Organic Menu – Is the eco – system ready?

Gone are the days when luxury hotels and restaurants in the country boasted of their imported food stuff in their kitchens. In a role reversal, today the same guys brag about their local procurement, their commitment to empower local peasantry through their farm to fork concept, food sustainability, etc. Increasing number of hotels and restaurants in the country swear by their sustainable food concepts and organic menu today in sync with the burgeoning awareness about healthy eating among the consumers. Supporting this trend is a community of organic farmers and support groups with right intent. Hospitality Biz makes an attempt to understand how organic food concepts are catching up with the hospitality industry in the country…

Two Indian chefs made headlines recently by setting up an Indian fine dining pop up on one of the peaks on the Himalayas thus becoming the first Pop up restaurant as per the Guinness Book of World Records on the highest altitude. The rare feat was accomplished after months of preparations by Chef Soundararajan and Chef Sanjay Thakur not for pleasure of adventure, but for a noble cause. In an interview with our publication they revealed it unambiguously, thus, “Through Project Triyagyoni, we aimed to revive traditional Indian and Nepalese cuisines and bring them to the international forefront. This Guinness World Record also purposes to encourage the global community to emphasise on local and organic food prepared using native ingredients grown in an eco-friendly way.”

The key focus for fourth edition of annual Marriott India Chefs Workshop where more than 50 Chefs and F&B heads of Marriott Group properties in India held at The Westin Gurgaon recently was on food sustainability and ways to reduce food wastage at hotels. The objective of the workshop, as per Marriott Hotels communique, was not only to inspire chefs to rethink their relationship to food and how it impacts society but also to address the global food challenges such as sustainable sourcing and food wastage.

All these testify the growing importance food sustainability, healthy and organic food is getting in the kitchens of luxury hospitality chains and people driving those places. Organic menu is gaining ground in hotels and restaurants and becoming a key selling point across chains and standalone restaurants.