We teamed up with Food & Wine Best New Chef 2022 and James Beard 2023 Outstanding Chef Rob Rubba and his team at DC’s Oyster Oyster for the latest release.The menu inspired artwork is printed on our SoyFibe™ tees in Brooklyn using sustainable, water-based inks.
Check out this limited drop here or pick one up in DC at Oyster Oyster!We’ll step back now and let you hear directly from the chef on why he decided to work with Terratela®, what sustainability means to him and why plant-based cooking is so important.
Can you describe your cooking philosophy and the concept of Oyster Oyster?Plants and fungi are front and center through a lens of local seasonality, while time is perpetually guiding our cooking at oyster oyster. Agriculture is always in motion; our role is to capture these fleeing moments in the most sustainable way, be it zero waste or responsible sourcing to create big flavor with a little footprint that enriches our food systems and communities.
What do you love most about being a chef?I love that being a chef provides me this incredible opportunity to make an impact in people's lives through food and hospitality. Be it my team and mentoring the next generation of culinary talent or giving a guest a place of solace while naturing them. Keeps me motivated.
What role do you think chefs can play in helping promote a more sustainable planet? As chefs, we have tremendous buying power and influence on our menus. Through meaningful sourcing and menu education, we can inspire our guests to make better choices. We have an opportunity to influence our teams and peers to implement practices that become permanent in the change we need to see.
What were your first impressions when you heard about Terratela and their fabrics?To be very honest, I was skeptical; there is so much green washing going on. But once I personally saw the product and talked with the team, I became enthralled with the product. Combating food waste must go beyond just repurposing for the plate. Finding other centers for this untouched resource for society is an encouraging path for the future.
Why is it important to you that your clothing is responsible, sustainable, and good for the environment?Materials matter; they're all connected. Poorly made clothing is massively destroying our planet by the spread of microplastics, environmental effects, and labor exploitation. All these end up affecting the air we breathe and the food and water we consume.
How do you use soy in your menu?Soy plays a role in our menu. We use locally regeneratively grown black soy beans to make tofu; we transform it into a smoked tofu puree. We also use Soy to make tamari and ferments similar to miso with vegetable trim to combat food waste and preserve the seasons.
Photo Credits: Arlei Lima and Oyster Oyster IG
