MarriottintheKitchen

Since launching this blog in January, I have received quite a few emails on the posting subjects. It is inspiring to learn of guests individual culinary experiences, and equally beneficial to hear our culinary associates viewpoints on food. Though I cannot respond to every posting, I thought a compilation of some of the questions I have received might make for further dialogue. Below is the third of three installments to a few of the questions I have been asked recently: What's your take on cooking with organic and sustainable foods? Organic really isn't new though it would seem to be newly discovered from all of the media energy behind it. I think that's always been the point...

The entire globe will celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2008. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, a great deal has been learned about the impact we have on our environment. Professional kitchens of hotels and restaurants have an opportunity to positively address this. We are an integral part of the carbon footprint chain, and have collective influence on those that produce, pack, ship and develop food in addition to the eventual disposal of materials used in its service. In the Marriott test kitchen, compostable and recyclable materials are separated to minimize landfill refuse. Our disposables are compostable corn based products. Tasting spoons and plates go right into the green tub along with any food trimmings. Landfill items are separated from the few things that can't be composted or recycled. This initiative really took hold in 2001...

Herb gardens have been part of many kitchens' arsenals for a very long time. A rosemary bush or a potted thyme plant was not an uncommon sight in many kitchens. The idea of having fresh herbs at one's fingertips allowed for fresh flavors to be added whenever needed. Fresh herbs are one thing, but restaurants are now planting serious gardens, growing lettuces, vegetables, and a few fruits for exclusive use on their menus. Melissa Kelly lives the credo of an organic lifestyle, and is one of the most gifted chefs I have ever met...

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference at the Napa Valley campus of the Culinary Institute of America. Three days of leading scientists, chef demos, and over 50 company representatives such as me, all focused on one thing - healthy food that tastes great. The CIA has hosted this for several years, and its effort to make sense of the science and trends are admirable and informative. We all want to be healthier. The diet we choose plays a large part in that overall goal. Many of the seminars covered the disturbing trends of increased obesity, childhood and type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease throughout the world. Chart after chart showed these trends are growing at a rapid rate. Processed and sugary foods...

In January of 2007, Marriott announced we would eliminate trans fats from frying oils, French fries, and fried foods prepared in our hotels, which was accomplished in April. Frying oil was the most problematic. We were not willing to sacrifice taste or quality. I like to think the media pressure pushed the large oil manufacturers over the brink, as finally we could land on a specification that delivered a great tasting product, trans fat free, and distributable to our hotels. Much has been written about trans fats and why they are unhealthy, but what are they really...

As I mentioned in my last posting, I had the pleasure to host Marriott's outstanding chefs of 2006 in Boston. A chefs trip to Boston could not begin without a visit to Sid Wainer and Sons , a specialty food and produce company and stalwart supporter of small local farmers. Touring the New Bedford plant is like taking an amazing journey through...