Carna by Dario Cecchini is committed to sustainability and pro-environmental initiatives in line with the UAE President H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nayhan declaring 2023 as the "Year of Sustainability." The contemporary steakhouse, led by SLS Dubai Culinary Director Chef Cláudio Cardoso, focuses on nose-to-tail cooking and root-to-leaf techniques, with a goal to decrease their carbon footprint by 25% in 2023 through a new experimental menu to be launched by March. Chef Cláudio has been implementing eco-friendly practices, including sourcing 30% of produce from local farmers, using renewable energy, and promoting sustainable waste management since joining SLS in April 2021.
In September 2022, Carna introduced the Chef’s Experience tasting menu, highlighting its commitment to environmental responsibility. The 16-course menu features dishes like the Needle in a Hay Stack made from excess dough and brought to life with rosemary, and a menu made from 100% recycled receipts, handwritten by SLS team members and a part-time calligrapher. Carna also proudly produces natural artisanal candles made from residual lamb fat and aromatics As a parting gift, diners can keep the handcrafted menu as a souvenir and a reminder of what Carna has in store for returning visitors.
The brand also launched a vegan-forward Garden Menu featuring popular local products sourced within the UAE such as Emirati honey from Hatta and berries from Sharjah. In particular, the culinary team proudly tracks over 60 Emirati products for Carna’s vast offerings. This menu focuses on gourmet dishes such as the Local Garden Salad, the flavourful Tomato Tartare, Smoky Burnt Leek, and succulent vegan steaks made of cauliflower or mushroom. Emphasising sustainable practices, and educating diners on the origins and purpose of each ingredient used in their sumptuous meals.
Carna tracks its carbon emissions using Fresh on Table and saved over 27,000 kg of CO2 emissions and reduced 4,000,000 miles in food mileage by 2022 through domestic sourcing. On working with Fresh on Table and local farmers to source ingredients for Carna, Chef Clàudio comments, "What I do here at Carna is a culmination of 20 years of passion, sweat and hardwork come to fruition. Beyond that, the results are a joint effort with the extended Carna team. This partnership helps us reduce our carbon footprint by monitoring the sources of production and consumption with the closest proximity. Even better is the united vision myself Chef Claudio and Chef Paco have to achieve sustainability through a circular economy by recycling food/farm waste."
The team is dedicated to ethical sourcing and environmentally conscious cooking methods and is always looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact. Carna remains dedicated to its mission, leading the way for conscious initiatives in the hospitality industry.
On behalf of SLS Dubai Executive Sous Chef Francisco "Paco" Morales and the Carna team, Chef Cláudio says: "We believe in taking a holistic approach to sustainability and are constantly looking for ways to reduce our impact on the environment. We are proud to be a leader in sustainability in the Dubai dining scene."