The Challenge
Buffet operations, necessary for serving such large groups efficiently, led to significant food waste. Despite manually tracking waste before Winnow, the data lacked the detail and clarity needed to drive actionable decisions. "We were measuring things manually, but we weren't doing anything with that data. It was being collected but not being used to steer change." said Steve Horvath, General Manager.
Making the Change
General Manager Steve Horvath brings nearly two decades of experience with Marriott, including leadership roles across Canada, the UK, and Europe. With a strong background in revenue management and hotel operations, he previously supported sustainability initiatives in the UK before taking the helm in Lisbon, where he identified food waste reduction as a strategic priority from day one.
With Marriott's sustainability targets and an increasing number of clients prioritizing eco-friendly venues, the Lisbon team saw food waste as an immediate opportunity for impact.
Actions taken
Buffet Adjustments: Insights from Winnow revealed high waste volumes during the end of breakfast service. "We were initially wasting 50 kilos of eggs a week. That equated to nearly €10,000 a year wasted—just in scrambled eggs. That's enough to make a three-egg omelette every day for 30 years." says Dominic Smart, Executive Chef. By producing 70% of forecasted demand and cooking small top-up batches in real time, the kitchen cut scrambled egg waste by 65%.
Dominic also challenged kitchen norms like peeling potatoes, eliminating the need in dishes such as Bacalhau, Portugal's traditional salt cod recipe: "We asked, do we really need to peel them? The skins add flavor, nutrients, and save two kilos of waste every two days."
Zero-Waste Dishes: The kitchen leaned into traditional Portuguese techniques and dishes that repurpose ingredients. For example Migas, a rustic side dish made from sautéed leftover bread, garlic, and coriander was added to the menu. Salt cod offcuts from Bacalhau are steamed, hand-picked, and reused in new dishes.
Elevated Presentation: A key change was transitioning from bulk pastry baskets to elegant, local-style displays. A 94% reduction in bread and pastry waste resulted from more thoughtful, aesthetic setups that encouraged consumption and minimized leftovers. "We're actually putting out less, but it looks better. It elevated the experience and helped drive down waste. That's the kind of win-win we were looking for." — Steve Horvath
Zero-Waste Staff Canteen: The team launched "Zero Bin Day" in the staff canteen, removing waste bins to nudge employees toward finishing all food taken. Initially held monthly, the initiative is now bi-weekly and widely supported.
