The Pittsburgh Steelers are going sustainable. The National Football League team has switched to 100% biodegradable plastic servingware, sends its used fry oil out to be processed into biodiesel and purchases as much locally produced food as it can through the FarmSource program of dining services provider Parkhurst Dining Services.
“We purchase twenty percent of our food from local farms that deliver fresh, healthy and quality products for our menus,” says Jamie Moore, Parkhurst’s director of sourcing and sustainability. “In addition to supporting Pittsburgh-area farms, we also support local companies like Breadworks and Parma Sausage that supplies all of our Italian lunch meats,” he adds.
Steelers Executive Chef Corey Hayes is also practicing “urban” gardening at Steelers headquarters, where he grows sage, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, oregano, thyme and purple basil. “Everything that I grow is used in the preparation of fresh food for the players,” he says. “I enjoy preparing a variety of foods—everything from global to local.”