But what could induce eye-rolling doesn't at the San Francisco restaurant. Maybe that's because those environmentally driven details are not forced down diners' throats like foie gras geese. If you want to learn about the worms and the carbon farming, just ask your server, or don't."I think it's really important that a person just come, have a date, know that it's beneficial for the environment and just get to know the other person and not talk about it," Leibowitz said. "You don't have to engage with it deeply, but there is that potential."That dining at The Perennial is beneficial for the environment is not an empty claim. The restaurant is working to curb and reverse the harmful effects of climate change.When Leibowitz and her business partner/husband Anthony Myint became parents in 2012, the restaurateurs behind spots like Mission Chinese Food and Commonwealth shifted their focus to the future, narrowing in on the environmental impact of their industry."We were learning more about how the food system interacts with climate change. It turns out that by some estimates up to 50 percent of greenhouse gasses can be linked to the food system," Leibowitz said. "That felt like a big responsibility."They decided not to open another restaurant unless it was hyper-environmentally conscious, which turned out to be an easier sell to investors than Leibowitz and Myint predicted. Before long, they were working on their ambitious new concept.A photo posted by The Perennial (@theperennialsf) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:30pm PST
Karen Leibowitz and Anthony Myint work together on running restaurants and raising a family. All photos by the author.
Devil's Gulch pork with broccoli, pearl onion, shishitos, sweet pepper relish.
Pastured lamb from Stemple Creek Ranch raised as part of a carbon farming project. Kernza bread and butter by pastry chef Nicola Carey.
Nectarine sorbet with chicory root toffee, vanilla, and tarragon.
Colliau shakes together (without ice) the Marmalade Cobbler with Alvear amontillado and grapefruit marmalade.
Colliau garnishes the Pisco Sherbet with cancha, a.k.a. Peruvian corn nuts.
Pisco Sherbet with Marian Farms Pisquita, pineapple sherbet, cancha. "It has required a little bit more forethought in some ways," Kiyuna said of developing The Perennial menu.
Summer squash with sunflower buds, dulse, and popcorn.
"Obviously we know that one restaurant can't turn back the clock on climate change," Leibowitz said, "but we really firmly believe that there is a potential for a food movement which is maybe building on the farm-to-table style where people are thinking of where their food comes from, really thinking about how agriculture works and all that it can do."No matter how many Portlandia-worthy efforts The Perennial team makes, Leibowitz acknowledges that you need more than good intentions to survive in the restaurant industry."I have to say, it really only matters if it's good," she said. "We want to do something that is positive but not be holier-than-thou. It is important to remember that we are here to have a good time—it's a bar."She added: "That is a little bit of a balancing act, but I feel like we are finding our way. It has to feel good to be here. I think we're doing that."Every day this week, MUNCHIES is exploring the future of food on planet Earth, from lab-grown meat and biohacking to GMOs and the precarious state of our oceans. Find out more here.Putting our unused tiles to work in the #roofgarden! Meanwhile, used wine bottles are repurposed for watering. #theperennialsf @fireclaytile A photo posted by The Perennial (@theperennialsf) on Jun 14, 2016 at 11:03am PDT