DALLAS—Inspired by Earth Day, Sofitel is offering a special organic menu in each of its North American properties throughout the month of April. Sofitel, the prestige brand of Accor hotels, will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from the select food and beverage offerings to the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, Second Harvest.
The organic menu items are part of the Sofitel Earth Guest Week program, a worldwide commitment by all the Accor brands to further existing eco-friendly efforts. North American Sofitel hotels serve a minimum of one white and red organic wine, appetizer, dessert and entree. Each Sofitel property highlights dishes distinct to its chef’s signature culinary talents, and each property’s wait staff is trained on the organic origins of the dishes and wines to better educate the guests on the benefits of eliminating unnecessary chemicals in both the body and the environment.
“I think the Sofitel customer understands and appreciates the fact that we are offering an organic option in our menus,” says Jean-Marc Jalbert, corporate director of food and beverage for Accor North America. “Judging from the huge popularity of our existing organic menus in Los Angeles, with items such as the organic omelet to the organic salad, it is clear this trend is increasing at full speed. As an additional incentive to both Sofitel and guests, a portion of the sales from these healthy meals will aid a worthy cause.”
As part of its long-standing commitment to support the community through a process of education, conservation and outreach, Sofitel North America has chosen Second Harvest to receive proceeds from the organic offerings in April. The organization is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, providing emergency food assistance through a network of more than 200 food banks throughout the 50 states. Second Harvest provides food assistance to more than 25 million people in the United States each year and more than 9 million recipients are children.
Growing Demand for Organics
The demand for organically grown food products is steadily increasing, and for Sofitel, the choice to serve guests healthier options was the obvious answer. The organic foods at each property meet the USDA organic standards, meaning food products are grown or reared with an emphasis on utilizing renewable resources, conservation of soil and water, and are free of antibiotics, pesticides, hormones and fertilizers. Additionally, Sofitels in North America are completely trans-fat free.
Each property’s organic white and red wines are selected from local distributors and are available by the glass and bottle. The organic wines are a new concept in the restaurant industry, due to a common misconception that they are flavorless. In fact, these wines have a nice texture and crisp flavor. Organic growers are using natural resources to aid the growth of vines, eliminating chemicals and resulting in healthier grapes with a richer, more complex flavor. Select organic wines have been available at Sofitel Los Angeles for the past several months and have been so well received by guests that the property has created an organic wine flight for the Earth Guest Month program.
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