Sustainability is becoming increasingly integrated into all aspects of hotel operations, and kitchens are no exception. For many hoteliers, reducing food waste and other eco-conscious measures are part and parcel of their kitchen procedures as well as restaurant service and F&B procurement. The above-property F&B team at Remington Hospitality is a case in point, placing a strong emphasis on the integration of sustainable practices into everyday operations. “Over the past few years, our hotel kitchens and restaurants have evolved significantly in sustainability and waste reduction,” said Ted Peters, senior vice president of food & beverage strategy. “We’ve moved from simply ‘recycling where possible’ to embedding sustainability into purchasing, production, and service.”
Similarly, Meyer Jabara Hotels implements a sustainable F&B model across its full-service properties that includes operational rigor (purchasing, labor, waste reduction), collaborative culture (sharing results across hotels), and guest-centric sourcing (local programs, seasonal menus)—combining business performance and minimized environmental impact. “We embed sustainability directly into our F&B structure—not treating it as a standalone project,” said Guy Reinbold, corporate director of food & beverage.
Like many green initiatives, sustainability in the kitchen is driven by environmental stewardship as an intrinsic value, along with commercial advantages such as cost reduction and positive client perception. For example, Remington’s green practices in the kitchen—including consistent food waste tracking and staff training—have resulted in an average food cost savings of 3 percent to 5 percent, Peters noted. Concord Hospitality’s F&B sustainability measures have thus far reduced food expenses by 1 percent to 2 percent. However, “cost savings are a work in progress in this industry—always improving on inventory management, being more intentional about ordering, and avoiding surplus,” commented Zach Wendel, Concord Hospitality’s regional director of F&B.
In addition, providing evidence of F&B sustainability helps draw group clients who prefer or require those practices in their hotel partners. “This has become a major selling point for our sales teams,” said Wendel. “By reducing our carbon footprint and being able to provide documentation to meeting and event planners, they can show that their clients and companies are also helping to reduce waste in landfills.”
Yet another benefit of sustainability is less tangible but quite significant: streamlining labor and promoting staff retention. “Beyond cost, these practices have improved kitchen efficiency and morale by fostering ownership and pride in sustainability,” said Peters.
F&B Purchasing
Sourcing from sustainability-oriented F&B vendors is a major priority in this area, and a group purchasing organization (GPO) can connect operators to those suppliers. “Through our partnership with Avendra, our GPO, we proactively source from sustainable vendors—from seafood and produce to cleaning products and packaging—ensuring that our purchasing aligns with long-term environmental and social responsibility goals,” Peters explained.
Collaborating on F&B department purchasing across the portfolio is a key best practice that can both reduce expenses and enhance sustainability. Meyer Jabara Hotels’ F&B Impact Committee structure, for example, brings together purchasing, catering, à-la-carte, and limited-service sub-committees. A single master food-supplier partnership approved by that committee has resulted in system-wide food-cost reductions, Reinbold noted. “Instead of each hotel working in a silo, they share data, test local sourcing programs, repurpose excess ingredients, and standardize deliveries to reduce waste and environmental impact. Through strategies such as consolidating deliveries and maximizing labor skillsets, we are improving operational efficiency and minimizing the hidden costs of wasteful practices.”
Partnering with local F&B suppliers is another environmentally sound practice as it reduces product transportation, but a little effort is needed to locate those producers and build relationships with them. “Our hotels and chefs are encouraged to use local vendors and providers,” noted Wendel. “We