All Rise

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is more than a buzzword for restauranteur Liling Ong. It is manifested in an all-rounded manner across the four Italian restaurants by The Cicheti Group, which she founded with her cousin, chef and co-owner Lim Yew Aun.

Diners can dig into hearty pasta that’s rolled out from excess dough and drenched in a stock concocted from leftover meat or vegetable trimmings, or take a sip of wine made from indigenous grape varietals grown in small, multi-generational vineyards. They can also soak up in the restaurants’ convivial vibe that is accentuated by artworks and furnishings by a community of local artists and craftsmen. Ong says: “Being sustainable is more than just ticking a box, it has to be ingrained as part of a business philosophy.”

It’s only in the past three years that sustainability has become a vital