How to cut down on food waste at my hotel restaurant

This week the UK announced it will join the UN Food System Summit Coalition in a bid to halve food waste globally by 2030. Meanwhile companies such as BusinessWaste are calling for the hospitality sector to be required by law to make arrangements regarding the recycling of food waste. If you are a hotel restaurant owner, here are eight ways to cut down on food waste.

Analyse and Track Food Waste

Analysing and tracking food waste is the first step in identifying where waste occurs in your restaurant. For example, you may find that certain menu items consistently have leftovers or that certain times of the day have more waste. Once you have identified these areas, you can make changes to your menu or portion sizes to reduce waste.

Train Staff

Training staff on proper food handling and storage is essential for reducing waste. For example, staff can be trained to use FIFO (first in, first out) storage methods, which ensures that older ingredients are used before newer ones. Staff can also be trained to portion food correctly to minimise waste.

Offer Smaller Portions

Offering smaller portions can help reduce waste and can also be more appealing to guests who don’t want to waste food. Consider offering half-size portions or allowing guests to order half portions of certain menu items.

Create a Food Donation Program

Creating a food donation program can help ensure that unserved food is put to good use. For example, you can partner with a local food bank or charity to donate unserved food at the end of each day.

Use Creative Cooking Techniques

Using creative cooking techniques to repurpose food scraps and leftovers can help reduce waste and also add interesting flavors to your menu. For example, vegetable scraps can be used to make stocks, leftover bread can be made into croutons or breadcrumbs, and meat scraps can be used to make broths.

Offer Buffet Options

Offering buffet-style meals for events and large groups can help reduce food waste. Guests can choose the amount and type of food they want to eat, and any unserved food can be reused for another meal.

Monitor Inventory

Monitoring inventory can help reduce overstocking and prevent food from going bad. For example, you can track the amount of each ingredient used in recipes and adjust orders accordingly. Using a first-in, first-out (FIFO) method can also help ensure that older ingredients are used before newer ones.

Track and Report Progress

Tracking and reporting on your restaurant’s food waste reduction progress can help keep staff and guests engaged and committed to reducing waste. For example, you can share progress updates on social media or post signs in the restaurant about your waste reduction initiatives.

Through proper staff training, portion control, and inventory management are all ways you can minimise food waste and contribute to a more sustainable food system. By implementing these tips, you can significantly reduce food waste in your hotel restaurant.