Imagine a world where your children have never tasted salmon, and avocados are becoming extinct due to rising temperatures affecting cocoa production. Sounds like science fiction, right? However, this is the reality that chef Vanessa Marx is trying to change, one meal at a time. In her innovative restaurant, The Riverhouse, Marx has created a gastronomic club called The Last Supper, where she serves nine dishes featuring endangered ingredients and sustainable alternatives.

The Concept Behind The Last Supper

The menu is designed to raise awareness about the issue of sustainability in the food industry. Marx, a 39-year-old South African chef, has been a pioneer in reducing food waste and promoting sustainable seafood. Her restaurant has been a hub for environmentally conscious foodies, and The Last Supper is her latest endeavor to get people talking about the importance of sustainability. My language is food, Marx says, explaining that she prefers to let her dishes lead the conversation about sustainability. She started cooking 22 years ago in Cape Town, where she witnessed devastating droughts due to climate change. At a time when few people embraced environmental concepts, Marx championed food waste reduction, grass-fed and free-range beef, and sustainable seafood.

The Unlikely Allies of Sustainability

Marx’s journey into sustainability began when she moved to the United Kingdom five years ago and met Diana Verde Nieto, an Argentinian living in London and a sustainability advisor for the United Nations. Nieto’s work focuses on changing people’s perception of luxury, moving away from ostentatious displays of wealth and toward concepts like wellness retreats and “barefoot luxury.”

• Nieto believes that our perception of luxury is becoming more conscious, moving away from trends like caviar and yachts and toward more meaningful experiences.
• She thinks we overeat, destabilizing the food system and causing stress for the population and the soil.

The Menu: A Mix of Endangered and Sustainable Foods

The menu at The Last Supper features a mix of foods that may no longer exist in the future, such as oysters, mussels, and bluefin tuna, which could disappear due to rising sea temperatures and overfishing. However, it also offers the opportunity to try new foods, such as river trout instead of salmon and rabbit instead of chicken.

The Chef’s Message

Marx argues that the dish of the day, snail risotto, could save the world because it is one of the most regenerative sources of protein available. She also emphasizes the importance of eating seasonal and local products, citing England’s 85% of the world’s 200 known chalk streams as a prime example.

“If you don’t like it, go for something else. But in my restaurant, we only serve scallops that have been caught by hand; we don’t use the product that arrives frozen from Canada in plastic tubs. That, for me, is non-negotiable.”

The Future of Food

Will there really be no chocolate in 2050? And worse, no coffee? While these foods may seem like staples, they are already under threat due to climate change. Marx’s menu is a reminder that the average citizen can make a difference by choosing sustainable options.

• Marx’s menu features foods that may no longer exist in the future, such as oysters, mussels, and bluefin tuna.
• It also offers the opportunity to try new foods, such as river trout instead of salmon and rabbit instead of chicken.

The Role of the Consumer

The Last Supper is not just a meal; it’s an experience that encourages consumers to think about the impact of their choices on the environment. Marx argues that the average citizen can make a difference by choosing sustainable options. By choosing sustainable options, consumers can make a difference and create a better future for the environment. Chef Vanessa Marx’s innovative restaurant is a beacon of hope for a more conscious and sustainable food industry.