Cookies Cream & Sustainability
For Cookies World, sustainability is about finding the right balance in how we do things, thinking about our impact on the environment and society. We are committed to taking responsibility for what we do, not just in our restaurants, but in everything we work on.
Opened in 2007, Cookies Cream was the first fine dining restaurant in Berlin to serve exclusively vegetarian food. Why vegetarian? Pretty simple, Cookie, the founder, is vegetarian since he was 8. While this was his initial motivation, today we embrace a multitude of reasons for our vegan and vegetarian focus.
The United Nations provides countless evidence that a plant-based diet can significantly improve health. More importantly, research shows that avoiding meat and dairy products is the single most significant way to reduce one’s environmental impact on the planet. And, of course, there is strong evidence that a meat-free and dairy-free diet is beneficial for animals too.
Our greater impact lies in showcasing that vegetarian food can be enjoyable, flavourful and provide a remarkable dining experience. That’s why we have been constantly searching for non-dairy and plant-based options to increase our vegan menu without compromising the taste and quality of our food.
Joining Veganuary, reflects our deep commitment to health, to the planet, and our animal friends. Veganuary has been a culinary catalyst for change, making waves in carbon emissions and animal welfare.
Since 2023, we have supported Veganuary by offering a dedicated special menu throughout January. Furthermore, starting in 2024, we have extended our support to Veganuary’s year-round initiatives, such as Veganuary Fish Week, Plant Milk Week, and Veganuary BBQ.
Did you know? For every one million participants who eat vegan for 31 days, there is a huge positive impact:
We are much more than just a restaurant, we are part of a community formed by farmers, producers and suppliers who roll up their sleeves and get down to business to help us. Our fantastic partners always come up with cool new ideas, they share our love for great food and our motivation to help the planet.
We’re on a never-ending hunt for local and sustainable partnerships that help us elevate our high standards of quality. Innovation is at the core of our sourcing, guiding us from nearby farms to local producers, and even to innovative plant-based alternatives.
Supporting local businesses and making the world a tastier place, one bite at a time is what we’re all about.
Sustainability is a topic that is always tackled in our wines and pairing menu. We pay special attention to sustainable innovation in our suppliers practices, both in the vineyards and in the cellar.
Some of our winemakers are organic, so no chemical pesticides or added preservatives are being used. Others are biodynamic, they go even further and build a real synergy between their work and the nature. And others are natural, which means they are made from organically-grown grapes, they are not filtered or clarified and no preservatives or sugar is added.
We take pride in our wine selection, including white, rosé, and red options from Europe, with a growing emphasis on Germany and Austria. Our sparkling wines, predominantly from these two countries, stand alongside classic Champagnes for all celebrations.
Let’s talk about energy. We made a decision to power our restaurants with 100% green electricity and we are continuously striving to reduce our carbon footprint through a combination of innovative technologies and mindful practices. These are some of the changes we made in 2018 and the results we got in 2023, when we could compare the numbers after the pandemic:
- Switched all the lights possible to LED
> Electricity consumption went down in 12,5% - Modernised the ventilation system
> District heating consumption went down in 14%. - Replaced kitchen bonnet
> 50% of extracted air flow replaced by internally blown, unheated supply air.
We are not stopping there. We are continuously monitoring our electricity, including our devices consumption to identify areas for improvement. When it comes time to phase out devices, we pay close attention to their consumption data to ensure efficiency.
We believe that a happy team is a productive team, and we work hard to create a positive, fun and supportive environment. Open mindedness has been at the core of our company since the beginning, we are a diverse and international team that values unity and cooperation above all.
We appreciate flexibility, that’s why we created the prep shift and the late shift so the people that can’t work in the night can come in the morning. We also intend to have more people working less than 5 days a week and we reward the ones who do their best with internal promotions.
Our bar is open to any ideas that support our commitment to sustainability, such as repurposing flat champagne and food leftovers from the kitchen to create special reductions that are stored in glass bottles and sealed with reused drinking bottle caps.
And of course, we don’t use plastic glasses or straws here, not even coasters. Instead, we’ve made our coasters using the same fabric as the bar’s curtains. We replaced our osmosis machine to reduce the amount of cartridges used and we acquired a carbonation system to preserve our bottles for a longer period.
Additionally, our kitchen uses various containers to segregate our waste, which is then collected weekly by our suppliers. This waste is pre-sorted, ensuring recyclable materials are processed accordingly, while the remainder is utilised for energy generation.
Specifically, we recycle cardboard and glass, while biodegradable waste undergoes fermentation. This process produces biogas, a form of green energy that serves as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Additionally, the digestate from this process is sanitised to be germ-free and then reused in agriculture as a natural fertiliser.
Educating children in need stands as one of the most impactful endeavors we can undertake to create a better world. In 2008, Cookie and his friend Thomas-Marco Steinle started a project to support approximately 80 children from harsh backgrounds and difficult circumstances in a village in Mbigili, Tanzania.
With the support of donors, these children are provided a safe haven away from the streets, ensuring their future is secure. Beyond meeting their basic needs, the children are nurtured in a loving and fear-free environment, akin to a family-like setting. They receive the best education and are equipped with the necessary tools to pursue their desired career paths thus fostering a bright and promising future.
Charity at [ ] changes children’s lives. After university, many graduates become successful chefs, carpenters, social workers, doctors, and lawyers. These students are pathing off the new future of the country.
Every year, we gather at our annual Charity at [Cookies Cream] Gala Dinner, a night filled with generosity and community spirit.
For more information about the project and donations, visit charityat.com