Chefs discuss what 'organic food' really means
Eating organic has become a way of life for many. But what does the term actually mean, and is organic produce any healthier? Janice Leung Hayes discovers that the answers are far from clear
In case you hadn't noticed, much of the Western world is in the midst of an organic revolution. "Organic" has become a byword for everything that's good about food and people are willing to pay a premium to get it. Most people think organic food is healthier; many believe it tastes better, but few are able to define exactly what it is.
Jeremy Biasiol, culinary director at IPC Foodlab, a farm-to-table restaurant, says: "Organic means everything and [it] means nothing. It's mostly marketing.
"As a chef, the most important thing for me is to know where the food comes from - the traceability. You see many restaurants saying they are organic but you look in the kitchen and they're not really doing it, maybe a vegetable here or a piece of chicken there."
Biasiol sources most of the restaurants' vegetables from local farms, as well as growing herbs at the Fanling branch.
The US government’s agricultural standards cut a lot of corners
"Whatever we cook here, we know exactly how the farmer is growing their things. We ask for a lot of information, we have a lot of people [who will] go [to the source] and check," he says.