The Shoreditch Trust, Terrence Higgins Trust and Bliss Restaurant Consultancy have collaborated to open an eco-friendly training restaurant in London’s Kings Cross area.

Ten young chefs each year – selected from the local community – will be trained in the eco-friendly restaurant trade at the new Acorn House establishment.

The restaurant will feature specialist menus sourced from small independent suppliers and guests will be able to request dishes in different portion sizes to minimise wastage.

The restaurant has also been designed to maximise the amount of natural light entering the building and recycled and organic materials are being used in its construction.

All water will be purified on site to minimise plastic and glass usage, ‘green electricity’ and biodegradable products will be used where possible and all kitchen waste will be recycled.

Roux-trained chef Arthur Potts Dawson – formerly of Fifteen, Kensington Palace and the River Café – has devised the menu to include dishes from different cultures. It will also include gluten- and sugar-free dishes.

Potts said: “Our food is centered around the key elements of health, training, community and the environment. I hope that Acorn House will be a pioneering force in new restaurant management and a benefit to the local population.

“The restaurant industry needs to change and Acorn House aims to take one small step towards creating a city capable of sustaining itself. By sharing our beliefs with a young, local workforce, we are hoping to spread that message far and wide.”

Acorn House is due to open in November.