Support the Community: KIGI

Supporting the community at KIGI 

The team uses multiple formats and touchpoints to connect with the community in different ways. The restaurant regularly offers its space for NGO events, for example, often supporting through catering. “There are many people doing good work socially, and we offer our space so that, through their use of it or through collaborations with us, the activities and messages of these organisations can reach more people,” says Hideaki. “We have great respect for the organisers who consider food as part of the event itself. We empathise with the future that these NGOs are working toward, so we feel it is a great honour to provide catering for them, and we are happy if we can be of even a little help.” 

KIGI also offers a space trusted by the community to serve healthy, nourishing, seasonal meals. “In many Japanese buffet-style meals, we often see cases of ‘the more variety, the better’, where luxurious ingredients are promoted as the main appeal,” Hideaki explains. “We do not measure ourselves by variety or by the luxury, premium ingredients. Instead, we value the chef's handmade, healthy dishes; ingredients chosen with care for social and environmental issues; and meals that guests from around the world can eat with peace of mind. We also believe it’s important to serve meals considerate of diverse needs, including vegan and Muslim diets. Some guests may find our offerings limited in variety or even modest in appearance, but we cherish the spirit of 'knowing what is enough' (足を知る, taru wo shiru).” 

Hideaki points to the importance of sourcing from small, nearby businesses in supporting the community and keeping money in the local economy. “Our restaurant is small in scale, so our contribution may not be a large one, but we believe that as more local restaurants turn their attention to their own communities, the value of the restaurants themselves — and of the local area — will rise. Many chefs already deeply understand the appeal of producers around the world. We would encourage them to bring that same standard of attention to their own local area, and to discover the appeal and value that lies beyond just deliciousness — without ever losing the deliciousness itself.” 

Weekly beekeeping activities every week with a local social welfare organisation is a much-loved component of community work at KIGI. “It brings us many benefits. We are able to taste fresh, beautifully fragrant honey that we had never tasted before, and through our participation, our exchanges with the social welfare organisation deepen week by week,” says Hideaki. “It is also an ideal activity for raising awareness around the importance of bees awareness, which are vital for biodiversity. If you look into your own local area, there are almost certainly people keeping bees nearby, so we recommend that both restaurants and individuals try taking part.” 

The benefits of community connection 

Hideaki is clear that maintaining a strong focus on community has only been of benefit to the business and the team. “Through these initiatives, we have been able to meet many people. This would not be possible if we only ran our restaurant operations. We feel that both the chef and our team members have been blessed with encounters and opportunities we could never have imagined,” says Hideaki.  

He notes the importance of collaboration across the sector. "The impact of our activities alone is still very small. Despite all the efforts made so far, global warming continues to advance, environmental destruction continues, and wars do not stop. While each restaurant operates with its own convictions, we would like to create a system that, by working together with companies and sectors beyond the restaurant industry, can deliver a much greater impact.” 

Food Made Good at KIGI 

“We firmly believe that the Food Made Good Standard is lighting the way to the future of restaurants and the foodservice industry," says Hideaki. “Even now, we vividly recall the excitement we felt at the idea that the power of food can change society.” 

“Receiving our final report allowed us to recognise strengths of our own that we hadn't been aware of. This broadened the range of what makes our restaurant appealing, and we are truly grateful for it. We also feel the benefit of having every member of staff carry out their work with awareness of various issues, such as food loss, fair trade and energy use. What we do has become more than just the work of making a single dish: it has become work in which we can envision the future of the planet through each dish we create. We feel we have gained tremendous value from this.” 

Learn more about KIGI on their website.  

Our goal in sharing case studies from our Food Made Good network is to help you discover new actions you can take in your own business. If you’re looking for further inspiration, don't miss our 2026-27 global sustainability insights report, "Hospitality Rising: Global Challenges, Local Solutions”. Exploring the latest trends and influences shaping the sector, it’s packed with examples of smart sustainability initiatives from businesses of all shapes and sizes across the world. Download your copy here!   

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