From Design to Dining... New Sustainable Restaurant Brings Superb Vegetarian Cuisine to New York City

Otarian, a new boutique fast-casual restaurant chain, is set to have a big impact on the competitive New York food scene with the opening of its first two locations in the United States this spring, and a third location opening later this year. Built on a sustainable platform and based on the principles of vegetarianism, Otarian will be the first global chain to carbon footprint all of its menu items according to the internationally recognized standards of PAS 2050. Otarian is also participating in the "road testing" of the World Resources Institute's new product carbon footprinting standard, which is set to become the new gold standard. This will help diners better understand the environmental impact of their food choices in a highly measurable and quantifiable way.  

According to Otarian founder Radhika Oswal, the Otarian concept combines a strong commitment to sustainability with a passion for superb cuisine, resulting in a mouth-watering dining experience that is also good for the planet. The business has been built on the three key pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economical.  

"Vegetarianism is the most sustainable way of eating and being. Vegetarian food has a lighter ecological footprint, reduced resource impacts, and lower carbon emissions than non-vegetarian equivalents. Our goal is to provide consumers with the quantifiable and measurable benefits of each delicious vegetarian alternative they choose at Otarian, and thus, empower them to make a positive impact on the environment one meal at a time," said Mrs. Oswal, a lifelong vegetarian and committed environmentalist.

"We are very pleased to have Otarian participate, alongside 70 organizations from around the world as a road tester of our new Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard," said Pankaj Bhaita, Director of GHG Protocol at WRI. "By participating as a road tester, Otarian will provide some interesting insight into the application of supply chain tools within the food sector, which may ultimately affect the food choices consumers make in the future."

The diverse Otarian menu features a delicious array of globe-spanning vegetarian choices. These include lighter dishes, such as Mushroom O Cheese Flatbread ($6.45) and Beet O Feta Salad ($7.45), as well as more substantial meals like Roasted Vegetable Lasagne ($9.95) and the VegO Burger ($7.95). Otarian also offers sustainable options to satisfy any sweet tooth, including Choc O Mousse ($4.95) and Panna Cotta O Berry ($4.95). And the restaurant chain's "Carbon Saving Combo" meals allow consumers to order a "set" meal that represents the largest possible carbon savings – or a 21 mile drive in an eco-car. Over the course of a year, this saving equates to the carbon used to drive an eco-car from New York to Orlando.

Otarian also represents a significant advancement in sustainable business practices. All decisions about Otarian's food and operations are made with sustainability at the forefront. Some of these include:

• Dishes that yield lower carbon footprints than comparable meat-based dishes – "Carbon Saving Combos" provide at least 3kgs of carbon savings compared to equivalent meat-based dishes. If every American ate an Otarian Carbon Saving Combo meal instead of the meat equivalent, the nation would save 26.5% of its Copenhagen Accord commitment for that day.
• No air freight policy – Ingredients that would typically be air freighted, such as Otarian's fresh herbs from Israel or select produce from California, are instead transported by road.  Dishes are reformulated to exclude these ingredients if a reliable supply is unavailable without using air transport.
• 98% of restaurant waste composted or recycled – Otarian will have waste collected by private companies to ensure it is recycled or composted and is paying double the price to achieve this rate, which is unprecedented in the fast food sector.
• All packaging compostable, recyclable or reusable – Otarian will use innovative materials like bagasse to help minimize the environmental impact of the packaging. Bagasse is a fully bio-degradable by-product of the sugar cane industry that has historically been treated as waste.
• Sustainable design and architecture – Otarian leads the way in the fast-casual restaurant design, incorporating sustainable materials throughout the establishment, including floor tiles made from recycled glass, table tops made using recycled plastic, ceiling decor made from recycled aluminum, and chairs made from sustainably sourced bamboo.

Otarian will open the doors of its first restaurant in New York at 154 Bleecker Street on April 19th, with another location opening at 947 8th Avenue on April 23rd.  A location on Lexington Avenue is scheduled to open later this year. Restaurant hours at the Bleecker Street location will be 12 p.m. – 1 a.m., Monday – Saturday; and 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Sundays. The 8th Avenue location will be open from 11 a.m. – 12 a.m., Monday – Saturday; and 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Sundays. Prices range from ($7.45 - $9.95) for a main dish. For more information visit www.Otarian.com.


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