Taco Punk Turns Two, 'Transparent'

"There's a whole lot of [restaurants] trying to be sustainable, or green, or whatever you want to call it. The problem is there's really no independent verification of what anybody's actually using." That's the reason Gabe Sowder gave Eater when asked about the thinking behind Taco Punk's "Transparency Project," the restaurant's attempt to help consumers "really see what's in our product." Sowder pointed out that many competing restaurants, especially in the quick-service category, say they "use grass fed beef, you know, 'whenever possible.' To me, that's greenwashing." Sowder says Taco Punk wants to "pledge and guarantee that the product you're getting is the product you expect to get."

Taco Punk plans to provide as much information it can about every step of its process, from product selection to waste processing. Plans for a YouTube channel, public speaking and other means of communication are in the works, though Sowder says he doesn't want to "beat the audience over the head" or "be preachy." At the moment, Taco Punk's Transparency Project is "a work in progress," according to Sowder. To begin, he plans "complete menu disclosure … sources, recipes. Amending his pledge, Sowder laughs "well, not recipes—ingredient lists."

· Taco Punk [Official Site]
· All Eater Taco Punk Coverage [~ELOU~]