D.C. Restaurants Get REAL; USHFC Event Celebrates New Healthy & Sustainable Food Certification

NORTHWEST -- Health-conscious diners had much to celebrate on Tuesday evening, during a private reception hosted by the United States Healthful Food Council (USHFC) at Elizabeth's on L's stylish downtown townhouse location.

The event served as the launch party for USHFC's REAL Certification program, which helps connect consumers searching for healthful and sustainable food and beverage options with the restaurants and foodservice vendors that provide them.

By encouraging individuals to 'Eat REAL', the nonprofit hopes to drive business to those establishments that measurably provide healthy and environmentally sustainable dining options to their guests.

REAL Certification uses a points-based system similar to LEED to provide trusted third-party verification of nutrition and sustainability best practices. Everything from local and regional ingredient sourcing to portion size to animal welfare is considered.

Some two dozen Washington restaurants have signed-on as launch partners to the Eat REAL initiative, including Busboys & Poets, Founding Farmers, Logan Tavern, Restaurant Nora, RIS, Grillfish, Table, and Commissary.

“Our inaugural class of REAL Certified restaurants are an excellent representation of chefs and businesses that understand the important role they play as the new stewards of the American diet, said USHFC President Lawrence Williams.”

And the chefs, owners, and representatives from many of these establishments were on-hand yesterday at the USHFC reception to receive commemorative award plates designed by Fortessa specially for the occasion.

Talk about a REALly good party.