The Lodge at Ashford Castle Cuts Food Trimming Waste by 90%

From Vegetable Treacle to Fruit Tonic: How The Lodge at Ashford Castle Achieved a 90% Reduction in Food Trimming Waste

Tucked away in the wild beauty of County Mayo, The Lodge at Ashford Castle is part of the prestigious Ashford Estate—an iconic destination where heritage meets modern Irish hospitality.

As a member of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, The Lodge is not only committed to culinary excellence but also leads the way in sustainable kitchen practice. Since implementing Winnow, they have achieved:

90% reduction in food trimmings
58% reduction in total food waste

This success came through innovative creations inspired by data.

A Purpose-Driven Chef

Executive Chef Jonathan Keane has been at The Lodge for over 13 years. Once driven by culinary prestige, he’s now equally motivated by purpose:

“Now it’s about what kind of legacy we leave behind.”
— Jonathan Keane | Executive Head Chef, The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Raised in a household where waste was never an option, Jonathan brings that same respect for ingredients into every dish.

“It’s not about changing the world on your own. It’s about looking at your own impact. If everyone did their bit, there wouldn’t be a problem.”
— Jonathan Keane

Inspiration from Vojtech Végh: Winnow’s Zero Waste Culinary Advisor

A turning point came when the team joined a Winnow workshop led by Zero Waste Culinary Advisor Vojtech Végh.

“His ideas are brilliant—like using watermelon rind in curries,” says Jonathan.

Inspired by this, the team adapted zero-waste concepts to a high-volume kitchen, using Winnow’s analytics to identify major waste sources and create tailored, impact-driven solutions for their 200-cover restaurant.

Two Hero Initiatives

Winnow’s analytics revealed that fruit and vegetable trimmings were the top waste sources. Chef Jonathan’s creative response produced two standout solutions:

1. Vegetable Treacle

A rich, savory glaze made by reducing vegetable peelings to a honey-like consistency. It is now used as:

The glaze for their short rib dish (sold 250 times weekly)
A key ingredient in house-made brown bread

2. Fruit Tonic

A refreshing drink made from pineapple, orange, and melon peels left over from breakfast prep. It is now served at breakfast, reception, and the leisure center, offering a healthy, sustainable alternative to juice.

These two innovations alone save 1 ton of food waste annually.

Other Creative Repurposing Highlights

Lemon Peel Purée: Leftover lemon peels are blended into a purée to enrich sauces with acidity and depth—at no extra cost.
Pastry Reuse: Leftover breakfast pastries are transformed into bread and butter pudding, preventing loss while adding a comforting dessert option.

From Waste to Profit

The Lodge’s food waste strategy not only reduced waste but increased profitability.

“The sauce for our short rib dish used to use veal bones, wine, and three days of reduction. Now? It’s a delicious treacle made from vegetable trimmings.”
— Jonathan Keane

This new version is:

Cheaper to produce
More flavorful
One of the most profitable dishes on the menu

“Vojtech’s recipes inspired me, but I had to make them work at scale. Every chef can do the same—find your version of the treacle or fruit tonic.”
— Jonathan Keane

Waste Reduction Results
58% reduction in total food waste by weight
90% reduction in trimmings
11.5 tons of food waste saved annually
49.6 tons of CO₂e emissions prevented
£14,000 annualized savings
29,000 meals saved annually

Conclusion

At The Lodge at Ashford Castle, sustainability is not a trend—it’s a culture.

Through data-driven insights from Winnow, Chef Jonathan and his team have redefined waste, transforming scraps into signature menu items and profit opportunities.

From sticky vegetable treacle glazes to refreshing fruit tonics and zero clingfilm policies, The Lodge proves that when chefs are empowered and guided by data, reducing food waste becomes achievable—and deliciously impactful.

About Winnow

Winnow develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to help chefs in hotels, contract catering, casinos, and cruise ships run more profitable, sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half.

Up to 20% of purchased food in commercial kitchens goes to waste.

Winnow’s analytics platform and reporting suite help teams pinpoint waste fast.

Kitchens using Winnow cut food waste by 50%, saving 3–8% on purchasing costs.

Active in 90+ countries, with offices in London, Dubai, Singapore, Cluj, and Chicago.