Led by Indian-born chef and restaurateur Deepanker Khosla, Haoma was crowned the winner of the Sustainable Restaurant Award at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. The Bangkok restaurant serves neo-Indian food reimagined with local Thai ingredients – and is driven forward by its unerring focus on greater sustainability
In 2024, sustainability takes many forms. Long gone are the days when recycling a few things was enough to be considered ‘green’. Haoma in Bangkok, an urban farm oasis which feels a world away from the chaos of the city surrounding it, is pushing the limits of sustainability, continually challenging itself to do better and focusing on its philosophy of ‘grow to give back’.
At Haoma, sustainability is the starting point, the end goal and the driving force behind everything the restaurant does and stands for. Chef-owner Deepanker Khosla is passionate about looking after both people and the planet. “Sustainability today is not just about adding value, it’s about nurturing nature and this is something imbibed in my soul. It’s about working with nature, not against it,” he says.
Chef-owner Deepanker Khosla is a former Champions of Change winner
Despite Haoma winning the Sustainable Restaurant Award at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, Khosla has no plans to slow down his efforts. “Ever since I started Haoma seven years ago and engraved sustainability, ethics and true love for nature and mankind into the DNA of Haoma, I had a dream: to be recognised for my work and to be awarded Asia’s most sustainable restaurant,” he says. “As this dream comes true, it reinstates our belief and desire to push boundaries. Our commitment to a better tomorrow for the restaurant industry is contagious and we will keep pushing,”
From drastically reducing food miles with its own organic farm to using harvested rainwater and charging towards the goal of zero waste, Haoma’s focus is firmly on the planet. Khosla has some potent advice for anyone looking to follow in the restaurant’s footsteps: “Stop living in denial. Global warming and climate change is setting in faster than ever. When you build a new restaurant or you renovate, allocate funds and spark a desire within yourself to contribute to a better environment.
“Please do keep taking from nature, but work in tandem to give back. Even the smallest contributions matter. Thinking that someone else will save our planet or our industry is the biggest disguise we can live with.”
Here are seven key ways in which Haoma has built sustainability into its core.
1. Keeping it local
Haoma grows a huge amount of produce on its own organic farm, located just 17km away from the restaurant. There are more than 500 chickens, four cows and goats for grazing and milk. The team also planted 100 mango trees, 30 coconut trees, 10 guava and pomegranate trees, along with many vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.
Haoma sources the majority of its ingredients from its own garden and organic farm
For the few ingredients not grown on the farm – including chocolate, coffee from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand and indigenous rice species such as hom mali – the team has a direct relationship with producers and regularly trains staff on responsible procurement. This gives Haoma access to high-quality products, while allowing it to evaluate social and environmental risks. “Most of the farmers we work with are small, like us. Getting organic certifications costs around $20,000, which is sometimes the annual income of these farmers. We work on goodwill and traceability: we do not source without visiting our farmers,” says Khosla.
2. Make it rain
With its own rainwater harvesting system, Haoma conserves 150,000 litres of water every year. The water is filtered and used for cooking, served to diners in the restaurant after recycling, and is used to run its aquaponics system, resulting in less than 3% water loss per annum. It also has a greywater recycling system which it uses to water the plants in the restaurant’s entrance and outdoor areas.
3. No fishy business
Most of the fish Haoma uses are reared in water from its rainwater harvesting system and fed with waste from the kitchen. In the last 12 months, local sea urchins have been added to the menu. The bottom feeders eat seaweed and algae, reducing the production of oxygen, Khosla explains.
Haoma has also diversified its seafood menu, working with local suppliers to ensure the produce has not been caught by illegal or unregulated fishing boats, as well as choosing less common species. “We are only using seafood from small farmers that comes from a consortium or cooperative and introducing things like ocean snails, bamboo clams and mantis shrimp,” adds Khosla.
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The restaurant offers a wide range of vegan and gluten-free dishes
4. Plant power
The Haoma menu is 75% suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It’s one of the few places in Thailand offering truly vegan and gluten-free dishes. Even the meat and seafood menus feature plants prominently, of which many are heritage or lesser-known varieties. Expect dishes like Tear Drop Peas with pickled shrimp and a cumin dhokla (a savoury and spongy Gujarati snack), and Lion’s Mane mushroom with a roasted red pepper sauce and varqi (a flaky, layered paratha), prepared with ingredients found within 4km of the restaurant. “At Haoma, we are mindful of not serving any endangered plant or animal species. This small action can make a significant difference. Additionally, we only consume plant and animal species native to the region,” says Khosla.
5. The road to zero waste
Proud to be an aspiring zero-waste restaurant, Haoma works hard to keep waste below 3-5 per cent, turning it into fish food or compost. Recycling is, of course, an important aspect too, with initiatives ranging from giving empty wine bottles to a not-for-profit that turns them into drinking glasses to working with a team turning used oil into soap, partnering with a group transforming plastic waste into plates and even donating old tablecloths to be refashioned into bags. Plus, for every diner that visits Haoma, the restaurant plants a tree.
6. Community first
Sustainability doesn’t end at the restaurant. Haoma works with local chefs and food experts to archive traditional and local ingredients, and keeps an eye on pay and working conditions. “We work with suppliers who ensure that the prices they pay contribute to a living income for the farmers and fishers they source from,” Khosla says. During the pandemic, Khosla also started the project NoOneHungry, providing cooked meals for migrant workers in Bangkok, which won him the Champions of Change award as part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021.
During its recent renovation, Haoma implemented significant changes to make the space more sustainable
7. Attention to detail
The cosy yet elegant space at Haoma was carefully built with sustainability in mind. Renovated in May 2023, the windows were replaced with heat-reflective glass to reduce the need for air conditioning. Additionally, walls were removed and replaced with big windows, and the kitchen’s roof was installed with clear panels to minimise the use of electric lights during the day. Combined with the earthy tones of the floor, green plants in the garden and blue chairs throughout the interior, Haoma provides a calming and harmonious space which intentionally prompts diners to connect more closely with nature.
The list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was announced at a live awards ceremony on Tuesday 26th March from Seoul. To stay up to date with the latest news, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube, and sign up to our newsletter
