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Arlene Wynter, food and beverage manager at Terra Nova All Suite Hotel, says that at the Waterloo Road, St Andrew boutique hotel, steps are taken to minimise dumping of excess food.

"We will have the food prepared, but not cooked," Wynter said. "We cook in batches, so at the end of the day there is minimal waste." So in the buffet-style dining setting a close watch is kept on a container with a particular food item, refilling done when necessary and as demand is assessed.

Under the heading 'Fine Dining', the hotel's website lists a number of meal services. Among them are daily buffet breakfast and lunch, High Tea on the Terrace on Thursdays, Steak and Seafood Grill on Wednesdays and Sunday Brunch in the Venetian, where "over 80 hot, cold and sweet buffet items creating a virtual feast for the entire family" are available.

Dumped

Terra Nova also caters to a number of events hosted at the hotel, including business meetings and conferences. There are occasions when fewer guests than are catered for at a particular function will turn up and some of the excess food, such as chicken, rice and plantain, can be taken by the participants in the event. However, Wynter says "seafood and things with heavy cream they cannot take". In accordance with Ministry of Health regulations, the remainder is dumped.

In minimising waste, Wynter says "that is why portion control is important".

While all hotels keep a certain amount of basic food stock, such as rice and flour, for special events projections have to be made and the necessary purchases made.

Beverages put on ice cannot be reused, but Wynter points out that often the last serving in a bottle of wine will be drank at the end of the night. "Wine is the only thing that has a short shelf life once it is opened," Wynter said.

- M.C.