From buyers to chefs, why fresh ingredients
and exceptional taste is top priority
Why Fresh Ingredients Matter
Diners are looking for simple nutrition now that health is becoming a primary driver in making food choices. We see consumer behaviour now focusing on Less but Better, with the resurgence of green grocers and butchers, and a negative sentiment around highly processed and modified foods.
Fresh, unprocessed produce is richer in nutrients and delivers a truer, cleaner flavour. Unlike preserved goods, they’re not masked by chemicals designed to artificially prolong shelf life. These additives can compromise both taste and health benefits. Fresh foods retain more enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins — essential to both plate presentation and diner satisfaction.
There is also a sentiment with chefs that the use of fresh ingredients reflects a commitment to culinary integrity. Minimally processed foods also tend to be safer and more predictable in cooking, making a chef’s life much easier.
Sourcing the best, from British soil
As a dedicated chef or restaurant buyer, your menu creation begins long before stepping into the kitchen. As champions of quality, you can choose ingredients that are not only local, but fresh, seasonal, and free from artificial preservatives. At the heart of British cuisine lie ingredients like Welsh lamb, Bramley apples, Lincolnshire kale, and Jersey potatoes — each grown or produced with care, delivering unmistakable flavour, character and tradition.
Sourcing fresh British produce also allows you to exercise creativity and flexibility in your menu offering, by adapting to the changing seasons. It gives customers a reason to return and allows your restaurant to work in sync with nature.
“I looked for the same thing in my refrigeration equipment as I always do for my cooking ingredients: Quality”
Alain Roux, Chef Patron of The Waterside Inn
Your suppliers should be a key part of your kitchen business team as it’s essential that they understand your restaurant goals and work with you on achieving them.
A recent study from the food people reported that the No. 1 focus for chefs is Buying Better. Specifically, better ingredients – more sustainably sourced, better quality, better price and continuity of supply.
When you buy local meat like lamb or beef, you're supporting traditional farming methods that value pasture-fed quality. Choosing closely sourced vegetables means you’re connecting with British growers who avoid synthetic ripening agents and opt for natural cultivation techniques. These choices matter to the environment, to your local economy, and to your diners.
Preserve freshness with Foster
“You can’t compromise where the preservation of your ingredients is concerned.”
Tom Kerridge, The Hand and Flowers
Even the best produce can spoil without proper storage. Did you know that on average, 21% of food waste arises from spoilage? (WRAP)
Foster fridges ensure your fresh ingredients retain their peak condition longer, preserving their taste, texture, and nutrients. Our award-winning fridge design provides less food losses, reduced waste, and more consistent quality, essentials in any professional kitchen.
Interested in learning more? Visit our knowledge hub.