Welcome, and thank you for visiting the blog of the University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant Project (UGSRP). Our project was started in May of 2011 with the hopes of achieving three goals. The first goal of the program is to incorporate more ‘sustainability’ focused curriculum at the University of Guelph’s School of Hospitality,Food and Tourism Management (HFTM). The second goal is to take steps to move our student run restaurant PJ’s towards a more environmentally sustainable model. Our last goal will be an ever evolving one as our project team and students look to connect with, and become part of other projects that involve restaurants and sustainability.
The idea for the project came as a result of fourth year HTM students working on a case study regarding sustainability in our school. The student reports and classroom presentations for the case study pointed to several ways in which both PJ’s and HFTM curriculum could become more focused on sustainability. After several discussions to think how best the ideas of the students could be implemented, Instructor Simon Day and I applied for a “Learning Enhancement Fund” grant from the University of Guelph. The funding proposal was accepted by the University and the project was created!
After receiving word of that our funding application was accepted we moved to bring together a group of people to be involved in the project. Our team is a committed group of students, faculty and community partners that are committed to working towards a more sustainable future for the restaurant industry.
Through this project it is hoped that we will help create change, not only in mindsets but in the behaviours of hospitality students, hospitality educators and operators in industry. One of the ways we will do this is by generating ‘research that counts’. Research outcomes will be more ‘applied’ than ‘theoretical’ and will be geared towards helping educate operators to improve their businesses. We also hope that by introducing hospitality students to a richer curriculum we will help bring more knowledge about sustainable practices to industry through our graduates. Lastly, we hope to act as an example for other hospitality schools and industry. We hope that other schools join us in embedding more sustainably focused curriculum throughout our programming, helping to produce more “Leaders for a Sustainable World”.
-Bruce McAdams
University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant Project 
This is amazing Bruce, I’m so excited to see where this going to go.
Hello! Would you please send me a contact for you blog. I’d like to send you an email message. Thanks!
Dear Mr Bruce… Its great to see that you are being a change agent in the mindsets of the students of hospitality & hotel management. I am currently a chef instructor & I wish to know more about the research avenues in sustainable restaurants. Looking ahead to probably partnering with your organisation in the future.
Us folks, the interns, at Ignatius Jesuit Center think that you could use some colour in your photo! We would like to offer some of our beautiful vegetables 😉 haha
Keep up the great work, folks!
-Paul
This sounds quite interesting. I would be very much like to know what kind of projects these students are undertaking together with the industry. This touches a lot of my areas in my career. I am a lecturer/teacher in hospitality, i also interact with the industry a lot while attaching students to the industry. I have also ventured into studying project planning & management and practicing a bit of research.
I would like to learn this.
This project is fantastic! Will keep watching developments here. I just want to make all aware of a new independent publication we just launched – SUSTAIN Magazine : For a Responsible Canadian Foodservice Industry – check out our website and our first print issue – sustainmag.ca Follow us on Instagram @sustainmag