Kino, Opera North’s restaurant and bar on New Briggate in the heart of Leeds, has been recognised for its work around sustainability in the 2024 Oliver Awards.
Kino beat off stiff competition to win the hotly-contested Sustainability Award, with the judges impressed by the way in which environmental thinking forms the backbone of the business. From a focus on seasonality, nose-to-tail cooking and urban foraging, to giving waste coffee grounds and leftover sourdough a new lease of life, it was felt that sustainability was an integral part of the team’s approach to cooking.
Kino’s win builds on the success of Opera North’s Green Season and its ongoing commitment to sustainability on and off the stage, including training all staff in Carbon Literacy and installing solar panels across the Opera North estate.
Kino Head Chef Josh Whitehead and Sous Chef James Kettleborough collect the Sustainability Award at the Oliver Awards ceremony in Leeds
Collecting the award on behalf of the Kino team, Head Chef Josh Whitehead said:
“We’re thrilled to have been recognised in this way. Focusing on sustainability has encouraged us all to be more creative and thoughtful in how we approach each dish, benefitting both the environment and our diners.”
Now in their 15th year, the annual Oliver Awards celebrate the finest restaurants, bars, pubs, cafés, hotels, takeaways and chefs in Leeds. This year saw a record number of entries with over 200 businesses vying to be recognised for the quality of their food or drink offering. Kino was also shortlisted in the Speciality category.
