedley. After all, you don’t get to the ripe age of 235 without a certain level of forward thinking. It’s not always been a smooth ride, mind: Over its 235-year tenure, John Smedley has survived several global recessions, the Great Depression, two World Wars, and the careers of 61 British Prime Ministers. It has endured through a myriad of diverse and duplicitous changes in both fashion and politics, and it has done so with one singular goal: to produce superlative garments to the same, unwavering, exacting standards as they always have. In that sense, John Smedley represents one of the most sustainable businesses to have ever been formed.

Unsurprisingly, that translates to their production methods, too. John Smedley’s Lea Mills factory lies at the heart of a world heritage site, after all. Meaning that the brand is all-too aware of their responsibility to the local environment.

From minimising heat loss and unnecessary water usage to reducing material waste and ensuring ethical sourcing of fabrics, John Smedley are continuously working towards an all-encompassing corporate, social, and environmental form of sustainability that honours the brand’s obligation to minimise environmental impact wherever practicably possible. EJ

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JOHN SMEDLEY X ESSENTIAL JOURNAL

Has your craft evolved into other/ new skills over time?

Yes. I bought a four-acre, overgrown, neglected holding in Surrey to house more of my beehives some 20 years ago. I decided to plant apple trees in order to provide those bees with an early nectar food source. In my research to find apple tree varieties I learned how Britain had a rich apple history. I fell in love with the stories, folklore and tales surrounding how each apple variety was discovered or created. Many varieties I had never heard of, tasted or seen. Many had

Smedley and Sustainability

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We’ll be helping John Smedley celebrate its 235th birthday with a year-long look at its dedication to superior craftsmanship in all of its wild and wonderful forms. johnsmedley.com

not been sold on the market since the 1800s. I was overwhelmed with a desire to taste what I could only read about. I decided I must try and bring them back. I planted early, middle and late varieties, an orchard of 200 trees 88 different varieties of rare old English varieties. They all were planted as tiny stick-like grafts about the size of a pencil. Now they provide tons of fruit. I never dreamt I would be a farmer of apples but I really enjoy it. I now press the apples to make juice and sell the juice throughout Surrey and London each year.

How would you describe a day in your role?

I never know what each day will bring. At times, the business side is fast paced decision-making, wearing many hats, relying on past skills, and making time to learn new ones on the move. Even the beekeeping side can be stressful, as bees are unpredictable and like to keep you on your toes. I generally put in 15 -16 hour work per day. I am my own master, and as I lay down in my bed at night I know I have sucked out each and every last drop of life for that day. I sleep well, very little, but well!

What are the biggest challenges you face in what you do?

Keeping up with demand. Building the infrastructure to cope and accommodate my expansion plans.

How have you stayed passionate and inspired by your craft?

Good question. The bees. They inspire me. I consider myself a student of beekeeping. After 55 years of beekeeping there is still so much to learn it just never gets old.

What made you choose this career and to work in this industry?

Beekeeping was not my first choice.

I tried on many jobs over the years. Each and every one of those unrelated jobs have now come back to complement and support my beekeeping career.

Do you have any plans to expand on what it is that you do?

Oh yes. My honey factory is just about complete that will serve to increase production and output for the next 20 years.

What are the main projects you are working on now?

I have identified three key products that I want to mass produce and offer to chain stores in and outside the UK. How would your customers describe your craft?

Traditional, artisan, hand-made, honey products.

What are the accomplishments within your work in craftsmanship that you are most proud of?

In 1992, I opened my first honey shop.

The concept of a shop dedicated to all things bees and honey did not exist.

No one I spoke to understood or had identified this gap in the market.

Honey was thought of as no more than a morning spread only. With the help of my wife, we created a vast product line never seen before. I like to think our presence helped inspire this current honey renaissance.

Also, being selected by QEST for a scholarship in bee disease and beekeeping is something I am very proud of.

How would you describe your

business in 3 words?

Trusted quality, guaranteed.

How does working with QEST support you/your craft?

I was one of the first scholars to be awarded a scholarship for Bee Disease and Beekeeping from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.

In 1992, I was teaching a beekeeping class and one of my students had just been awarded a scholarship for antique furniture restoration by QEST. She told me all about QEST and suggested I apply. It is an honour to be associated with this prestigious organisation. Though I won my scholarship in 1993, QEST has never stopped supporting me or my craft.

They work tirelessly offering advice, guidance and assistants to help my craft and business grow. By doing so, they enable me to continue to help others by sharing the skilled knowledge of my craft, keeping this important heritage alive.

How would you describe John Smedley?

A national treasure. To be 235 years old and still going is amazing. I admire their ability to be traditional yet modern at the same time.

Do you have a favourite John Smedley piece, if so what?

The Jaspar Front Pocket Jacket In ‘Midnight’ navy merino wool. It’s unbelievably comfortable and pairs perfectly with jeans.

What are you most excited about for the future?

What I can’t see or imagine. What’s coming next.

Find out more at johnsmedley.com/discover/legacy 17

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COVER STORY

Resort Wear Redefined Turning landfills into goldmines, Oliver Cheshire’s Ché Studios offers modern, sustainable resort wear for the environmentallyconscious sunseeker words by Will HALBERT photography by Colin DACK & Olivier YOAN

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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COVER STORY

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

COVER STORY

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ith over fifteen years spent literally personifying the aesthetic tenets of major fashion forerunners like Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Orlebar Brown, it’s safe to say that Oliver Cheshire knows a thing or two on the subject of style. To that end, Ché Studios - Oliver Cheshire’s first foray into the world of fashion design - isn’t so much a surprise departure from his usual vocation as it is a sort of natural progression. Ché is, after all, the next logical step for a man whose style credentials are matched only by his ardent ambition and curiosity.

And what a step it is, too. After almost a year and a half in development, Ché Studios hits an all-too-rare sweet spot between classic cool and pin-sharp refinement. ‘I spent a long time building up a series of mood boards, taking visual cues from fashion’s golden eras,’ recalls Oliver.

‘There’s a very specific vibe to the styles of the 50s and 60s, a real sense of joy and freedom. It’s hard to put into words, but it was exactly that kind of vibe that I was trying to tap into with Ché’.

The result is a resort wear range that strikes a fine balance between classic, West Coast steez and Cote D’Azurian sophistication. From the athletic cut of the Baller swim short selection to the tailored edge of the Valbonne shirting options, Oliver’s inaugural range bears all the hallmarks of Savile Row sartorialism, while deftly eschewing the scene’s not-so-summerfriendly severity. By all accounts, this is resort wear elevated. ‘We live in very different times now: style isn’t about wearing a suit, necessarily. It’s about knowing when to wear a suit and how to play with it when you do. Even when donning the two-piece, we’re doing it in a much more off-the-cuff manner.

I picture a suit nowadays, and they’re almost tracksuit-esque in their deconstructed nature. Now more than ever, we’re having fun with the boundaries between smart and casual.’

That’s exactly where Ché comes in. Deconstructed, but not without a tailored edge, the range is every bit as beach-ready as it is bar-friendly. Ché is classic by design; undeniably old school, but careful to overcome its old school limitations. ‘You look back at the fabrics and cuts of the 50s and 60s,’ says Oliver, ‘and they still have a real appeal to them. But as good as it all looked, it didn’t always function very well’.

Enter the real star of the show: the fabrics. Taking nylon waste from landfills and oceans to produce a highly technical and wholly sustainable yarn, Econyl’s recycled nylon yarn is every bit as hard-wearing as its virgin counterpart, boasting the same incredible quick-drying properties and equal resistance to chlorine and salt. Likewise, Ecovero (derived from FSC & PEFC-certified renewable wood sources) offers a soft and breathable alternative to standard viscose that also happens to cut emissions and water pollution in half. Both provide the perfect material metaphor for Oliver’s postmodern approach to resort wear stylings, reinterpreting classic styles with a newfound leaning on function and preference for more forwardthinking fabrics.

That’s not to say that Ché is painting itself as an all-dancing, all-doing sustainable brand. Rather, Ché is best described as a design-led studio with an eco edge. ‘I’m no eco-saint,’ admits Oliver, ‘but sometimes it’s not about doing everything at once; it’s about doing what you can in the best way you can, and getting better at it every day. If you know, as a brand or as an individual, that you could be doing something that little bit differently, that little bit better, why wouldn’t you do it?’ In an industry saturated with brands practically tripping over their vegan shoes to wax poetic about their sustainable credentials, Oliver’s honesty comes as a refreshing change of pace.

And at the end of that day, that’s exactly what Ché is: a change of pace, a modern classic in the making. You just have to take one look at the campaign shoot to see quite what it is that Oliver has achieved here: A resort wear range that is, at once, classic yet contemporary, trend-led but oddly timeless. ‘The shoot was so important to me,’ Oliver recalls, ‘It really had to set the tone and intention of Ché as a brand. It was the final step in the creative process.’

From the hardbodies, to the classic cars, to the flashes of concrete and steel, each and every element of the shoot comes together not to flaunt the brand’s seemingly effortless balance, but to point towards a mood, a lifestyle, a way of going about things that little bit differently. It paints a picture of

summer days spent doing nothing at all, but looking damn good while you’re doing it. Most importantly, it paints a picture of kinship, an element that lies at the very heart of Ché. ‘Each of the guys involved in the campaign is a dear friend of mine, it’s not often you get to work alongside your friends like that.

Pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones will always have its learning curve, but I’ve got some great friends and a great team around me. I feel very lucky.’

In a roundabout way, Oliver’s thoughts on friendship help explain both the overarching philosophy of the brand and its very namesake. Taking its name from the Argentinian colloquialism for ‘friend’, the brand’s inaugural range is all about creating your own golden era, carving your own path, and celebrating good times in the best of company. EJ chestudios.co.uk

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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Whether you are in need of a bespoke tailor for your special day or a business suit, we have exactly what you’re looking for.

At Harland Collier, the only limit is your imagination.

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ESSENTIAL JOURNAL X OLIVER SPENCER

On Linen: A Panel Discussion Sustainability at Oliver Spencer has always been about promoting conversation without condescension.

Their latest panel discussion with The Essential Journal and the I Love Linen initiative is no exception

words by Will HALBERT

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liver Spencer have always had a candid approach to sustainability. As a fashion brand, they know they can’t do everything, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to sit by and do nothing. Over the last few years, Oliver Spencer has dedicated itself to steady, incremental changes in the right direction. That leaves us with an awful lot to talk about.

And thanks to the chairing skills of Oliver Horton, talk is exactly what we did. Joining Oliver Spencer’s Head of Sustainability, Blue Burnham and UK Fashion Market Analyst and Spokesperson for GGHQ, Gill Gledhill, our Editor, Will Halbert waxed lyrical on the subject of linen and its role in the forward march of sustainability in the fashion industry.

Oliver Horton: First of all, what does sustainability mean to each of you personally?

Blue Burnham (Head of Sustainability, Oliver Spencer): It’s a case of doing things in a way that affords future generations the same opportunity to do those things.

From an environmental perspective, that boils down to looking at what you’re using and the way in which you’re using it. My job as Head of Sustainability boils down to working with the rest of the company, from design, to production, to marketing, to make sure we’re doing what we can to reduce our footprint and, ultimately, be a force for good.

Will Halbert (Editor, The Essential Journal): Sustainability is quite a tricky one because it’s become such a catch-all phrase. I’m also from a food and drinks background and we often have the same problem with terms like ‘natural wine’. From a perspective of terminology it does run the risk of becoming a little too general a phrase. In terms of fashion, at least, I think it boils down to a sense of accountability and approaching fashion and style with a long-term plan. Fashion with a little forward thinking.

Gill Gledhill (UK fashion market analyst, GGHQ London): It’s about knowing the impact of something, both socially and environmentally.

Which is why I work so closely with linen. It is, after all, a plant-based fabric, it’s grown locally (and on rotation) within Europe, it’s grown by farmers who care about the environment, it produces no waste and it’s totally rain-fed. It’s almost magical in terms of what it gives back, it’s an extraordinary fabric.

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Blue, are you facilitating the design process by informing Oliver Spencer along the way? Or are you approaching him with potential projects and steps to take?

It’s a bit of both. There’s no real structure to how we go about things.

I have my ideas of how we should be moving forward: Looking at low impact fabrics, renewable energy, looking at how we make things and how we package them, and their life cycles. But there will also be situations where Oli will come to me with a particular plan or project and ask how to go about it. So while I sit at the Head of Sustainability for Oliver Spencer, ideas come from all levels and directions.

In the past, I’ve worked with brands that have been pretty reluctant to change their ways, but Oliver Spencer as a brand has a very progressive mindset. Everyone shares the same moral standpoint.

Everyone’s on the same page and sustainability is now core to what we do.

It was a really rewarding process, thinking back. We looked at the basics to begin with, looking at our fabrics and our overall footprint, the

kinds of energy we were using, other pressure points like packaging, and we managed to take some pretty big steps fairly quickly. Sustainability will always be a continual process though; there’s no golden point to which we’re working. We just want to keep making progress. It will always be a journey.

Will, you meet a lot of makers and creators in the world of men’s fashion and beyond. Where is the sustainability conversation at right now? Is there a forward momentum to the movement?

From a journalistic perspective, it initially felt like a flash in the pan.

But really, this has been simmering away in the background for some time, slowly reaching boiling point.

And now that it has, I don’t really think it’s going anywhere. There’s a real forward march now, people are only going to grow more curious.

Consumers are so much more savvy now; they’re asking more questions.

They want to know who made the garments they’re wearing.

We’re also lucky enough to live in an age where the answers to these questions are only a Google away.

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ESSENTIAL JOURNAL X OLIVER SPENCER

Which imposes a certain level of transparency on a brand. You have to be more honest, or else you’ll be found out pretty quickly. Neither that march towards transparency nor that growing curiosity are going anywhere. You can’t regain ignorance of these subjects. Once you know, you know, and you have to act in some way.

Do you have any lightbulb moments yourself?

WH: From a fashion standpoint, the Oliver Spencer/Wolfgang Buttress exhibition at the Soho store, Reverie, was a real eye-opener. It broached the subject of environmental engagement in a very approachable and welcoming way. It created this really strong audiovisual metaphor of the links between what we do as a society and its impacts on the wider environment.

BB: It was pretty insane. You sat in this chair, immersed in these flowers and plants of a wild meadow at head height and there was this audio element that reverberated through the entire chair. You could hear bees buzzing around your head, it was incredible.

Gill, how do you explain the evolution of Linen and it’s newfound fame?

GG: I think transparency plays a big part in its rise back into popularity.

We can see how easily it can be transposed from a plant to a useful material. It’s a seemingly simple fabric, but it has a lot of magic to it. It keeps you cool in summer, it’s thermo-regulating. It can hold around 20% of its own weight in moisture before you even start to feel it. It dries really quickly and it has antimicrobial qualities to it too, so it’ll take a lot of wear before it starts to get smelly. And if it does, all it takes is a little airing out and it’s good to go again. Which is also great for the environment.

So these are all really good qualities, and that’s before even mentioning how rich the fabric is, it’s great to the touch, it has this lovely sheen. And there are so many different ways of using and wearing it. And beyond fashion, flax has a bunch of other applications. It really is a magic plant, full of possibilities.

BB: Linen is a naturally low-impact fiber. Here at Oliver Spencer, we’ve always used a lot of linen, and people have always bought it. For the most part, people are already on board with linen because of its functional and aesthetic charm, but they don’t often know the great story behind it and just how environmentally sound it is. That’s the story we really want to tell now. It’s a simple, but very interesting fabric. So reinforcing that narrative is important because it will further inform people’s purchasing decisions, compelling them to opt for more environmentally-friendly fabrics.

Is there a trade off in terms of design and sustainability? Does being sustainable mean taking a step back in terms of design?

WH: I don’t think there really is a trade off anymore. It seems to me 24

This year we have teamed up with the Lambs Conduit St. based designer to follow his efforts in becoming a more sustainable outfit oliverspencer.co.uk

that Oliver Spencer have always operated on a fabric-forward way, whereby you can look at the potential of a particular fabric and let your ideas run wild. There’s no compromise in terms of aesthetics.

It’s perfectly possible to have greatlooking garments that also happen to be sustainable. And that’s important, because you never want to come off as too preachy with your sustainable credentials. So no, there’s no real trade off. If anything, design and sustainability are the obverse and reverse of the same coin.

BB: It’s so important that there isn’t a trade off. People’s primary criteria when shopping for a garment is how it looks. I’ve actually done a fair bit of research about it. Firstly, there’s the aesthetic component, then comes the price, and then there’s a few variables that come next where sustainability rates quite highly. So the first two need to be strong pulls in order to achieve the third. So it’s super important that neither the aesthetics nor the price point are compromised. Which is something Oliver Spencer have always focussed on.

Do any of you have any tips or guidelines on how to be more sustainable?

BB: From an environmental perspective, the most sustainable item of clothing you can choose is something you’re going to wear for a long time. So it’s about buying something that’s made to last, from a construction perspective and a design perspective. So timeless design is important. From a social perspective, there is a wider range of areas you might want to look at: Be sure to buy organic cotton wherever possible; look at the way things are being manufactured. Don’t just look at the country where the factories are based, there are good and bad factories everywhere. It’s about drilling down and talking with each brand, getting whatever information you can. Recycle, obviously. And never take things at face value, I’ve heard people say that certain things are environmentally sustainable for the simple fact that they’re natural.

That’s just not true.

WH: I think asking questions is key.

Be curious about all that you read, and be sure to read wide to gain a fuller picture of what’s going on.

Take all of the information you can get from wherever you can get it, just don’t be so fast to swallow it all wholesale. Be open to challenge, if someone has something to say about the sustainability of something you do, talk it out. If you take a defensive stance, you shut down any opportunity for discourse and dialogue.

GG: You can also learn some skills yourself. Find out what it takes to put a garment together. Because there is a value in the garment, a standard to its construction. When you try putting your hand to making something yourself, you realise just how much skill and energy goes into it. You just have to look at the construction of an Oliver Spencer piece to see that they’re incredibly

well put together. Try it yourself and see what you create.

BB: And there’s so many layers to the whole process too. Each of these layers come at a cost, adding value to the garment: growing, spinning, weaving, designing, constructing.

Learn to appreciate those to better understand the price of a garment.

On that note, are there any false friends and not-so-sustainable hooks that we need to be aware of?

BB: Get away from the idea that cheap clothes are good clothes. The only good clothes are those that go the distance, and clothes that go the distance don’t tend to come cheap. We need to slow our spending down and get behind brands that are looking to make things more circular, looking to close the loop.

I remember that buying cheap is a false economy. You wind up spending more replacing the things that don’t last.

GG: One of the lovely things about linen is the fact that it’s totally biodegradable. That’s huge if we really are looking to minimize our

'Sustainability will always be a continual process though; there’s no golden point to which we’re working. We just want to keep making progress.

It will always be a journey.'

impact, especially in the realm of fashion. But I think we really are coming around to the idea of being more responsible consumers. We are asking questions, and we do support brands that are pushing a more sustainable model. It’s about loving the garments that you have. If you love them, you’re going to wear them again and again. Those kinds of garments are the real heroes of sustainability. You’ll repair them and look after them.

WH: The aphorism rings true: you buy cheap, you buy twice. And that’s why education is key here. Prices are going to rise as production standards improve. The key is to help people to understand why something costs what it does.

The flip side of that is they also learn why something is cheap, and the consequences of that lower price point. I know that runs the risk of sounding elitist, but in the long run you will save money. Buy less, wear the hell out of it, and when you’re finally done with it, pass it on and let it continue its story. oliverspencer.co.uk The Essential Journal | Issue 47

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The Essential Journal | Issue 46

COLUMN

Tailored Thoughts on

Lapel Flowers

A Cut Above Sustainability comes in many forms. This month, veteran barber and regular columnist,

Often overlooked but never unappreciated, the boutonnière might just be the thing to set off your summer suiting. Savile Row Cutter and resident columnist,

Ian Harrold, ponders the challenges of running a business that goes the distance

Matthew Gonzalez, talks us through the process words by Matthew GONZALEZ

words by Ian HARROLD

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ummer is here, and that means BBQs, beer gardens, imminent holidays and weddings every weekend across the country. As a bespoke pattern cutter, I have made my fair share of wedding suits and there seems to be one thing that almost every groom I’ve worked with has in common, they all wear a boutonnière on the big day. While wearing a flower on your lapel seems to be just for weddings, they used to be worn a lot more commonly than you might expect. So this month, I decided to sit down with fellow pattern cutter, Erlend Norby, of Taliare London, who specializes in made to measure tailorin. And with a little help from florist, Moyses Stevens, we chatted about how men should try to wear flowers in the lapels again.

You probably already know some of the history of when men started incorporating flowers in their clothing. You learned about it through a nursery rhyme and it had to do with the black death. It has been suggested that “Ring-a-ring o' roses” is about the plague devastating Europe.

The line “pocketful of posies” apparently refers to little bags of flowers that were carried in order to protect oneself from getting infected, but it really just helped to mask the otherwise putrid odor that was presumably in the air.

Sartorially speaking, wearing flowers was also a common practice amongst gentleman up until the middle of the 20th century. Sean Connery’s James Bond wore a bright red carnation with a white dinner jacket in ‘Goldfinger’, Fred Astaire would casually pair one with a three-piece tweed suits, and even Carry Grant would sport one from time to time.

I met up with Erlend at his tailoring boutique on Seymour Place, Marylebone and he had a few traditional, wedding-style boutonnières - made up from Moyses Stevens - laid out on a table. We immediately agreed that they are a quintessential part of most modern British weddings, and we talked at length about how, in that setting, they serve a very specific purpose: They help symbolise the unification of two families.

Boutonnières worn by the groom tend to incorporate the same flowers that are being held or worn by their partners. Similar ones are usually worn by parents or siblings of both families. Yes, it helps identify the important family members on each side of the aisle, but it also helps blend the two families together.

Outside of the world of weddings is an entirely different story. In our discussions Erlend and I both admitted that neither of us had worn a flower on our suits casually even though we both knew that every bespoke suit is designed to have one. If you have a good made to measure or bespoke suit you can look behind the lapel where the button hole is and you will likely see a little loop about two inches below it. That is called the flower loop and is meant to hold the stem of the flower in place. Since a flower is meant to be there we started to talk about how to wear one if we decided to ever give it ago. This is what we came up with: Avoid The Office: A work environment where suits are mandatory is probably a bit too serious for flowers. It’s not that there's anything wrong with them, however. It’s just that, professionally speaking, subtlety is more effective at standing out than actually standing out is. Especially in an office setting.

Walk Before You Run: If you’re interested in a lapel flower, try popping a small, single stem flower into your lapel button hole when wearing casual separates. Don’t start with something too ostentatious.

Try And Repeat: A nice dinner, an evening at the opera, or a summer garden party are all perfect events to pop a flower in your lapel. The more often you do it, the more natural it will feel to wear.

Pin It Up: Flowers are expensive, and some suits don’t have a functional lapel button hole to wear one. If you can’t wear a real flower try a silk or enamel pin instead.

As always, wear what makes you feel comfortable. Style is personal, and wearing a flower on your coat just might be a great way for you to express it. Don’t be afraid to experiment. MG

' Style is personal, and wearing a flower on your coat just might be a great way for you to express it. Don’t be afraid to experiment'

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y first barber shop turns 23 this year. My second just turned 15, and my third is seven. I’m not one for sentimentality, generally, but those kinds of numbers do tend to get you feeling nostalgic. Truth be told, it feels like quite an achievement, and it does get me thinking about the idea of how sustainability applies to small, independent businesses.

I’m not talking about plastic straws, recycled cups and all that (categorically and undeniably noble) jazz. I’m talking about the idea of longevity in business. After all, it’s not always a guarantee: A small business owner is at the constant mercy of the tides of trend and favour alike. In reality, there are relatively few aspects of a business over which an owner is truly in control. With the right staff, however, you sure can stack the deck in your favour.

A good lineup of barbers is, obviously, the key to success in any barber shop (which is probably why they’re often so hard to secure in today’s industry). More importantly though, your staff are an investment like any other. Realistically, it’s going to take time before they’re cutting hair to a good standard and putting any money back into your business. It’s the same principle when it comes to the tools of the trade. Clippers, scissors, mannequins, you name it, they don’t come cheap, and any corner-cutting in those departments will show pretty quickly and hurt your business in the long run. These are all costly elements, no doubt, but they reveal their worth over time. And that’s how things should be, really: A slow-but-steady, buy-less-buy-better mentality will always prevail on a long enough time scale. Whether that’s in business or in day-to-day life.

A good workman is only as good as his tools, and when you’re cutting hair for upwards of ten hours a day, it pays to surround yourself with the best tools. Now, I know what you’re thinking: I’ve just called my barbers a bunch of tools. While that’s not quite what I’m trying to say, I think it’s fair to suggest that, over time, they do become finely-tuned instruments.

That’s why I’ve always preferred to train people from scratch. This is, of course, the slower way of doing things, and it does leave you open to life’s general unpredictability - from sickness and injury to marriage and long vacations. Which often means you’re more hands-on than you’d like to be. As I’ve said before, owning your own business is like buying yourself a full time job in some respects. But invest in your people, build a strong enough team and you just might find that it’s a full time job that will go the distance.

Over the last 23 years, I’ve had the pleasure of training up 34 apprentices. With one or two exceptions, they’re still cutting hair today. That’s quite the way of keeping the trade alive if you ask me. Not bad odds at all. IH

Follow Ian on instagram: @ianharrold1 Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

LIFESTYLE

Sustainable Hydration

JUST Water X Barry’s Bootcamp

Mark Ross in the infamous Red Room at Barry’s Bootcamp Jaden Smith, co-founder of JUST Water

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he average adult is 50-65% water.

That is, before said adult steps into Barry’s infamous Red Room.

We Sweat, we drink. It’s the natural way of things at a Barry's Bootcamp workout, and that’s exactly why the world-class gym has committed itself to minimizing their impact on the environment.

One of the ways in which it’s doing that is by teaming up with JUST Water.

Founded in 2015, JUST Water is dedicated to producing responsibly-sourced, quality products, contained in sustainably-innovative packaging. The first product, JUST Water, is 100% spring water naturally sourced and packaged in a bottle made of 82% renewable resources. The company mission to create environmental and social value along the supply chain extends to partnerships with environmental non-profits, key members of the science and innovation community, as well as university collaborations, event alliances and community projects.

According to co-founder, Jaden Smith: ‘We’re really inspired to be partnering with Barry’s as they take a stance against single-use plastic water bottles. Having this prestigious fitness studio lead the way by choosing to bring in JUST Water as their sustainable water option sets an example for us all. We have choices and making the choice that is better for the environment is something we all must do for our future.’ EJ Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Going the Extra Mile We take a look at how Barry’s Bootcamp is breaking a sweat to provide the greenest, most sustainable workout in the world words by Will HALBERT

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arry’s Bootcamp understands more than anyone that change doesn’t just happen overnight. Whether we're talking about your physique, your lifestyle or your sustainable efforts, change is the product of discipline, determination and dedication. Luckily, Barry’s Bootcamp has all three in spades, and they’re applying these tenets to provide the world’s greenest workout.

Barry’s are working to ensure that plastic cups in its Fuel Bars will be entirely replaced by PLA cups & lids (100% compostable) over the next 3 months (PLA and paper straws are already in full effect). Barry’s core collection of tanks and tees are also eco-friendly, made from either bamboo or Tencel (regenerated wood cellulose).

Efforts continue in the changing room, where plastic cotton buds have been replaced with paper variants, and complimentary, take-home sweat bags have been specially designed for multiple uses to cut down on any plastic waste.

And on the fitness front, Mark Ross, personal trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp Manchester, gives us a few tips on a regime that will go the distance: ‘Finding a healthy lifestyle that works for you is about making mostly good choices, but also enjoying the fun things in life to keep it sustainable. Training is a lot like diet. Gone are the days of strict 6 week diets where zero sugar is consumed.

Balance is key. Training should be frequent and varied, but maintainable to keep you excited and motivated to carry on.

That’s where Barry’s works so well. Our schedule is designed so that you can take class every day while giving your different muscle groups time to recover. Setting goals helps. You need to know the ‘why’. This could be a new weight increase with dumbbells, a personal best speed on the tread or physical goals like measurements. Barry's helps you stay on track by allowing you to plan ahead by scheduling a week in advance. Remember it is a journey, find what works for you and enjoy every moment of it.’ EJ

"Balance is key.

Training should be frequent and varied, but maintainable to keep you excited and motivated to carry on."

barrysbootcamp.com 29

CALM

We are a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK. Get support and join the campaign at theCALMzone.net

image credit: Jason Halayko

LIFESTYLE

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atherhood was - and remains - one of my biggest fears in life. My red thread of self-destruction goes back nearly 25 years, to when my old man left the family home. He was an angry (dare I say lost) dude on occasion, but I was his doting son who craved his attention, and when he left for Bermuda overnight, my path of destruction was set.

In my twenties, I fuelled the abandonment and anger with drink and drugs, until a moment of clarity one Christmas morning, surrounded by coke and wrapping paper, nudged me in a new direction. I found running, running ignited change, change led to a new career in well- being, and that new career led to me being on the BBC. In 2017, I was tasked with coaching ten mentally-diverse and beautiful humans to the London Marathon. ‘Mind over Marathon’ was a roaring success, however, my health wasn't. After 6 months of filming and giving my all, I took my first antidepressant, as the end credits rolled.

Over the following months, I stepped back from any responsibility as I navigated chronic stress from years of abuse, changing careers, starting a business and then committing my all to the TV project. On the quiet days, I realised how lonely I was, but my anxiety stopped me from wanting to hang out with humans, so I had a brainwave: I'll get a dog! Apparently, they're ‘good for your mental health’. Sadly, I didn't read the warning label first: it doesn’t apply to puppies.

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Chevy Rough: On failure Performance and mindfulness coach, Chevy Rough, lets us in on his experience with anger and self-destruction, where it took him, and what he learned from it words by Chevy ROUGH & Will HALBERT

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n a social climate that practically forces us to present ourselves as high flying and perpetually motivated, it pays to be honest and open about our failures and how they affect us. It’s important to understand that failure doesn't define us, but that it’s often a necessary part of a longer process, and almost always a learning experience. Chevy Rough talks us through the stresses of success and the unforeseen calamities of raising a dog. EJ

If you take one thing away from this story, let it be this: puppies will unearth all your shit, and you need to be ready to face it head-on. Lose the dreamy visions of sunny, daytime walks and prepare to take a ride into your soul as you ponder the end result of tying him up somewhere and never coming back. ‘Someone will find him, he'll be fine,’ you think.

‘But he's chipped, damn it,’ you quickly remember.

Within weeks of getting little Dudley, I started to refer to my house as Guantanamo Bay. I'd often sit staring at him in his crate, pondering who was actually in the cage, me or him. He quickly became known as the "Hammer of Hither Green," "The Weapon," and generally a complete

mistake on my behalf. The dark clouds came back in force and then the worst happened.

Red mist, something that scares me to my very core. I'd spent years putting my arms around the angry young man who had kicked the shit out of himself and the world, for so long. I can't remember exactly why it happened; I just remember snapping and my voice scaring Dudley to his core. As he backed into a corner, I backed up through the years of pain to be confronted again by the trauma of my past. I was my father in that moment, the man I had promised I would never be. I had failed.

Over the coming months, I began to pull away more and more, keeping dog father duties to a minimum and

fighting reasons to blame him for my sadness. My wife sensed it, and it began to cause ripples in our home.

Then good news came, I had been offered a consulting role that would involve a lot of travel. Finally, I could bring the conversation of rehoming him to the table as a benefit for him, and not me.

At this point, you need to know that we are all, in part, sums of our previous experiences. These experiences get filed away in the subconscious and are continually being referenced to inform us of how we think we should think and feel, when new situations arise. My wife's experience of fatherhood was also one of abandonment, so when Sophie saw my shit playing out, it

caused pain. Thankfully, I had come far enough in my journey to be able to recognise that, and it was her sadness that flicked a switch.

My biggest fear is not being angry like my dad; it is walking away from my children as he did. So here I was, living out that fear, I had created my own destiny and was getting ready to repeat history. I was trying to walk away from the representation of fatherhood in my life.

It was that moment that ignited a crucial principle in my coaching methodology: Lean in. As humans, we want to avoid pain, we hunt out safety through the path of least resistance, thinking stress is the enemy and living in fear of failure, worried we are not enough and stressing over what others will think.

The truth is, we have to stress test a system to identify its flaws, only then can we keep working on making it stronger. To do this, we have to lean into failure again, and again and again. Making it a deep practice, where hopefully a new skill will form the other side, through time, patience and resilience. Through working with Dudley, he’s setting me up to be a good dad to my children.

One who can show love and not walk away when the going gets tough.

From that day onward, I swore to myself I would burn the boats and never look back. Working through the failures with Dudley has set me up for fatherhood, and for that I owe the little dude everything. It’s not all roses every day, but that just means I get to put more reps in where it counts, setting me up for the future.

Thank you, Dudley x CR 31

DINING

The Recipe

FRESH PEAS, ROOFTOP MINT, AND FRIED BREAD

The Garden Chef: Recipes and Stories from Plant to Plate Available Now

Compliments of Robin Gill, The Dairy, Clapham, London

E

veryone has food memories and most of us remember eating fresh peas from a pod. Sweet and juicy, the taste and bouncy texture alert you to summer just around the corner. As a chef, the last months of winter can be challenging, so the appearance of fresh peas is a welcome sign that soon the crates from the farm will be full and plentiful. Most of our dishes start with a conversation about what we have. This dish, with peas from our farm and mint from the rooftop, was created during a team brainstorming session while we worked together to pick, shell, wash, and trim the morning delivery.

The Garden Chef: Recipes and Stories from Plant to Plate (Phaidon) is available now

Serves 8 - 10 NORI OIL 350ml grapeseed oil 5 x 3g sheets dried nori, cut into small pieces 30g parsley, leaves picked 30g chervil, leaves picked 30g tarragon, leaves picked 30g dill, leaves picked

FRIED BREAD CRUMBS 150g yesterday’s sourdough 25ml Arbequina olive oil ½ clove garlic, crushed grated zest of ½ lemon 1 sprig lemon thyme leaves picked Maldon sea salt

PEA MOUSSE 1 ½ x 2.5g leaf gelatin sheets 500g frozen garden peas 10g SosaProEspuma Cold salt

LEMON GEL ½ leaf gelatin sheet 35g caster sugar 75ml lemon juice

MINT GRANITA 2 bunches mint (60g) leaves picked

TO SERVE 500g podded fresh peas 1 head celery Nori Oil, to taste lemon juice, to taste 15 g chives, chopped 100 g Fried Bread Crumbs Maldon sea salt pea shoots celery pollen

Put the oil into the freezer to chill for 2 hours.

Chop the bread into pieces, then dry out completely in a dehydrator, or in the oven on its lowest setting, for 3–4 hours. Blend the dried bread in a food processor to a bread crumb consistency.

Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water.

Soak the gelatin in a bowl of cold water.

Bring a medium pan of water to a rolling boil with a generous pinch of salt. Blanch the peas in the water for 2 minutes, then drain. Tip into a blender and blend until smooth.

Dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice by warming it in a pan to just under boiling point. Remove from the heat.

Drain the softened gelatin, squeezing out excess water, and add to the pan. Stir until the gelatin has melted into the mixture. Let cool, then decant into a squeeze bottle or disposable pastry (piping) bag and refrigerate until required.

Blanch the mint leaves in a pan of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and refresh the mint in a bowl of ice water.

Drain the mint and squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Blend the drained mint with a little of the reserved blanching liquid in a blender until smooth.

Separate the small, sweeter-tasting shelled peas from the larger ones. Leave the small, sweet ones raw. Blanch the larger ones in a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds, then re- fresh in a bowl of ice water. Keep all the peas in the refrigerator until required.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Toast the nori on a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes.

Blanch the herb leaves in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, then refresh in ice water and drain well. Coarsely chop the herbs.

Put the oil and toasted nori into a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Add the herbs and blend again for 2 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl set over ice (keeping the oil cool helps to retain the bright green colour).

Store the nori oil in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Set a wide-bottomed pan over medium heat and add the olive oil followed by the bread crumbs. Toast, using a whisk to stir the crumbs, for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Add the crushed garlic, lemon zest, and thyme with a pinch of salt and mix. Tip the mixture onto a flat tray lined with paper towels and let cool.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Drain the softened gelatin, then warm it gently in a small pan with a splash of water to melt it. Add the gelatin to the pea puree along with the ProEspuma and blend to incorporate. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve onto a flat tray set over ice to cool the mixture as quickly as possible.

Decant the mixture into a whipping siphon so that it is three-quarters full. Add two charges and give the whipping siphon a strong shake.

Refrigerate until required.

Pour the blended mint into a metal tray or other freezer-proof container to make a thin layer. Freeze until solid, then run a fork through to break it up and create a granita texture. Keep in the freezer until required.

Peel the strings from the celery, then cut into 1⁄2-inch/1-cm dice. Weigh the diced celery and calculate 1% salt to season.

Dress the peas and celery with a little nori oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Stir through the chopped chives. Spoon this mixture around each plate. Pipe some of the lemon gel around the plates. Sprinkle over the fried bread crumbs and add a generous mound of pea mousse. Scatter the pea shoots and celery pollen over the plates and finish with some of the mint granita.

The Essential Journal | Issue 47

DRINKING We're teaming up with The Whisky Exchange to shed a little light on your (new) favourite drinks categories thewhiskyexchange.com

High Spirits Spotlight

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability Champions

The Whisky Exchange raises a glass to the people and brands that are helping to make our planet greener

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s the people of the world are becoming more mindful about the drinks they choose, we have decided to dedicate this month’s High Spirits Spotlight to some of our favourite brands doing their bit for our precious planet. And as luck would have it, they just so happen to be making some great tasting drinks while they’re at it. Cheers! TWE

words by The Whisky Exchange

Foxhole Spirits’ - HYKE Gin £30.45

Ncn’ean Botanical Spirit £27.95

Patrón Silver Tequila £44.95

Both of the gins created by Foxhole Spirits are sustainably conscious, demonstrating that luxury can be made from surplus on a larger scale.

Foxhole Gin is made from the by-products of the English grape harvest and HYKE Gin is made using offcuts from bunches of table grapes. It is flavoured with a blend of botanicals inspired by the grapes’ African and South American origins, including coriander, myrrh and rooibos.

These guys don’t just distil from industrially produced spirit, they craft unique products that reflect the true characteristics of these incredible raw materials.

This botanical spirit drink from fledgling Scottish distiller Ncn'ean is somewhere between a whisky and a gin. It’s a combination of the distillery's barley spirit (unaged whisky) and ten botanicals and locally foraged herbs including bog myrtle, heather, sorrel and thyme.

The distillery is a farm which runs entirely on renewable energy – the team use the wood chips from surrounding forests to feed the biomass boiler, any leftover grain is recycled to feed the cows, and all the waste products are used on the fields as fertiliser.

Mix 50ml Ncn’ean Botanical Spirit, tonic water and a dash of Angostura bitters with ice, and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

Despite its status as one of the world’s most famous tequila brands, Patrón has an impressive dedication to being sustainable, not just for the environment but also for the local community and its employees. Patron employ over 1,000 people locally to work in the distillery at Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco. The company offers employees free transport to and from work with flexible working hours, and helps them to advance their studies by working with local universities. A natural gas pipeline is the distillery’s main energy source, reducing CO2 emissions, and a reverse osmosis water treatment system recovers up to 70 percent of the usable water for cleaning, watering the gardens and running the cooling towers. Patrón also reuse leftover agave fibres to create fertilizer and compost, and replant trees when the distillery needs to create more space.

Ticking a lot of boxes while producing a wonderful spirit that’s full of flavour, Patrón is certainly a brand not to be forgotten when you’re ordering a margarita.

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Barney Wilczak Capreolus Distillery Barney at Capreolus Distillery in the Cotswolds is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to doing things properly. For him, being sustainable means relying on renewably-sourced electricity to power the whole distillery (and recycling water used in the process), using biodegradable cleaners for the stills, sourcing sustainably-harvested corks (which in turn supports one of the most bio diverse areas in western Europe), ensuring a carbon neutral production of paper labels, and gathering 85% of the fruit for his eaux-de-vie from within 55 miles of the distillery. That’s most of the green boxes well and truly ticked!

Matt Whiley founder of Scout bar, London & Sydney Matt Whiley championed the greener movement when he opened Scout in 2017, focusing on sustainable cocktails and zero waste. The current cocktail list at the London bar, named ‘Ecö Systems’, focuses on three sections with four to five drinks in each: Metropolis City, Oceans & Streams and Woodlands & Forest.

Locally foraged ingredients from coastal regions, inland streams and London’s green spaces, and a food menu featuring sustainably sourced ingredients, mean Scout is leading the way in creating truly sustainable bars.

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DRINKING

Drinking With

Weapons and Toys Matt Whiley and Rich Woods - the guys behind your favourite bars, books, and booze lists - have joined forces to bring you drinks design collective, Weapons and Toys words by Will HALBERT

image credit: Lateef Okunnu

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

DRINKING

Sustainable Sipping

A Match Made in Hackney

Matt Whiley takes five from his Antipodean adventures to talk about the Zetter menus’ more sustainable flourishes First off, tell us a little about yourselves and how Weapons & Toys came to be?

Rich and I have been friends for a few years and both being in the industry, have always wanted to collaborate.

Last year, an opportunity arose to collaborate with Adam Handling so we decided to combine our skills and set up a drinks consultancy. And so, Weapons and Toys was born! The name of the lab is inspired by all of the exciting tools we use to make the drinks come to life.

Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the new Zetter cocktails? Is there a running theme throughout the selection?

We collaborated with The Zetter Townhouse on the menu’s theme of Cures & Curiosities and Potions & Punches, using 10 ingredients known for their healing properties to develop cocktails that are all linked by the concept of therapeutic and medicinal elements. Woven throughout the menus are the stories that bring the townhouses to life; we’ve included the quirky and fictitious townhouse owners in the process (Aunt Wilhelmina and Uncle Seymour), who ‘discovered’ the 10 ingredients on their travels and are now sharing their findings with their guests through this unique cocktail selection.

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ot content with running one of the world’s best bars, Scout’s very own Matt Whiley and Rich Woods, have joined forces once again to front up the Hackney-based bar and cocktail consultancy agency, Weapons and Toys. One of their most recent projects comes in the form of a set of new menus for our long-time friends at The Zetter Townhouse. With a focus on ten weird-and-wonderful ingredients all known for their unique, therapeutic benefits, both the Clerkenwell’s ‘Cures & Curiosities’ and the Marylebone’s ‘Potions & Punches’ menus are equal parts surreal and sophisticated.

How long was the creative process behind the new menus? What were the main challenges along the way?

We worked for a few months to develop the collection, followed by some tweaks and changes in the weeks before the launch. Unusually, there actually weren’t many challenges, the process was pretty clear. We had a vision and the final goal is always that the guests try the menu and are blown away by the taste, the story and the presentation.

Beyond just making great drinks, was there anything you were looking to achieve with the latest menu?

When you enter The Zetter Townhouses, there’s already such a sense of it being a true ‘down the rabbit hole’ experience. With this menu, there’s a new story to tell.

We wanted to take that escapism and run with it, using the menu to transport guests to a whole new world through our choice of ingredients to really help write this chapter of Aunt Wilhelmina and Uncle Seymour’s stories.

Cures & Curiosities:

Eternal Martini

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egend has it that quartz stones aid concentration and improve memory, making them the perfect modifier for the classic, memory-muddling, mixological mainstay that is the classic Martini. Now, we can’t account for the veracity of the science behind such off-the-cuff claims, but we can’t say we care all that much when a cocktail looks and tastes this good. Using a delicate blend of quartz stone-washed gin, strawberry vermouth and almond flower, Matt and Rich have come away with a twist on a Martini that’s so good it quite literally glows.

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Palo Santo, yarrow, catnip, elf oil, there are a fair few exotic ingredients in the mix here. What made you want to experiment with them in the first place, and what do you think they bring to the table?

All of these ingredients have some sort of perceived health benefit to humans – whether they’re old wives tales or proven to be naturopathic, we wanted to base the menus around ingredients that remedy certain ailments.

Palo Santo is actually an interesting one – it’s supposedly a ‘holy wood’, burnt to cleanse rooms of evil spirits in the same way you burn sage. So in very unique ways, each ingredient is linked in the sense that they’re said to heal, cleanse or cure but never compromising on flavour.

Are these all pretty boozy concoctions. Will you be featuring a few low/no ABV options too?

Of course, we’re always conscious of promoting responsible drinking. This particular menu has a few stiff drinks for those who want a boozier taste but also features a couple of spritz style options which is lower in alcohol. There’s also a great non-alc selection on the menu which we’re looking to grow over the next few months. Our general rule of thumb is to keep it balanced and ensure there’s something for everyone.

Do you have any personal favourite cocktails from the upcoming collection?

The Vetiver & Peach Spritz is definitely my favourite on the Clerkenwell menu. There’s one on the Marylebone menu called the ‘Enchanted Martini’ which is infused with Quince Tea Kombucha and I just love the flavours.

Those two are definitely my favourite to taste-test.

Are there any elements of the latest Zetter menus that are particularly sustainably-minded?

Rich and I are mindful of the environment whenever we set up our menus and of course, the Zetter team share this focus so in this collaboration we placed a lot of emphasis on when, where and how we went about sourcing ingredients. For example, we made a conscious effort to buy locally in London and we put practices in place to really assess how much we need of a product in each drink, to avoid over-ordering and wastage.

How important has the concept of sustainability become in the wider context of the bar industry?

It’s a big theme in the industry at the moment but as we move into the future, sustainable practices should be commonplace in all bars. Just across the board, we should all be mindful for the state of our planet and the part we can play to help.

Are there any sustainable steps that you'd like to see more bars taking in their day-to-day operations?

I personally witness a huge amount of over-ordering - it’s the simplest practice to adjust and improve on.

Reducing the quantity of perishable items ordered if you’re noticing wastage and being mindful of delivery frequency can drastically minimise your contribution to emissions. Little tweaks in these practices can make a huge difference to the industry as a whole.

Potions & Punches:

Healing Punch

P

alo Santo isn’t exactly the first thing one expects to see on a cocktail menu, but here it is in all its shamanistic glory. Hailing from the coasts of South America, this ‘holy wood’ not only adds a touch of pine, mint and citrus to the woodfire warmth of the Healing Punch's Scotch-forward credentials, but brings a little aromatherapy to the alchemic blend. The addition of clarified rice milk adds further body to the mix. All of which makes for an almost restorative tipple that gives a whole new meaning to the idea of drinking responsibly. Again, don’t quote us on the science of that.

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ESSENTIAL JOURNAL X LA MARZOCCO

Out of the Box & into a Castle With a firm focus on community & conversation, La Marzocco’s annual summer event succeeded in creating a space to create, celebrate and counsel words by Thomas SUMNER

L

ast week, we were lucky enough to join La Marzocco for the summer edition of their Out of the Box event. Taking place at the one-and-only Tonbridge Castle, Kent, Out of the box played host to a selection of live workshops, panel discussions, music, coffee competitions, roasters villages and premium food and drink stalls - not to mention a spot of VR racing courtesy of sponsors, Roborace. And you know what? The coffee wasn’t half bad either.

In retrospect, Out of the Box is the kind of event that could have only been put together with the conversational, community-building credentials that La Marzocco have carefully built over the last nine decades.

For all the great food, music, and discussion on offer, Out of the Box truly excelled at simply providing a time and a place for people to meet and for events to unfold. As good as the coffee is (and it really is that good), it almost plays second fiddle to the conversations and displays of conviviality that really set the event off. It’s easy to see why industry movers-and-shakers like Falcon Coffees, Grey Goose and Espresso Solutions were happy to get on board as additional sponsors.

In Out of the Box, La Marzocco have created a platform for engaging and open dialogue, and this summer’s edition was no exception. With a series of panels dedicated to both design & innovation and the evolution of specialty drinks, Out of the Box provided food for thought and plenty of opportunity to debate and discuss.

More than anything, Out of the Box was a solid reminder that a cup of coffee is about more than the caffeine within, it’s about the conversation that it facilitates and nourishes. For a heritage company like La Marzocco, it’s a conversation that has lasted almost a century. And long may it continue. EJ

'In retrospect, Out of the Box is the kind of event that could have only been put together with the conversational, community-building credentials that La Marzocco have carefully built over the last nine decades. '

La Marzocco would like to send a massive thanks to all the sponsors and supporters of this years Out of the Box: Grey Goose, Espresso Solutions, Roborace, Falcon Coffees, BWT, Northiam Dairy, Minor Figures, Clockwork Espresso. Money raised at Out of the Box went towards Reverse Rett and Project Waterfall.

For more information on Out of the Box and future La Marzocco events, head to www.uk.lamarzocco.com or following along @lamarzoccouk

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

37

2019 –2020 Season Vasily Petrenko Chief Conductor

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The Essential Journal | Issue 46

COLUMN

At the Pass with

Tommy Banks Tommy Banks, chef & owner of Roots (York) and the Michelin-starred Black Swan at Oldstead, discusses the many faces of sustainability in the food and drinks industry

A

s a species, we have to accept that our very presence has an impact. It’s our responsibility to offset that impact wherever we can. Now, as an industry that’s literally based around the celebration of consumption, the food and drinks industry, by and large, is no paragon of eco-friendliness. But here at Roots and The Black Swan at Oldstead, we’re doing what we can. And with a focus on balance, compromise and respect, I’d say we’re getting better at it everyday.

Balance, for us, is a question of managing scale. Having a small farm means we’re able to cut down on the use of any intensive, industrialised machinery, along with any excess delivery mileage and its strain on the environment. On a creative front, our modest farm also allows for some all-important seasonality when it comes to the subject of menu development, too. Obviously, the bigger the scale of your enterprise, the more machinery is required to maintain it. But we’re not looking to feed an entire population at The Black Swan and Roots. We’re happy with our own small patch of land and we welcome those that come to visit us.

Compromise is an inevitable component of sustainability, too. The Black Swan at Oldstead, along with our farm, are so isolated that it doesn’t actually receive three-phase electricity. Instead, it runs on a diesel generator. So it’s important to make sure we look for ways to maximise the generator’s efficiency. To that end, the hot water run-off can be used to heat both the rooms at The Black Swan and our Polytunnel when it’s needed from February through to May. We live in an age when more and more consumers are clued into the fact that good food costs more than just money: it comes with a certain ecological price tag, too. With that in mind, it’s important to respect that product, whatever it is, and to use every bit of it that you can. We’re lucky in the sense that our chefs are a thrifty lot by nature. So whether we’re talking about meat, fish or crops, you can be sure that we’re getting everything out of a product that we possibly can.

Of course, respect goes so much further that how we source and use our produce at both Roots and The Black Swan; it runs through every fibre of our restaurants. Respect for your staff, their wellbeing, and the sustainability of their working conditions is always a huge priority. We’re more wary than ever of the dangers of burnout and the general pressures of the food and drink industry. Thankfully, we’re seeing a new generation of workers being ushered in who understand that busy isn’t always better.

They want - and deserve - the time and the means to explore other interests and other passions while they make a living.

This is a facet of sustainability that I think is all-too-often overlooked in our industry, and one we look to address wherever possible. At both Roots and The Black Swan at Oldstead, our chefs work a maximum of four days a week, without a split-shift in sight.

We also make sure that our chefs never go hungry on shift. While this isn’t always so great for the waistline, it’s wonderful for the soul. People will always resist change, however.

You’ll always catch the old guard waxing lyrical about how you’re downright lazy if you’re not walking uphill both ways to put in your 80 hours a week. But thankfully, we’re seeing newer, healthier working philosophies finding their way into restaurants, and we couldn’t be happier about it.

That idea of respect and its role in our ongoing quest for sustainability is just as important when it comes to those we’re serving, too. Particularly when it comes to the question of reservations, no-shows and cancellations. Cancelled bookings can cost us around £100,000 in staff wages, lost revenue and wasted produce over the course of a year. While the lost revenue is something only other restaurants can relate to, I’m sure we can all appreciate the severity of wasted food.

To offset this, we enforce a deposit system. Admittedly, it’s not always a popular system amongst guests, but it’s something we feel pretty strongly about. So, in the interest of deterring sudden cancellations - or even worse still - the cardinal sin of booking multiple restaurants so that you can decide later (a faux pas of the highest order), we think we can safely consider deposits to fall under the necessary compromises mentioned above.

So, like I said, sustainability comes down to balance, compromise and respect. We owe our lands and our staff a lot; they’re the keys to our success and we want to see them both flourish. So doing our part wherever possible to look after both of them is a real priority for us.

We’d like to think we’re doing our best at both, but we’re never ones to shy away from the challenge of striving for better. TB

'We live in an age when more and more consumers are clued into the fact that

words by Tommy BANKS

good food costs more than just money: it comes with a certain ecological price tag, too.

With that in mind, it’s important to respect that product, whatever it is, and use every bit of it that you can.'

image credit: Debbie Porter

To find out more about Tommy's food head online: blackswanoldstead.co.uk rootsyork.com

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

39

SECTION

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

DINING

Sustainability Down South As the terms ‘zero-waste’, ‘seasonal’, and ‘hunter-gatherer’ evolve from restaurant buzzwords to bona fide battle plans, we sit and chat with some of London’s most forward-thinking and sustainably-minded restaurants interviews by Will HALBERT

Nicholas Balfe Chef & Co-Founder Mark Gurney Co-Owner & Wine-Buyer Salon and Levan

Tell us a little about the history behind Salon and it’s rise from pop-up to fully-fledged restaurant.

Nicholas: The rise of Salon has been a very gradual and organic process.

I opened Salon as a pop up above a deli in Brixton Market at the end of 2012. I funded it entirely with my own money - and trust me, I didn't have very much to spare and cobbled together some very basic kitchen equipment and some raggedy old furniture. In all honesty, I barely expected the pop up to last a few months, but the first weeks were a success, so we decided to carry on. I reinvested almost every penny over the first few years, and with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, Salon gradually shifted from a temporary set up to a permanent venture.

Mark and Matt joined the business in 2016 and we carried out a modest refurb in 2017, before opening the Wine Store next door in November of that year, and celebrating our 5th birthday in January 2018.

By that time, we had built up a pretty solid reputation in the industry, had an incredibly loyal group of regulars and the business was in good shape.

It was around that time the opportunity to open a second site landed on our lap; we went on to open Levan in Peckham in November 2018.

The term ‘sustainability’ has become something of a catch-all phrase of late. What does the term mean to you, personally?

Nicholas: For me, sustainability means acting responsibly - from the ingredients we source to how we reduce and repurpose our waste.

Restaurants have historically had a reputation for being wasteful, but I believe that I have responsibilities as both a chef and restaurateur to be conscious of our impact on the environment, the producers and suppliers we work with, as well as the community we operate within.

How important is the concept of seasonality at Salon and Levan, and Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Ivan Tisdall-Downes Head Chef at Native

what are the biggest challenges that go along with building a menu with seasonality in mind?

Nicholas: Seasonality is an integral part of what we do at both restaurants. I can see no logic whatsoever in trying to source ingredients that aren't in season, everything not only tastes better but also costs less when it's in season. Moreover, using ingredients that are in season locally means that they don't have to travel as far, meaning the products are fresher and the environmental impact is reduced.

Mark, tell us a little about your Wine Store and the wines on offer there.

Mark: The wine ethos across Salon, the Wine Store and Levan is the same; banging wines, made beautifully with as much consideration to the environment as possible. We work with a large variety of winemakers who are incredibly small, and who believe in the importance of eco-diversity and practice organics, biodynamics and don’t use chemicals and minimise their use of sulphur. The fantastic thing about our selections is that you’ll find extremely high quality fine wines alongside the more affordable range all with this same ethos. It’s a hugely exciting time.

What made you decide to take the biodynamic route with your wine selection?

Mark: Alongside reducing the impact we have on the environment and the human (no one needs any more chemical additives in their lives!), we firmly believe that this approach produces wines that are unique, alive, full of character and a reflection of their place.

Are most of your guests already sustainably-minded? Or is there an element of education involved with dining at Salon and Levan?

Nicholas: We're lucky enough to have very open-minded guests at both Salon and Levan. I do enjoy being able to introduce our guests to new ingredients and/or combinations, but we're not here to challenge people. The term Zero Waste has become a bit of a buzz phrase recently, but the reality is that minimising our waste - whether that be turning meat offcuts into ragu, using surplus fruits to make shrubs, infusions and vinegars, or turning the crusts of our sourdough bread into crackers - means that our menu is more distinct, we get more value from our ingredients and we put so much less into landfill!

Nicholas Balfe & Mark Gurney Salon and Levan

Tell us a little about the story of Native and the hunter-gatherer ethos behind it.

We created a restaurant that we wanted to eat in first and foremost.

I am not a trained chef and so have not had restaurant norms built into me. I created the restaurant as a customer, not a restaurateur. I did a degree in Business at Brighton before embarking on my culinary adventure, so effectively learnt how to run a business before I could cook, the opposite to most Chef owners. I gave myself a crash course in cooking, learning from TV, books and working in various establishments around the UK, the most influential of which was River Cottage HQ in Devon, which nurtured my passion for wild and foraged ingredients. This was strengthened by an amazing time spent working at Blue Hill Farm at Stone Barns, in New York. Following this, my family left London and I was increasingly exposed to wild foods. I would spend the summer in the fields walking the dogs and began picking the wild berries and googling what could be done with them, which was mainly making jams and chutneys. It kicked off my entrepreneurial spirit and I began selling jams at farmers’ markets alongside my business partner Imogen. This progressed into selling street food, then onto pop-up restaurants and then we fell into a permanent site.

What does sustainability mean to you? And how predominantly does it factor into what you guys do at Native?

Sustainability has always been at the core of what we do at Native. Giving ingredients the stage they deserve, and utilising the best the land has to offer means that we let the land dictate the menu. It means we have to be more creative and flexible with how we work but I think it also benefits us in the way that our menu is so exciting and changeable.

Ivan Tisdall-Downes Native

Do you think that consumers are more sustainably-minded nowadays? Do you think restaurants have a responsibility to educate their guests when it comes to the subject of sustainability?

We are an educational and experience-led restaurant. I believe that food is one of the last true forms of exploration. We have everything at the click of a button now, clothes, music, film, but to taste truly good,

regional food you still have to actively go out and seek it.

I think Native has been of interest to people because of the exciting ingredients we use, but also because there is a distinct lack of British food in Britain. We have adopted food from other cultures extremely well (but that’s a whole different subject!) but England specifically has lost its food identity. I think Rene at Noma has helped us rediscover what English food is. We have seen him using different seaweeds, different wild herbs, various wild meat and said 'hang on a second, we have chickweed, we have kelp and wood pigeon, all over our island, we can cook with that too!”

We are very keen to open a small restaurant with rooms in the countryside on a small farm or smallholding. We would like to grow vegetables and rear a few animals as well as make our own honey out there which we can supply to 'City Native', helping us to control our supply chain further.

What are the main challenges of working towards a zero-waste restaurant?

We feel that everything is a product in its own right, there is no such thing as an off-cut. We have a snacks selection on the menu which uses up the more unusual cuts or pieces of the animal, such as the hearts and livers, or larger pieces like the deer shoulders which are trickier to portion for main courses or starters.

We also run our “Wasting Menu” this is an express lunch menu based around hearty stews and curries that uses up the tougher cuts of the animal or products that suppliers often have a surplus of that goes to waste. For us, it’s not only about making our site zero waste, it’s about making the whole food chain generate as little waste as possible, from the produce we order to the packaging it’s delivered in.

For Native, being zero waste was a necessity commercially: keeping costs to a minimum as a start-up was very important. Now it’s definitely something to be proud of.

Where do you do most of your foraging? And can you talk us through on some of the ingredients you’d typically look out for whilst foraging?

That is a secret, I'm afraid! But I can guarantee that when you walk to your local park, or on the way to work you will pass plenty of edible herbs, from elderflower to yarrow and plenty of hedgerow berries!

41

CONSENSUS

Reaching a Consensus

Sustainability part for the planet by living more sustainably, but I think that cooking always makes you question the journey of the ingredients you’re cooking with. That’s something that hopefully makes the hospitality industry more mindful… but not always!

What does the future of the sustainability movement look like?

Every one of us doing our bit, all the time, not just when it’s convenient.

Tom Hill Head Chef and Co-Proprietor of Ducksoup, London @ducksoupsoho Tell us a bit about what you do...

Myself, Clare Lattin and Rory McCoy have two small restaurants in London. Ducksoup in Soho and Little Duck, The Picklery in Dalston.

Ducksoup opened in 2011 and serves an eclectic array of dishes using the best seasonal ingredients available, and Little Duck opened in 2017 which is where we make all our own seasonal ferments, pickles and drinks.

What does sustainability mean to you?

To us, sustainability means being conscious about the choices you make, ensuring that they are the best choices within your capability and that they don’t have a detrimental effect on our environment. In short, it means constantly working to ensure that our practices support a sustainable way of operating and living.

When did you first move towards becoming a sustainable business?

We’re a small business, so we’ve always been very connected to the decisions that are made every day.

From the ingredients we cook with, how we recycle and how we manage our waste, down to the cleaning products we use and the uniforms we choose for our staff.

What steps did you implement?

We don’t work with any ‘bodies’ as such, but we do take care to ensure that our team operate mindfully and sustainably. We aim to buy our produce locally whenever we can, we ask our suppliers to pack our food in a way that represents our values - for example, using less plastic - and we store all our prep in reusable vessels.

We apply a root to leaf approach in everything we do, turning much of what might usually end up wasted into pickles or ferments, and incorporate the stalks, leaves or pulp into baking. We also utilise seconds or gluts where possible, working closely with our suppliers and taking what they’ve grown rather than letting it go to waste.

Why is it important for hospitality businesses to operate with sustainability in mind?

It’s important for everyone to do their 42

Tony Papas Director of Allpress Espresso @allpressespresso

This month, we reach out to those in the know to find out how the hospitality industry is tackling sustainability and what more needs to be done for businesses to become more environmentally and socially conscious

This year is an opportunity for us to celebrate 30 years of people, flavour and innovation. None of that would have been possible without thinking sustainably economically, environmentally and socially. It’s been implicit in our business in many ways, from how we source our coffee to how we roast it, and how we power our buildings. Which isn’t to say that we’ve nailed it - we’ve certainly got a long road ahead.

What does the future of the sustainability movement look like?

Sustainability in our minds looks like a holistic approach. Ideally, new and improved access to the right waste streams that are able to keep up with the people who are adopting more environmentally-friendly packaging.

First Mile are a company already doing a good job of this in London and Birmingham, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. We also have to favour reusable options and move away from disposable items when we can - and choose the right materials when they have to be disposable.

Tell us a bit about what you do...

Allpress is more than just a coffee roaster. We’re passionate about the community of independent thinkers that come together around coffee. 30 years ago, Michael Allpress opened a coffee cart in Auckland. Today, Allpress roasts and supplies coffee to customers in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Japan and the UK. What does sustainability mean to you?

We look at sustainability from a social, economic and environmental perspective. These are often linked, and our approach to all of them is about continuous improvement.

When did you first move towards becoming a sustainable business?

A lot of our sustainability initiatives have been ongoing for a long time, but we’ve never really had a framework in place to guide the business as a whole. Each country implements its own practices organically, but that larger purpose is what we’re working on at the moment.

What steps did you implement?

We run lots of different initiatives on a global and local scale. From the coffee sacks that get sold to customers in our cafés (the proceeds of which go to local schools) to the solar panels powering our Dalston Roastery, to moving towards reusable or compostable packaging as standard. Each individual roastery is working on what it can change, and we also want all new company-wide products and services to be better than the current version.

Why is it important for hospitality businesses to operate with sustainability in mind?

Jules and Steve Horrell Executive Chef and Operations Manager of Roth Bar & Grill, Bruton @rothbarandgrill Tell us a bit about what you do...

Roth Bar & Grill combines gastronomy with contemporary art and is a vibrant, informal and convivial eating-place, serving honest, simple and seasonal food. We are situated on the site of Hauser & Wirth Somerset in Bruton and also have the beautiful 18th century Durslade Farmhouse guesthouse on the estate, which is available for single nights, weekends, week-long or mid-week stays.

What does sustainability mean to you?

For us, sustainability means achieving as high a level of self-sufficiency as possible. We champion ‘farm to fork’ cooking naturally – all of our meat comes from our farm and we have an incredibly close relationship with our farmers. We do all of our butchery on site and we age and cure any leftovers to make delicious charcuterie. Our kitchen garden supplies us with herbs and vegetables, and we also work with local foragers, game-keepers and fishermen.

When did you first move towards

becoming a sustainable business?

Sustainability is one of the key pillars of our business, so this has been very important to us since we opened our doors in the summer of 2014 – and because we pay so much attention to the growing, rearing, butchering and curing of our produce, we allow very little to go to waste.

What steps did you implement?

Since opening, around 90% of the ingredients we use have always come from within a 15-mile radius, but we are always striving to do more. When we began curing our own meat it was a bit of an experiment, but it was such a success and it has now developed so that charcuterie is one of our most popular dishes. We now also recycle our coffee in our kitchen garden, and pickle and preserve any excess produce from the kitchen garden.

Why is it important for hospitality businesses to operate with sustainability in mind?

It’s up to us to inspire our guests of all ages, and instill in them our deep love of the countryside. We run courses in foraging, fishing, butchery and cooking which are all centred around the core principles of sustainability and celebrating nature. We aim to educate people on how to be a little bit more sustainable, and by practicing what we preach, businesses like ours can make an actual difference.

What does the future of the sustainability movement look like?

Staying local, seasonal and smallscale is more important than ever and we feel that the move towards this approach is the future. Our customers know about outstanding produce and feel comfortable in the knowledge that we share their values. We hope to lead the way for greater change across our industry.

Matt Thomas Managing Director of Searcys, UK @searcystpancras Tell us a bit about what you do...

Searcys is an event and retail caterer, one of the oldest in the UK actually – we’ve been around since 1847. We’re a British heritage brand but we’re contemporary at the same time. We have iconic venues across the country, from St Pancras to The Gherkin to Blenheim Palace and St

interviews by Elliot RAMSEY

Paul’s Cathedral.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Sustainability means doing right by the people that you live and work around. It means making decisions that are intuitive to you and your customers today, without compromising those that follow you tomorrow. We look to source ethically and like to think that we have an awareness of what consumers expect in today’s market. There is real evidence of what we do through our newly formed Searcys pledges.

When did you first move towards becoming a sustainable business?

We started consciously in 2018 with the launch of our sourcing pledges.

What then followed were further pledges recognising more broadly the communities within which we work and our approach to waste management. As an example, we partnered with the London charity Beyond Food, an organisation that inspires, supports and educates vulnerable adults at risk of homelessness. We train our teams to think sustainably and reward those who are most active in their participation.

What steps did you implement?

Loads, I would like to think. Free range eggs, Red Tractor milk, sustainably-sourced fish, British-reared meats, meat-free menus, carbon-neutral champagne, paper straws, work experiences within the community – the list continues.

We have also committed to championing local produce, with all fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese and dairy coming from within a 40-mile radius of our venues.

Why is it important for hospitality businesses to operate with sustainability in mind?

Because we are a massive sector, much of what we do now plays a significant part on our environment.

We are all aware of how serious an issue climate change has become for our generation, and organisations like ourselves have an obligation to be sustainably conscious, support ethical suppliers and do all we can to minimise waste.

What does the future of the sustainability movement look like?

I would like to think that the momentum will continue to build, and that awareness will continue to grow. We are trying to change behaviour and encourage inclusion and participation. It’s not always radical and it takes time, but with little steps and good intent, I am sure that we will continue making progress.

The Essential Journal | Issue 47

DRINKING

The Square Root of Sustainability We delve into the sustainability movement within the soft drinks industry, exploring how one brand are paving the way with their uniquely British product words by Elliot RAMSEY

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

43

DRINKING

image credit: Ed Taylor

W

Head to squarerootsoda.co.uk to view the full Square Root Soda range, to shop online and to read more about their sustainability pledges

44

ith a growing consciousness surrounding what we consume, where it is sourced from and how it is produced, many drinks companies have begun to implement sustainable practices in order to reduce waste, preserve the environment and champion local and seasonal produce. In the modern world, in which our impact on the environment has become increasingly apparent, the public mood has turned towards socially-conscious businesses that operate with environmental awareness in mind. Square Root Soda, the London-based, small-batch drinks brand, are one such company, placing a passion for sustainability at the very fore of what they do.

Founded in 2012 by Ed Taylor and Robyn Simms, Square Root Soda began in the couple’s kitchen where they initially began producing ginger beer. Quickly blown away by the demand for their products, the pair established their Soda Works in 2013 and have since continued to produce innovative soft drinks, driven by their desire to offer consumers a high quality alternative to alcoholic beverages. Last month, we joined the team on their road trip to Tomlinson’s Farm in Pudsey, West Yorkshire (where they source the raspberry rhubarb used in their seasonal rhubarb soda) to get a sneak peek at the latest crop and to learn a bit more about what makes their soda a truly unique, natural product.

Farmer Robert, at the helm of his fourth generation family farm, is passionate about growing the finest quality rhubarb. Located in the infamous Rhubarb Triangle, a 9-square-mile area famous for producing early forced rhubarb, Tomlinson’s is a cornerstone of the region’s rich farming history. Rhubarb, native to central Asia, thrives in West Yorkshire’s cold, wet winters and some of the rhubarb roots on Robert’s 140-year-old farm have even been in the ground since the late 1800s. The only rhubarb producer left in West Yorkshire to use pre-WWII crowns, Tomlinson’s now supply raspberry rhubarb exclusively to Square Root, ensuring that the highest quality produce goes into their drinks.

Through choosing to source their rhubarb from Tomlinson’s, Square Root are reducing haulage costs and championing quality, British seasonal produce. Once the rhubarb is in their hands, the whole process of creating their sodas is focused around ensuring as little intervention as possible from fruit to bottle. The sodas are produced by hand by a small team in Square Root’s Soda Works in East London, and have a guaranteed zero artificial additives, making them a healthy and responsible alternative to many of the market’s mass-produced and less environmentally-conscious beverages.

As co-founder Ed Taylor notes: ‘Sustainability has always been at the forefront of our minds. That’s why we’ve always had a seasonal element to our products - it’s never made sense to me to try and prolong the season of something by importing it from the other side of the world, which has huge CO2 emissions implications. And because we’re also buying from farmers, we can communicate directly with them - so if there’s produce they’ve had rejected from a supermarket, we can react to that and save the excess from going to waste.’

Unsurprisingly, Square Root’s seasonal rhubarb soda has garnered praise on a national level; in 2018 it was awarded the accolade of Best Non-Alcoholic Drink at the Great British Food Awards, demonstrating that fresh, sustainably-sourced ingredients and small-batch production can still pack a real punch. Currently in the process of installing a new automated package line, the team are putting measures in place to become more efficient, reduce waste and continue to produce the best drinks they can.

Square Root Soda are setting the benchmark in the drinks industry by championing the very best in seasonal produce, nurturing relationships with British suppliers, and keeping their sights firmly set on creating the highest quality soft drinks underpinned by a homegrown, sustainable ethos. EJ

'Rhubarb, native to central Asia, thrives in West Yorkshire’s cold, wet winters and some of the rhubarb roots on Robert’s 140-year-old farm have even been in the ground since the late 1800s.'

The Essential Journal | Issue 47

I S I N H E R I TA N C E TA X P O S I N G A T H R E AT T O YOU R E S TAT E ?

While most people are aware of Inheritance Tax, many continue to ignore the issue and overlook their potential liability; in doing so, collectively gifting to HM Revenue and Customs several billions of pounds each year. We can help create and implement highly effective strategies aimed at reducing your estate’s Inheritance Tax liability.

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time and are dependent on individual circumstances.

Contact Ian Massey DipPFS for further information.

IPM FINANCIAL PLANNING LTD Associate Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Tel: 0151 224 8728 | Mob: 07454 229726 Email: ian.massey@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.ipmfinancialplanning.co.uk The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

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H2SJP32380 06/19

DINING

Addressing the Table Itinerant bartender and co-owner of Liverpool’s Present Company, Jake O'Brien Murphy, waxes lyrical on sustainability through the lens of Havana’s world-famous El Foridita words by Jake O'BRIEN MURPHY

T

he staccato beat of whirling blenders ripples throughout the sultry Havana night. Droves of vacationers from around the world make a pilgrimage to the ‘Cradle of the Daiquiri’, and if, by chance, any of your well-read friends should ever regurgitate the tired, second-hand advice of ‘you absolutely must visit Havana before the Americans ruin it’, send them to meet the tens of starspangled Chucks, Dons and Randy’s elbowing their way to the bar at El Floridita.

For many, a cavalcade of hot pink cadillacs rumbling down the sun-blasted Malecon is the typical thumbnail image conjured up when somebody mentions Havana. It goes hand in hand with the nauseating couplet ‘time capsule’. It is far too easy to assume the belief that a link to a simpler time is intrinsically nicer. Somehow quantifiably more spiritually valuable because it is tempered by hardship and unsullied by money or possession. Notice, though, that the seductive promise of the simple life never sees these new converts so touched that they tear up their ticket home?

Havana is a modern city from a tangential universe. Archaic infrastructure and the inexhaustible pettiness of their American cousins has left Cubans handicapped to a one-handed tug of war with progression. Which they still somehow manage to win with enthusiasm, energy and laughter.

Alessandro Bolivar conducts the proceedings at El Floridita.

He moves with fluid economy, each step an internalised decision.

He is bartending long division. Hundreds of daiquiris flow over the bar each evening. Fluffy white clouds of rum, lime and sugar seemingly reaching subzero temperatures. These are the drinks Hemmingway wrote about. I was lucky to stand behind the bar with Alessandro on my first visit. He smiled and urged me to make a round of drinks, much in the same way a grandfather watches a toddler clumsily stomp around the living room in his hard-earned slippers, gently nudging them away from sharp-edged furniture.

Alessandro told me later that evening that he knows the quality of his blended drinks from the sound they make alone. He has transcended his mortal senses.

Sat on a high horse of undeserved privilege, I foolishly offered to smuggle the latest model blender into Cuba on my next visit. My missionary zeal and idiodic, self-assured smirk were both briskly cut short. They use a now defunct model of blender, I was politely informed, and have done since before I was born. That put me in my place. When a piece wears or breaks, the bartenders fix it. No warranty, just ingenuity. In the fickle way of trends, this idea has gone through many permutations. Most recently and most urgently we hear about ‘sustainability’. Sustainability through economic necessity exists day to day in Cuba and has done, in some form, for nearly sixty years.

There is a cohesion to living at the edge of impending disaster, the value of small things like family and neighbours inflates beyond all measure. The collective well being is a fundamental reality for every Cuban. There is a lesson in that somewhere. I, however, am too busy wondering about this particular philosophical quandary: If Alessandro has a blender and he replaces each part over a lifetime, is that then the same blender? And does it really matter when the daiquiris are that good? JOM

' Sat on a high horse of undeserved privilege, I foolishly offered to smuggle the latest model blender into Cuba on my next visit. My missionary zeal and idiodic, self-assured smirk were both briskly cut short. They use a now defunct model of blender, I was politely informed, and have done since before I was born.'

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

DINING

Pre-Industrial Food for Thought Douglas McMaster, Chef-Founder of Silo London talks us through his own, personal philosophies on the subject of sustainability interview by Will HALBERT

Firstly, what does the term 'sustainability' mean to you personally?

For me personally, it means giving back to nature as much as we take away. I hope this is ubiquitous.

Tell us a little about how the idea for a zero waste restaurant came about?

I worked with an artist in Australia called Joost Bakker, the idea of not having a bin was his, I was just at the right place at the right time, and it all spiralled from there.

Silo is said to adhere to a ‘pre-industrial food system’. What exactly do you mean by that?

It essentially boils down to a ‘natural food system', because industrialism in and of itself isn’t natural.

For me, the penny dropped when trying the whole 'not having a bin' thing i just mentioned: We had to make butter from cream and mill whole wheat. We had to trade with farmers and compost our own waste. I wanted to articulate exactly what was unique about this system; the common denominator was that this was the way it was before the industrial food system.

To what extent does the zero waste mindset extend beyond the food menu at Silo?

It's a holistic approach to all material choices and, indeed, all choices that affect our natural resources. I like to think that we are trying to re-integrate with nature. This is, of course, aspirational.

What are the primary challenges of running a closed-loop restaurant like Silo?

Supply chain issues are frequent. That’s not entirely surprising, we’re going against the behaviour of the entire food industry, after all. That was always going to require a little patience and a whole lot more determination.

How does Silo's sustainable approach to food extend to its use of meat and fish?

We only use meat from natural farming and rewilding processes. We select the stock that would have otherwise given to waste (from practises like the culling of venison, for example). When it comes to fish, we only source from those still using small boats that catching with nothing more than hook and line.

Obviously, one of your main priorities as a restaurant is to provide great food and drink, but do you also aim to educate the consumer a little along the way?

Education is important, but we don’t aim to educate the consumer necessarily, unless they’re curious enough to ask, that is. Instead, we utilize avenues such as social media, public speaking and, of course, publications such as the New Silo book to try to enlighten people. I don't like the idea of a restaurant preaching, restaurants are for pleasure.

Can you tell us about some of the other sustainably-minded brands and small businesses you work with?

Oh the list is long indeed. We work closely with as many like-minded people as possible, it’s amazing what you can do acting as a team. We work with the likes of Richard Murray from Food Chain, a network of natural farming including a rewilding project; Bronwen from Neal's Yard; Ryan Chetiyawardana of Mr Lyan; Empirical spirits; a large network of natural wine producers; Peter Goodwin from Closed Loop Organics and so, so many others.

What was your personal lightbulb moment on the question of sustainability?

For me, it was the dawning realization that industrial food is dead food. We are alive, on a planet which is also alive: it doesn't make sense to eat dead food. Not only is living food richer and more diverse, it tastes better.

What can you tell us about Silo’s upcoming move to London?

It’s a natural evolution for Silo. We have an amazing team, from management to brewers, designers, to farmers and, of course, our incredible Silo Brighton staff that are also making the move. I couldn't be more happy to partner with Crate Brewery, I'm constantly amazed by how brilliant they are.

Achieving your crowdfunding campaign must have felt like a huge achievement. Do you think people are shopping more ethically and conscientiously nowadays? Do you think people are more inclined to speak with their wallets?

Good question, I'm not actually sure. I must give all credit to Crate brewery for the crowd funding, it really was all them.

And finally, do you have any tips for those looking to achieve a greater level of sustainability in their own kitchens and beyond?

A big step is bulk buying in reusable vessels. Bulk cooking of sauces, fermenting & pickling helps too.

Beyond that, just try to buy food from good places, with local farmers’ markets being the ideal if you’re lucky enough to have one.

For more information on Silo London follow them instagram @silolondon

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

47

NOT JUST A BARBERS...

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attitude TOPMAN Church Street, Liverpool1 0151 709 1844 (opt 6)

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The Essential Journal | Issue 46

CULTURE

First thing’s first: Can we rely on brand loyalty anymore? Or is the concept of brand loyalty evolving?

Who’s chasing who?

Tom: A Land Rover is, of course, an aspirational product. So, for a lot of people - there’s already a real emotional connection with the brand. In some ways, that puts a fair bit of pressure on us: It encourages us to keep moving, to keep evolving, and to maintain that aspirational appeal. While we have a loyal following, our future success will always depend on our ability to offer new experiences to new people, and to maintain that emotional connection.

as China’s market grows and grows.

The idea of future-proofing a product is more important than ever.

Nicola: We have a brand DNA, a real history and a rich heritage. But it is important that we stay relevant to new and old customers alike. So it’s a question of balance, I think. We go to the customer as much as they come to us.

Going back to the idea of sustainability: Is the sustainability of a product ever at odds with its longevity? Is there an element of compromise at play in terms of sustainable design?

Nicola: From a material side, we have a long-standing duty of quality.

That is to say, we are obliged to meet the standard of excellence that our customers deserve and have come to expect from us. We are, after all, a premium brand. But I think longevity and sustainability actually go hand in hand. They’re two sides of the same coin. Something that’s beautiful, timeless and well-built will always stand the test of time, which in turn makes it the more sustainable option. Of course, it’s a challenge to strike that balance.

But it’s very much in our DNA. It’s exactly that balance that has made products like the Defender so successful over the years. It’s important that these elements go hand-in-hand, and that there’s no compromise along the way in terms of a product’s quality, beauty and longevity.

How important is the concept of age when it comes to an aspirational, heritage brand like Jaguar Land Rover?

Nicola: As a brand, we have a very wide audience base. Of course, from a traditional standpoint, we’ve typically always had an older generation of followers. That said, we are now seeing a much younger generation start to seek us out, a generation aspiring for the same quality and keyed-in to the same core, brand values, but maybe with a slightly more contemporary twist. Our growing electric division is a solid testament to that evolution. We’re operating in some very interesting times indeed. Things are becoming ageless and genderless. The challenge, and the fun, comes from creating a platform that is equally fluid and open. The inclusivity of the experience is important to us.

You released the Land Rover Evoque earlier this year. What design concerns were you looking to address with the release?

Nicola: Well, we had the original, first edition Evoque a few years ago. It was very well received, as I think we were doing something new and exciting in the realms of the compact SUV space. It was something people hadn’t seen before and it really kick-started something.

The concern, if any, was honouring that legacy with a follow up. Keeping old customers happy whilst also appealing to new buyers. And also, as ever, bringing something new to the table.

From a material side of things, we really wanted to focus on sustainability. To that end, within the car, we have a collaboration with Danish textile mill, Kvadrat, to offer a non-leather-based, woven, wool-blend alternative to the upholstery of the Evoque. We also looked to minimise the PVC and hard plastics at use within the Evoque. Many people are moving away from leather interiors as they try to align their driving experience with their lifestyle choices. So we’re trying to incorporate our own small Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

Tom: Social media has had a huge impact too. Instagram, for example, has created a greater culture of transparency. There’s a greater demand for authenticity in a product; there’s no tricking the consumer.

Social media has given consumers a louder voice, in a climate where a product lives or dies by word of mouth. It’s brought us closer to the customer than ever before; they’ve become a bigger part of the whole process.

The Four-wheeled & the Future-proof We sit down with Senior Designer, Tom Underhill and Senior Colour & Materials Designer, Nicola Danks at Jaguar Land Rover to discuss design, innovation, and the all-important intersection between performance and luxury interview by Thomas SUMNER

changes to accommodate for those choices.

Tom: From an exterior design perspective, the first Evoque captured so many people’s imagination on account of its streamlined, almost space-aged silhouette. It really was the first step into the new realm of the compact SUV, it opened a lot of doors from a design perspective.

So when it came to designing a new iteration of the Evoque, we really wanted to recreate that trailblazing, head-turning appeal. That really was the main concern for me.

The world is becoming far more

connected every day. New markets are opening up, and our ability to communicate with them is stronger than ever. What connections do you have with those new markets, and how do they influence what you are doing?

Tom: Jaguar Land Rover is a global brand with vast experience in new markets. We sell in over 100 different countries, after all. That allows for a whole lot of knowledge transfer, and the inspiration we can draw from those cultures and markets - from a design perspective and beyond - is pretty staggering.

We’ve had the good fortune of heading over to Shanghai on a

number of occasions, and it’s always amazing to see so many differences in approach to design and technology. Hopefully we’ll see more overlap in the years to come.

Nicola: I actually stayed out there for three months and was able to check out the Shanghai Motor Show.

The emphasis on integrating new technologies across a number of industries is mindblowing. While the West tends to get excited about more design-forward aspects of the automotive experience, the Motor Show was far more technologically-focused. I think that’s something the West will really have to appreciate

And finally, with cars like the Defender and Evoque setting the standard in design and innovation, where do we go from here? What’s next for Jaguar Land Rover?

Tom: There’s no going back, that’s for sure. It’s a very competitive market, and our consumer bases grow more demanding and more knowledgeable by the day. That’s great; it helps us keep on track, and to keep pushing forward in our endeavours. The forward march towards zero emissions is a big one for us, as is the sustainability element of our material selection.

Electric vehicles are the next big step for us, naturally. There are a lot of new and exciting challenges on the horizon, and the wheels are already in motion to get us there, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Nicola: And let’s not forget, there’s a new Defender in the works for 2020, too. That has been both a challenge and an honour to work on. The Defender is, of course, an icon. So we’ve had to be very sensitive to the charms and appeal of the original whilst also offering something new.

I can’t say too much on the subject right now, but watch this space!

landrover.co.uk 49

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

CULTURE

Architectural Thoughts On

Sustainability Our resident architectural columnist, Róisín Hanlon, looks at RIBA’s latest and long-term efforts to offset our current state of climate emergency

L

ast month, the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) formally joined the global declaration of an environment and climate emergency. At a RIBA council meeting, the trustees committed to a new 5-year action plan and to support the government -set, 2050 net zero emissions target. The aims of this action plan will be to change standard practice in architecture to make real sustainable choices and to create an overall building industry that is zero carbon.

‘The climate emergency is the biggest challenge facing our planet and our profession,’ says Ben Derbyshire, RIBA President. ‘But to have a significant impact we need to do more than make symbolic statements - we need to turn warm words into impactful actions.’

The announcement comes after increasing pressure from architects calling for real action, including the Architects Journal and Architect’s Declare, who are both calling for a declaration of climate emergency. Architect’s Declare was founded by leading architects, and their declaration has been signed by over 500 architects practices. It calls for greater and faster change in the building industry, collaboration across professional fields, life cycle costing and many other actionable points.

One of the frequently-mentioned goals is to push more architects into using Post Occupancy Evaluations as standard. These evaluations involve assessing the whole life cycle of a project. From when it is built, through handing over to the owner and then when actually in use. The aim is to find out how well the building is realistically functioning. Areas looked at include; actual energy consumption, indoor air quality, comfort of building users, and use of space.

Once an assessment is made, a report is produced, and any findings should be acted upon. For example, if it is discovered a room is rarely used because the occupants are too hot, then anything that effects that room should be looked at and altered to improve comfort, namely heating, ventilation and shading. If these studies are done well, then the findings can feed back into future designs to ensure the buildings we create are continuously improving.

By finding what has and hasn’t worked before, we can learn and adapt.

At the moment, these evaluations are not particularly common. In 2017, a study by the RIBA showed that only 10% of architects were offering POE as an option. This is for a variety of reasons, not least because clients are unwilling to pay the extra cost. However, a small expenditure on one of these studies can ensure a much larger saving in running costs over the life of the building.

Architects AHMM used the refurbishment of their own office building as an opportunity to undertake a Post Occupancy Evaluation where they were naturally ensured fully compliant clients. The evaluation for their Moreland office in Clerkenwell is used as a case study by the RIBA as an example of an evaluation done well. AHMM can show their reports - and how they ensure low emissions and running costs – to new clients, which helps them to explain just how effective a tool these evaluations can be.

This announcement is important, as the RIBA represent the profession of architects, and they have the potential to seriously encourage change across all kinds of building projects. Recent figures have shown that the built environment (not just construction but buildings in use) accounts for around 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint. This means that if we can change the built environment to be more environmentally conscious, we can drastically change our overall carbon footprint. RH

'...to have a significant impact we need to do more than make

words by Róisín HANLON

symbolic statements - we need to turn warm words into impactful actions.'

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

CULTURE of Utopian Architecture in the Modernist Realm

The Tale of Tomorrow Driven by idealistic visions, utopian architecture aimed to overcome social divisions and political strife, to put us in touch with nature, and to enable us to live humane, healthy lives. For half a century, it was both hope and inspiration

words by Sofia BORGES photography by Michele ALASSIO

The Tale of Tomorrow (Gestalten) is available now

T

he Tale of Tomorrow surveys this diverse twentieth-century phenomenon, featuring renowned works like The House of the Century or the TWA terminal, as well as lesser-known masterpieces, and profiling major thinkers such as Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier, and Eero Saarinen. By digging through archives, corresponding with descendants of departed architects, and restoring photographs, the collection of utopian approaches herein maintains a visual power and infectious optimism. Looking at past dreams, The Tale of Tomorrow is a call to reclaim our future. EJ

Casa de Retiro Espiritual by Emilio Ambasz

A

giant open book set on a scenic outlook presents alluring options for both prospect and refuge. While the majority of the house remains out of sight and buried underground, dual stairs leading up to a single lookout point act as a surprising folly in the countryside. Land art, beacon, and residential sculpture are just a few of the terms that come to mind when considering this Spanish home. Emilio Ambasz, a prolific Argentinian architect, designed the striking temple-like structure. His designs for this house and the launch of his independent architectural career started after his departure from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where he acted as the curator of the Department of Architecture and Design from 1970 through 1976. The museum later dedicated an entire exhibition to Ambasz’s work on this very house in 2005.

The sculptural white residence opens like the pages of a giant book. Rising from a grassy knoll overlooking the water and the endless countryside, the home reformulates the traditional Andalusian house. This vernacular housing typology orients all the rooms around a central patio. To keep the house cool in the hot, dry climate of southern Spain, much of the living area remains buried out of sight and insulated by earth. Two tall, white walls are the only parts of the home located above ground. These broad surfaces meet at a right angle, creating an envelope for the house and defining its entrance. At this point, guests can either ascend toward the sky or descend to the residence below. A staircase on either side of these blank planes leads guests to a lookout with a dramatic view of the valley. The staircases end at the open-air patio onto which the house opens. An ambulatory defines the patio’s other two sides, serving as a transitional zone between inside and out. The house’s interior is reduced to a minimum, existing within a single, uninterrupted space surrounded by curving walls. These curves create boundaries without closure. The space divides into different areas further delineated by cavities echoed in the floor and ceiling.

Delicately colored small glass tiles cover the floor and perimeter walls of the 280-square-meter home, reflecting the soft, diffused light as it washes over the space. Engaging with local building practices, the concrete floor and wall slabs rest on a bed of sand. A fiberglass liner then wraps around the buried surfaces to create an airtight seal. Insulated double walls and slender columns support a concrete roof vaulted in places to define living areas. Geometric containers placed in the ground provide a kitchen, baths, storage, and more while initiating a fruitful dialogue between building and landscape. SB

' The sculptural white residence opens like the pages of a giant book.

Rising from a grassy knoll overlooking the water and the endless countryside, the home reformulates the traditional Andalusian house. This vernacular housing typology orients all the rooms around a central patio.'

An extract, courtesy of Gestalten Casa de Retiro Espiritual Architect: Emilio Ambasz Location: Seville, Spain Completion date: 2004 Briefly noted: Much of the house is buried underground.

Issue 47 | The Essential Journal

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COLUMN

Coffee & Counsel with

Adonis Michael This month Michael Rose & Baylis director, Adonis Michael, talks us through his personal tips and secrets to a more sustainable business words by Adonis MICHAEL

F

irst, it was a charge on plastic bags in supermarkets, and now we’re reading about Morrisons introducing paper bags. Plastic straws are getting banned, and fish & chip shops are closing down because owners aren’t happy with the modern fishing industry’s lack of sustainable credentials. All of this is wonderful; music to my ears, in fact. But I want to discuss sustainability in a different context. Don’t get me wrong, I like hugging trees as much as the next guy. And crunching through autumnal leaves on a brisk walk? That’s lovely too. But what about sustainability in business?

The high street took a battering last year, with almost 2500 shops lost from the top 500 UK high streets. This was a 40% rise from 2017 according to PwC. Banks, fashion retailers and value retail groups took the biggest blows and there were some big name casualties too: Poundland, Jacques Vert and New Look all waved the white flag of surrender, and major banks including HSBC, RBS and Lloyds closed hundreds of branches. Restaurants and pubs also suffered, with a net 506 outlets closing and a roll of honour including Carluccio’s, Jamie’s Italian and the burger chains Byron and Gourmet Burger Kitchen all downsizing.

Of course, we can immediately point the finger at a prime suspect here, and it's not exactly in the unassuming guise of everyone’s favourite usual suspect, Keyser Soze. It is, of course, the Internet. You see, people like to buy things online these days, that accounts for a large part of the blame here.

The rest is down to people’s spending habits, which have forced high streets to move towards experiential and indulgent treats rather than everyday shopping. As a result, we’ve seen a drastic increase in gyms, bookshops, ice-cream parlours, vape shops and cake shops. It’s the modern world in motion, high street evolution. Survival of the fittest.

The convenience of shopping online and a shift in shopping trends notwithstanding, many of these businesses have no doubt closed down because they haven’t conducted their businesses efficiently enough. They have not been sustainable, and they have inevitably incurred the wrath of Adam Smith's words echoing amid the final curtain call.

Confession time: I don’t have a degree in economics from LSE, and I’m certainly not Warren Buffet but, I have managed to start up, grow and sustain a law firm for 5 years, all from a piece of paper, a pen, and a laptop. So here are 3 pearls of wisdom that I can pass on:

'The rest is down to people’s spending habits, which have forced high streets to move towards experiential and indulgent treats rather than everyday shopping.

As a result, we’ve seen a drastic increase in gyms, bookshops, icecream parlours, vape shops and cake shops.

Don’t Panic You’ve taken the leap to start up in business and your head is filled with every possibility and permeation of what could go wrong and where that will leave you and your fledgling business. I've been there, I’ve had these thoughts, it’s natural. But if you’ve planned correctly, set up correctly, and you’re good at your job (I’m assuming all of these boxes have been ticked) then don’t worry and don’t panic. Just relax and have a little faith. Keep your cool and don’t make any rash decisions. When the pressure is on - and it no doubt it will be from time to time - panicking will just see you making desperate decisions, and this could cause you even bigger problems. It could be litigation against you, it could be a massive tax bill, it could be a key member leaving. Things happen, but most of the time things are never as bad as you think, and there’s almost always a solution or a work around.

It’s the modern world in motion, high street evolution. Survival of the fittest.'

Reinvest This one is key. As your business improves and the profits begin to rise, it's tempting to splash out. It’s okay to take a little extra dividend from time to time but if you want your business to grow then you need to reinvest those profits straight back in. I’m not talking about buying a £5k coffee machine ‘for the office’. Nice try, but that doesn’t count. Invest in your people, invest in your office, invest in marketing, invest in your infrastructure, invest in your brand.

Be Brave I know you’ve heard these before at some point: ‘speculate to accumulate’ and ‘you’ve got to spend money to make money’. Now, I hate clichés, and I’ve heard a few business gurus disagree with this, but in my experience, both of these aphorisms are right on the money (if you’ll forgive the pun). But if you haven’t got the benefit of a Coutts account or a Trust Fund behind you, then what are you supposed to do? You’re going to have to borrow. And in all likelihood, you’re going to have to give a few Personal Guarantees here and there. Meaning that if your business fails then it’s your neck on the line. When I first started my business, I was giving PGs out like confetti. I had no trading history so the lenders needed some form of security, it was the only way to secure funding so that I could develop the company. When I revealed my antics to some older, experienced businessmen they shuddered at the levels of funding I had PG’d and told me their wives would be filing for divorce if they had been so cavalier with the security of the family dwelling. I understand why, but if you don’t back yourself in business then you’re just playing around. As the years pass and your business grows, you will be in a position to secure better rates, larger amounts and fewer PGs. But in the beginning, you will have to be brave. AM

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The Essential Journal | Issue 47

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