Sustainability - a Core PJ taste value
An ethos of Sustainability
Our initial objective when we opened our Coffee Shop was summed up by our first strapline – “Selectively Sourced, Locally Loyal”. We recognised that it was wrong to simply jump on the “local food” bandwagon when it was quite clear that many products like coffee and sugar for example were impossible to source locally. Since moving away from running coffee shops and concentrating on delivered and event catering from our Attercliffe premises we are on a journey to gradually increase the local and sustainable nature of our business. Our motto is now “Seasonally Inspired Local Food”.
So what our we doing
PJ taste apples from our orchard
We aim to operate a “zero waste” kitchen, and coach our team to think creatively about how to use every element of an ingredient. Some simple pieces of equipment are helpful. An example is a dehydrator which is an inexpensive piece of equipment and simply converts all the crusts from our loaves into breadcrumbs used in our Sheffield Egg. Gluts of fruit and vegetable harvests can similarly be dehydrated and their flavour intensifies. We feature some of these products alongside the Climate Change book for which we devised the recipes in our Climate Change Hamper.
2. We have operated electric delivery vehicles since 2015, which we re-charge via the 37 solar panels on the roof of our venue in Attercliffe come rain or shine (or snow!).
3. Local growing. Over the last seven years we have developed a two acre plot as a permaculture style growing area where we can concentrate on perennial style growing – a young forest garden, lots of fruit trees and 23 honeybee colonies. Inspiration has come from Charles Dowding and Martin Crawford.
Interesting harvests have been Szechuan Peppercorns, Autumn Olive and Mashua, a South American tuber. Excellent yields are obtained from black and redcurrant, gooseberry along with medlar and quince.
Honey from our bees
4. Sourcing – we seek out local growers and ethical suppliers. Excellent initiatives from companies such as Wildfarmed who grow cereal crops with no artificial nitrogen fertilisers or chemicals of any sort are helping to rebuild soil fertility as well as producing more nutritious food.
5. Packaging. We use compostable and recyclable packaging and have outlawed single use plastic.
6. Energy use. From replacing all lighting with LED to upgrading catering equipment to the most energy efficient we can find we have minimised our electricity use.
7. Seasonal menu planning. Working with the seasons allows us to source closer to home.
8. Any final organic waste is used for compost in our permaculture style of growing, encompassing fruit trees, interesting perennial vegetables and as a large number of honeybee colonies.
A note on PJ taste
Launched by Peter and John in May 2006, initially from a coffee shop on Glossop Road, the business has expanded to a full-service delivered catering business alongside our own meeting, dining and event space in Attercliffe. We aim to serve seasonally inspired local food for weddings, corporate lunches, and events, as well as fine dining and dinners through-out Sheffield, South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.
Regular clients include The University of Sheffield, the Millennium Galleries, Wake Smith, Twinkle and St Lukes.
Our bespoke menus can feature a range of options, from simple lunches to plated banquets for 200 people to wood-fired pizza or themed events with Burritos and BBQ's.
Today, as well as our outside catering services, we have our own unique, lovingly refurbished meeting, dining and event space in Attercliffe - Upstairs@PJtaste –accommodating up to 120 people.