Hilton has recently announced the launch of its “Taste of Zero Waste” menus, available at four flagship hotels in the UK.
Starting on Stop Food Waste Day, April 24th, Hilton is introducing a range of “Taste of Zero Waste” menus at London Hilton on Park Lane, Hilton Manchester Deansgate, Hilton London Metropole, and DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole. The menus are designed to highlight sustainable cooking practices and reduce food waste.
“The launch of these new menus marks another step in the global fight against food waste,” said Emma Banks, Hilton’s Vice President of F&B Strategy and Development, EMEA. “Conscious dining isn’t just a trend; it’s a deeply held value that guides where we all choose to indulge and unwind.”
The zero waste menus incorporate several unique culinary techniques aimed at minimizing kitchen waste:
- Root-to-shoot and nose-to-tail cooking: Utilizing whole ingredients such as salmon cheeks, ox heart, and vegetable trimmings to create nutrient-rich dishes.
- Rescuing Leftover Food: Transforming surplus items from breakfast buffets into desserts.
- Pickling: Preserving excess fruits and vegetables, such as gooseberries, that would otherwise be discarded.
These menus not only offer an eco-friendly dining option but also educate guests on the significant impact of their food choices on the environment.
“These dishes have been designed to demonstrate the best-in-class techniques in use across our hotels all over the world every day — brought together to raise awareness of our ambition to continue reducing food waste across our operations, simultaneously empowering guests to make more mindful choices and inspiring them to reduce waste in their own kitchen at home,” said Banks.
Hilton: Sustainability at the forefront
Hilton’s “Taste of Zero Waste” menus are reflective of the group’s wider environmental goals. This includes a commitment to cut landfill waste by 50% by 2030 against a 2008 baseline. A large aspect of this is implementing a food waste reduction program in every hotel kitchen.
This is underpinned by longstanding partnerships with like-minded businesses and suppliers working towards the same goal of reducing waste output as much as possible. With this, Hilton is collaborating with various partners like Winnow, an AI-enabled food waste solution that measures, tracks and reduces waste in commercial kitchens.
The use of Winnow’s AI technology has already led to a significant reduction in food waste in over 200 hotels. Some trials have also shown a reduction of 61% in breakfast waste.
This includes Winnow, an AI-enabled food waste solution which helps to measure, track and ultimately reduce waste in commercial kitchens. By visualising the most wasted produce, chefs at over 200 hotels have been able to make small changes with impressive results. In some cases, trials have led to a reduction of 61 percent in breakfast waste.
In addition to environmental benefits, Hilton’s efforts extend to supporting local communities. For instance, Hilton London Metropole has partnered with the Felix Project since the pandemic, providing meals to those in need and reducing food waste. At the time of writing, the hotel has cooked above 75,000 meals for the needy.
This partnership is set to expand, with a meal donation for every dish sold from the new menus during the next month.
Expanding the initiative
Encouraged by the potential impact of this pilot, Hilton plans to introduce similar sustainable dining options across more locations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa throughout the year. This expansion will include nearly 20 other UK properties, each adopting low waste menus to contribute to this significant environmental initiative.
“As chefs, we are the catalysts for positive change and have the opportunity to set the bar for sustainable dining,” said Paul Bates, executive head chef at the Hilton London Metropole. “ Our menu inspires diners to embrace new flavors, while empowering them to lead the charge when it comes to tackling food waste.
“We look forward to guests joining us on this culinary adventure and helping us make a meaningful difference, one delicious dish at a time.”
Hilton joins a range of hotel chains worldwide prioritizing sustainability in their dining options, including Conrad Koh Samui, Banyan Tree Krabi and Shangri-La Rasa Ria.
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