The Mother City’s FYN is one of just four restaurants worldwide joining a pilot that focuses on biodiversity, culture and caring for life on Earth.
Cape Town, South Africa (04 February 2026) – Cape Town restaurant FYN has been chosen as one of only four restaurants globally to partner with UNESCO on a new sustainability pilot led by Relais & Châteaux. The project looks at how food can support biodiversity, cultural heritage and regeneration.
FYN is carrying the flag for South Africa.
They join an international group that includes Mirazur and Maison Pic in France, Eleven Madison Park in the United States, and L’Effervescence in Japan. Each contributes their own local approach to sustainability.
Led by chefs Peter Tempelhoff and Ashley Moss, FYN’s contribution brings focus to the biodiversity of the Cape.
“Rooted in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and the Cape Floral Region, our contribution explores biodiversity, cultural heritage, and regeneration – from cultivating endangered indigenous plants and moving away from wild harvesting, to expressing ancient South African ingredients through refined, technique-led cooking.” the restaurant shares.
They’re also working alongside palaeontologist Jan de Vynck, exploring South African ingredients and bringing deep history into modern, technique-led cooking.
Each restaurant in the group is tackling sustainability from a different angle, from marine conservation in Japan and food education in the US, to preserving culinary heritage in France.
FYN’s focus will lean into indigenous species and the landscapes that shape our food.
“I believe cuisine has the power to transform the world. This vision comes to life through these four pilot projects – from indigenous species stewardship in Africa and sustainable fishing in Asia to the preservation of culinary savoir-faire in Europe and community-centered food education in North America – each demonstrating how gastronomy can actively protect ecosystems,” shares Mauro Colagreco, Vice President, Chefs of Relais & Châteaux and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity.
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