durk's
Unique hospitality

Providence’s premier BBQ destination in the heart of downtown. Offering a large selection of smoked meats, classic sides, smokey snacks, contemporary cocktails/beers/whiskey, and much more. Whether you want to eat your weight in brisket, try one of our 150+ whiskeys, or just grab a corn dog and beer before the game, we have you covered.

Why did you decide to compost?
Our chef had worked with the compost plant at Oberlin and wanted to continue the practice when he moved to Durk's. It wasn’t logistically feasible at our old Thayer St. location. But works well at our new downtown location. We generate a large amount of food scraps both during prep and from the guests so we wanted it to go somewhere besides in a plastic bag at a landfill.

What are some of the challenges with composting at your restaurant?
Honestly not many; the staff is very good about making sure compostable items get into the right bin, and The Compost Plant provides great bins and frequent pickups so there’s never any issue with odor as some would expect.

What are some of the rewards?
It’s just nice to know the scraps are going back into the ecosystem in a sustainable way; and it makes us a bit more conscious of our effect on the environment.

 

How has it affected your bottom line?
It definitely cuts down on trash removal, the minimal charge from the compost plant offsets the garbage removal for sure.

How do you train your employees to deal with the compostable waste?
Hahaha it was easy; “put stuff here from now on.”

 

What other things do you do in your restaurant to meet your sustainability goals?
We try to use local farmers whenever possible and utilize as much of all the product we get in as to limit waste.

What are some of your wishes for the near future?

We’d really like to see state sponsored composting and recycling become mandatory. Places like The Compost Plant and the businesses that use them are a great start, but it’s a big world and that means it needs big changes. Be nice to see the government focus on the long term health of the planet.

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