How one of the UK’s biggest luxury hotels is using food waste for fine dining

In Europe, 20% of food produced, roughly 381 pounds per person, goes to waste.

One of the world’s largest hotel chains is making the switch to a zero and low waste menu at their UK locations to mark Stop Food Waste Day.

Hilton is aiming to tackle the one billion tonnes of food wasted each year – 1/4 of which is from the food service industry.

To commemorate Stop Food Waste Day today, leading chefs at the hotels in London, Manchester and Brighton have curated a zero waste menu and offered tips to help lower the average household’s food waste.

In Europe, 20% of food produced goes to waste. Globally, each household wastes 163 pounds per year, with the UK producing 10 million tonnes of food waste per annum – worth an astounding £19 billion.

Though individuals can help lower this percentage with small acts themselves – such as reducing portion sizes, shopping smart and using ‘wonky’ produce – the hospitality industry is a big culprit of food waste levels.

Metro.co.uk sat down with Hilton at their London Metropole Hotel to try some of the zero waste menu and to hear expert tips from executive head chef Paul Bates on how to lower individual food waste.

Paul Bates, 56, works as executive head chef at the Hilton London Metropole and began his culinary training at the age of 16.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘My training was classic French when I first started. You were taught to adapt things that were “part of the whole”. For example, using salmon heads to make sauce – that was a daily practise. 

‘These are things I think that have been lost from my industry over the years. So it’s great to get the younger guys to do it.’

One of the ingredients Paul used for our meal was potato peels – chopped up and cooked into a sort of risotto. Others included ox and chicken hearts, nettles and leftover bread.

In the vegetable korma, made from leftover veggies from the staff kitchen at Hilton, Paul incorporated coriander stalks – something most people would toss in favour for the leaves, but part of the herb that packs a lot of flavour.

The star of the zero waste menu was the bread and butter pudding, made with blueberries, fudge and an array of leftover breads from the hotel breakfast bar – paired with a butterscotch sauce.

Paul explained: ‘‘When you’ve got something left over, like a roast chicken, take a few of the drumsticks out, bung them in the microwave, curry sauce on top and done – that’s sorted for you.

‘Herbs are one of the most wasted ingredients – a bunch of coriander for instance. Make things out of it, like a marinade or dressing. And don’t be frightened to freeze it. Using ice cube trays for it is a good thing as well.’

His advice to lower your individual food waste?

‘Don’t go shopping while hungry. Use your ingredients twice during the week in different ways. You can utilise anything.

‘Make a vegetable bhaji with leftover asparagus trimmings. Roast the entire head of cauliflower, make a hummus, deep fry the leaves and use it as crisps on top of the hummus.

‘As chefs, we are the catalysts for positive change and have the opportunity to set the bar for sustainable dining.’

Emma Banks, vice president of F&B strategy and development at Hilton said: ‘The launch of these new menus marks another step in the global fight against food waste. 

‘Conscious dining isn’t just a trend; it’s a deeply held value that guides where we all choose to indulge and unwind.’

And going zero waste as an individual could also help save money in the long run.

Here’s a list of ways to make your food shop last longer.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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