The UAE’s President His Royal Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared 2023 as the “Year of Sustainability”, and venues across the country are doing their bit to serve up a “Green Ramadan.”
JA The Resort
As a pioneer within the hospitality field, known for their lush and sprawling resorts featuring tons of outdoor activities, it’s no wonder that they’re first and foremost when it comes to sustainability and more ‘green’ in their efforts, leaving them with the title of most sustainable 5-star resort in Dubai. The main concern, especially over Ramadan, is the food wastage that comes with large scale events and buffets. They’ve utilised something called a Waste Master, which can repurpose more than 500KG of food per day, reducing waste by up to 80%, and the remaining 20% will come out as soil conditioner used at local bio-farms. So far, they’ve loaded 25,194KG of food waste and offloaded 7,291KG of soil residue, which is the equivalent of eliminating 5,971cars off the road and powering 1,260 homes, with 49.13 tons of greenhouse gas reduction from the atmosphere.
William-Harley Fleming, VP for Operations at JA The Resort and Indian Ocean says: “Water preservation is a key focus during Ramadan and we are proud to have been the first hotel group involved in the Dubai Can initiative, partnering with Dubai Economy and Tourism Department and installing over 40 water dispenser stations and water bottling plant systems, which has so far diverted over five million single-use plastic bottles, which would have otherwise ended up in landfills or the ocean.” And more excitingly, just before Ramadan, they announced their new innovative dining concept, Message in a Bottle at JA The Resort, on dining vessel Sirene, which uses theatrics and technology to transport guests to a dystopian world, where the threatened environment is under attack and guests are made aware of special measures to avoid further endangerment. During the two-hour show, diners can sample a five-course menu of sustainably sourced seafood – driving home the message of the event about the importance of sustainability, even while wining and dining. JA The Resort are continually looking for green initiatives that will benefit the world around us not just during Ramadan, but into the imminent future.
For reservations visit https://www.jaresortshotels.com/dubai/ja-the-resort or email reservations@jaresorts.com or call +971 4814 5500.
Green Ramadan, Conrad Dubai
Hilton is showcasing its new Green Ramadan initiative at Conrad Dubai, the campaign which aims to improve local sourcing and reduce food waste across hotels in the UAE, KSA and Qatar.Reports from West Asia show that food waste increases by 25-50% during religious and social festivities, so Hilton has introduced initiatives to minimize waste during this period and garner awareness around locally sourced produce. Hilton boasts an initiative called ‘Travel with Purpose’ 2030 goals where they aim to reduce food waste sent to landfills by 50%. They will also be using technology from Winnow, which allows digitally tracked food waste, which also enhances effective procurement processes and minimizes long term environmental impact. They’ll also be donating left over food to the UAE Food Bank, sourcing food from within a 50-mile radius, taking a zero-waste culinary technique, involving smaller portions and plant-based innovation, as well as composting food scraps in landfills with The Waste Lab.
Emma Banks, vice president, F&B strategy & development, EMEA,said: “As a global hospitality brand, Hilton has a responsibility to lead the industry in the pursuit of sustainable solutions. We are delighted to embrace the holy month of Ramadan with the introduction of the Green Ramadan initiative. Our partner, Winnow, will play a crucial role in this digital-first approach by collecting food waste data and using it to inform our local procurement requirements while working closely with our partner Goumbook to ensure an educated approach towards the implemented sustainable practices. We’re also aligning closely with UNEP West Asia’s ongoing ‘Recipe of Change’ campaign aimed at reducing food waste across the value chain”.
Marc Zornes, CEO and co-founder, Winnow, added: “Winnow is delighted to partner with Hilton, UNEP West Asia and Goumbook on this initiative during Ramadan. Food waste is an important area of interest for the region from a social and environmental perspective. Our intention is for this collaboration to be underpinned by real-world data and behavioural science, offering a playbook for the industry to tackle food waste”. They’re aiming for half the food waste and double the blessings this Ramadan.
For reservations at Conrad Dubai or more information, please call +971 4 444 7444 or email fb.dubai@conradhotels.com.
Iftar at Maisan Restaurant, Delta Hotels by Marriott, DIP
International eatery Maisan is the heart of casual dining in the local neighborhood of Dubai Investment Park. Their Iftar set menu is available from sunset until 10pm for only AED 75 per person. If you’re in a group of more than 30 guests, you can avail the buffet for AED 100 per person. Delta is also pledging their efforts for a “green Ramadan”, and their sustainable hospitality practices include transforming part of their terrace into a fresh fruit and vegetable garden. This unique initiative means that diners get to sample food freshly grown and picked, in a farm-to-table style that’s fresher than the usual. Tomatoes and bell peppers are among the fruit and vegetables to be used in their Iftars, and Delta are doing their best to avoid any wastage, meaning that when guests dine, they’re contributing to an eco-friendly service cycle. Delta has also partnered with AirOWater, which transforms the air humidity into drinking water for both hotel and restaurant guests. The Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG) were recently introduced to tackle the global shortage of clean drinking water, in a solution that’s both sustainable and ingenious.
For more information and reservations visit https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/dxbgc-delta-hotels-dubai-investment-park/dining/ or call +971 4801 8888.
W Hotel, Yas Island
As part of their overall commitment to sustainable food practices, The W Hotel on Yas Island are doing something extra special for a green Ramadan. Excitingly, they have a vertical farm on the hotel grounds, after their second edition of their brand-driven activation “Looped In’, around responsible cooking. Their Ramadan menu aims to both “minimise waste and maximize taste”, according to Head Chef Okky, resulting in a menu whose star ingredients are fresh fruits and vegetables, but also promising unique ways to utilise unusual cuts of meat. For example, the off cuts from vegetables that are usually disposed of will instead be included in the preparation of a Moroccan Beef Tagine, meanwhile the non-traditional cuts of beef will be crafted into a mouth-wateringly juicy Beef Rendang.
The Iftar includes other more traditional Arabic dishes in an incredible spread, and the W Hotel are employing a waste management system called Winnow, which forensically measures the exact quantities of food required each day, reflecting occupancy levels and demographics, and it also helps plan for kitchen inventory ordering. Food procurement throughout this process is smarter and becomes more financially efficient, especially when producing large scale events such as buffets – like the Iftar. Head Chef Okky says: “In our kitchens it is essential to make ingredients the stars of the show. This is why, when designing new menus for Garage, I always think of ways to interconnect the dishes served while still making each creation unique. It is this philosophy that will allow us this Iftar to provide an incredible spread that varies from the most traditional dishes to more contemporary and international options appealing every palate, while keeping an eye on sustainable practices.”
For more information and reservations visit https://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/auhwh-w-abu-dhabi-yas-island/ or call +971 2656 0000.
