Most restaurant guides carefully weigh up the quality of an establishment’s food, scrupulously assess the service and scrutinise whether the drinks list comes up to scratch. Throw in other factors such as the ambience, the decor and the warmth of the welcome and you can start to decide if this is a place on your ‘go to’ list. But increasingly we care, too, about the integrity of those people we spend our money with and ask if they share our values.

For those behind Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery: A Guide to the Truly Good Restaurants and Food Experiences of the World, this translates to searching for chefs and restaurateurs whose creed is to source local produce and tailor their menu to what’s available seasonally, who minimise waste, support sustainable practices by farmers, producers and wine-makers and who care for and nurture their staff.

Quite simply they believe that diners want their money to go to good restaurants with good food run by good people, and the guide aims to bring like-minded people together.

New Zealand contributing editor Lauraine Jacobs says, “It’s important to point out that  those selected for this guide are the places where you will know that everyone from the diners to the dishwashers will be treated with respect and love, and the food you eat will be made from the very best ingredients.”

However, good intentions and worthy ideals aren’t sufficient; it goes without saying that every place featured in the book produces excellent food.

New Zealand restaurants included in the guide are Amano, Amisfield, Arbour, BearLion Foods, Bistronomy, Fishbone, Fleurs Place, Fort Greene, Gatherings, Hillside Kitchen, Orphans Kitchen, Pasture, Roots, Shepherd and Sherwood.

Alesha Bilbrough-Collins of BearLion Foods (pictured) says, “Since we started five years ago, we have been vigilant to really progress wherever we can to give back to the planet for everything it does for us. Being recognised in Truth, Love and Clean Cutlery is like that big hug and high five you’ve been waiting for. Consumers and buyers should want to know how they spend their dollar, adamant that it’s the best choice for them, the environment and especially for future generations.” /truthloveandcleancutlery.com,  bearlionfoods.co.nz