Sustainability isn’t a buzzword. It’s a way of life.
At Fleurieu Food and Wine, we source our ingredients and design our classes so every part of our operation is shaped by a commitment to reducing waste, supporting local producers, and treading lightly on the environment.
Five practical commitments we hold ourselves to.
This is what sustainability looks like in our kitchen, from the moment a producer drops off ingredients to the moment a guest drives home with their leftovers in a re-useable container.
Five pillars of practice
Zero-waste cooking
In every class we run, we demonstrate how to make the most of every ingredient. Leftover whey, fermented chilli brine and bench scraps become new recipes. Our guests take home more than skills, they take home sustainable habits they can apply in their own kitchens.
Local and ethical sourcing
Wherever possible, we work with local growers, farmers and producers who share our values of quality and care for the land. By sourcing locally we keep our food miles low and our flavours fresh, supporting the Fleurieu Peninsula’s thriving food community in the process.
Low-impact operations
Our experiences are designed to minimise environmental impact. We use compostable or reusable packaging, supply guests with re-useable containers for their produce, and consolidate travel for deliveries and event setups. Our mobile format lets us share experiences without permanent infrastructure.
Sustainable venues and partners
We choose venues aligned with our eco-conscious ethos, including wineries, heritage homes and private spaces that prioritise sustainability. We collaborate with like-minded businesses to amplify impact and build a more connected, sustainable Fleurieu food scene.
Education with impact
Every guest leaves with a deeper understanding of how small changes in food preparation and purchasing can make a big difference. By embedding sustainability into our experiences, we inspire others to think differently about how they cook, eat and live.
Zero waste, filmed in our kitchen
Two videos that show our zero-waste thinking in practice, from chilli preservation to fridge-raid dumplings made from bench scraps.
5 ways to use up all those chillies
A guide to chilli preservation and fermented flavour, demonstrating how we use every part of a glut.
Pot sticker dumplings
Fridge-raid dumplings made from bench scraps. A class on its own and one of the clearest demonstrations of how we work.
Accredited, audited, renewed
Quality & Sustainable Tourism Accreditation is a program that certifies tourism businesses across Australia have met specific quality assurance criteria and standards.
The Quality & Sustainable Tourism Accreditation program provides businesses with the necessary tools and resources to assist in creating and updating business policies, plans and procedures to ensure ongoing sustainability and best practices.
Quality & Sustainable Tourism Accreditation signifies that a tourism business has made a commitment to exceeding customer expectations through best practice in service, safety, insurance, advertising practices, risk management and business operations.
Our Emissions Reduction Plan
Last reviewed July 2026. Next review July 2027.
We are committed to understanding our footprint, not just estimating it. In 2026 we completed the TiCSA sustainability Eco Commitment, alongside our Sustainable Tourism certification. Our base-load energy already comes from a 13.2 kW rooftop solar array paired with a 30 kWh battery, and our food waste to landfill is effectively zero, so our reduction effort focuses on our largest emissions source: the vehicle kilometres we drive to deliver mobile classes at partner venues across the Fleurieu.
Our five targets
- Cut transport emissions per class. We plan efficient routes, consolidate trips and group classes by venue and region to reduce vehicle kilometres per class against our 2025-26 baseline, and we will consider a hybrid or electric class vehicle as range and load needs allow.
- Stay powered by clean energy. We will maintain at least 90% renewable, self-generated base-load energy at our home base through our solar and battery system, and record partner venues’ energy practices in our venue questionnaire.
- Keep food waste out of landfill. We will hold our zero-food-waste-to-landfill standard across every experience, repurposing by-products such as whey, tallow and chilli brine, and continue eliminating single-use items in favour of compostable or reusable serviceware.
- Measure, then offset what remains. Through our accreditation programs we measure our emissions, reduce what we can, and will offset residual, unavoidable emissions through an accredited carbon offset program.
- Bring our guests and partners with us. We teach closed-loop, low-waste cooking in our classes and will report progress against this plan each year.
Sustainability questions
The questions guests ask most often about how we work and why.
What does TICSA accreditation mean?
TICSA is the Tourism Industry Council of South Australia. Their Sustainable Tourism Accreditation is awarded to operators who meet a set of practical environmental and social standards. The accreditation covers how we work as a business, including waste, sourcing and inclusion.
How do you reduce food waste in your classes?
In every class we run, we demonstrate how to make the most of every ingredient. We use leftover whey and fermented chilli brine in our recipes. Our guests take home more than skills, they take home sustainable habits they can apply in their own kitchens.
Where do your ingredients come from?
South Australian first, and Fleurieu Peninsula producers wherever possible. We name them in the recipe handouts. Thomas Farms beef. Roto Farm home-grown herbs. Local cheesemakers. If something is not local we say so and explain why.
Why do you use native Australian ingredients?
The Peninsula is a larder of native foods that have been cooked here for tens of thousands of years. Saltbush, pepperberry, finger lime, lemon myrtle, warrigal greens and wattleseed are featured in our classes, most strongly in the Hibachi Steak Masterclass where they sit on the bench as ingredients in their own right.
How do you reduce travel emissions?
We run classes at venues spread across the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide so guests can choose the one closest to them and travel less to get to class. We encourage guests to combine a class with a Fleurieu stay through our partner accommodation rather than driving back to the city the same day. See our Plan Your Day page for accommodation links.
Are your containers and packaging reusable?
We use only biodegradable or re-useable containers. We supply guests with re-useable containers for their produce, and our recipe books are print-on-demand so we only print what guests actually want to take home.
Cook with us, eat with the place
Every class is built around regional South Australian produce and native flavours.