Rosewood Hotels & Resorts announced a formal partnership with Lever Foundation, an international NGO specializing in sustainable food systems, to advance plant-based dining practices and responsible sourcing across Rosewood Bangkok and Rosewood Phuket. The collaboration builds on Rosewood Hotel Group’s existing Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) certification, establishing a structured framework for expanding sustainable food practices across both properties.
“Building on the progress we have already made, this partnership brings valuable expertise to our ongoing journey,” said Luca de Negri, Area Director of Culinary Operations SEA at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. “We believe that sustainability and exceptional dining are not in tension; they elevate each other. This direction reflects our respect for local ingredients, our guests’ evolving values, and our responsibility to the communities and environments we operate within.”
Local Sourcing and Supply Chain Optimization
A central pillar of the partnership centers on strengthening supply chain resilience through the Partners in Provenance initiative, which prioritizes sourcing protein and produce within 400 kilometers to support local farmers and reduce transportation-related emissions. The geographic sourcing constraint addresses both supply chain sustainability and community economic development objectives simultaneously.
Local sourcing reduces transportation distances for fresh ingredients while creating market access for regional agricultural producers. The 400-kilometer radius encompasses substantial agricultural production capacity enabling diverse ingredient procurement while maintaining proximity advantages for freshness and emissions reduction.
Staff Training and Capability Building
The partnership includes targeted training and education programs for culinary, marketing, and operations teams, equipping staff with knowledge, skills, and tools to confidently enhance menus and communicate plant-based offerings to guests. Lever Foundation will provide expertise spanning kitchen preparation and ingredient sourcing through guest-facing storytelling and brand communication.
“Rosewood Bangkok and Rosewood Phuket exemplify what it means to take a thoughtful, whole-of-business approach to sustainable hospitality,” said Ribbin Nichapa Nisabodee, Corporate Engagement Manager at Lever Foundation. “From responsible local sourcing to investing in their teams’ knowledge and capability, they are building something genuinely lasting and demonstrating that world-class dining and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.”
Plant-Based Menu Expansion
At Rosewood Bangkok, Lakorn — the property’s signature restaurant celebrating authentic regional Thai cuisine — is expanding its menu to include Thai-inspired plant-based dishes made with local ingredients. At Rosewood Phuket, Red Sauce is broadening breakfast offerings with health-focused plant-based options reflecting the chef’s philosophy of inclusive wellness.
The menu development approach integrates plant-based options into cuisine identity rather than presenting them as alternatives, positioning local plant-based dishes within Thai culinary tradition. This cultural integration approach addresses consumer hesitation about plant-forward dining while celebrating existing Thai plant-based culinary heritage.
Health and Environmental Benefits
Plant-based foods offer lower cholesterol, higher fiber content, and nutrient-rich properties improving guest health outcomes. Research demonstrates that plant-based proteins substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and require substantially less land and water than animal proteins. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has found that plant-based foods generate significantly less food waste than meat and dairy products.
The combination of reduced emissions, lower waste generation, and improved guest health creates alignment between environmental stewardship and hospitality wellness objectives, positioning plant-based expansion as mutually reinforcing rather than competitive goals.
“Thai consumers are increasingly prioritizing health-conscious and environmentally responsible dining when choosing where to stay and eat,” according to the partnership announcement. “By expanding high-quality plant-based options, Rosewood Bangkok & Rosewood Phuket demonstrate that exceptional dining and responsible sourcing are mutually reinforcing.”
