Bali Hotels Association (BHA) is proud to announce the launch of the second BHA Sustainable Food Festival, this year in collaboration with Bali Restaurant and Café Association (BRCA), running from Friday, July 8, until Sunday, July 24, 2022, in 44 participating hotels and restaurants.
Celebrating the reopening of Bali to international travelers, this festival allows participating members to showcase the innovative work they have been putting in, leading towards a more sustainable way of operating. As an echo of the reduce, reuse, and recycle practice that has been on the forefront of businesses in the past years, this festival is aimed to bring more to the table than just the usual food festival. The creation from participating members of hotels and restaurants can be enjoyed in each participating venue, available for lunch and dinner throughout the festival period.
The key sustainable criteria highlighted from this festival are based on the below points:
- Minimum two items featured for lunch and three items featured for dinner
- Ingredients used must be 100% sourced from Indonesia
- Menus are encouraged to showcase Indonesian delicacies such as rendang, balado, as well as organically grown produce.
The festival also aims at reducing waste output to as close to zero as possible by encouraging waste reduction activities such as composting and waste separation to facilitate recycling. These initiatives are intended to set a benchmark for the future by being implemented across all operational areas beyond the festival period. Scholars of Sustenance (SOS), a global food rescue foundation, through SOS Indonesia, has been invited to support the festival, providing options for participating hotels and restaurants to donate prepared, unserved food for better use.
The first BHA Sustainable Food Festival, held in September 2021 was a success. Participated by 30 hotels, the festival was received positively by hotel guests and contributed to the local community and economy. Over 45 local suppliers were engaged, with an estimated IDR 300M transaction value in total. This year, the festival extends beyond members of the Bali Hotels Association to include participating members of the Bali Restaurant and Café Association. This will allow the festival to have a wider reach and bigger impact, with currently over 40 participating hotel and restaurant locations.
“We are thrilled the Sustainable Food Festival is running for a second consecutive year and that we are now partnering with the BRCA to extend the reach and impact of the event to include notable restaurants in Bali as well as hotels to showcase the great work being done to work with local producers. Visitors to Bali who are looking for an authentic taste profile need to look no further than the participants of this festival for a memorable dining experience,” says Fransiska Handoko, Chairwoman of BHA.
“We are thrilled to see strong participation from our members for the second year running, excited to showcase the best of what Bali has to offer. Suppliers continue to take their quality and sustainability promise to the next level, especially as guests start to return in larger numbers to Bali and are looking for true local tastes, knowing their money is greatly impacting the local economy in a meaningful way,” says Kevin Girard, Vice-Chair and Director of Sustainability of BHA.
“As a relatively new organization, we are delighted at the opportunity of joining this year’s festival for our members to showcase to travelers what is currently available in Bali in terms of range and quality of food and beverage items. Be inspired by creations such as jackfruit Rendang, a vegan interpretation of one of Indonesian most famous dishes, heady with a blend of local spice and pure hand-made coconut milk and oil; or embrace tradition with dishes such as Ayam Betutu, Bali’s famed smoky kampung chicken”, says Dean Keddell, owner and operator of Ginger Moon Canteen and Jackson Lily’s, also co-founder of the BRCA.
The festival opens on Friday, July 8, and runs up to and including July 24. This year’s theme “Bringing Sustainability to the Table” is embedded into the Sustainable Food Festival, celebrating the ability to drive inclusive development and generate new opportunities through the local supply chain.
The festival is open to all customers – you do not need to be a hotel guest to enjoy the festival in participating hotels. Advance reservations are highly recommended to confirm space availability in both hotels and restaurants, while also ensuring correct production amounts of food to avoid wastage. How to book: Go to www.baliismylife.com to see all participating hotels and restaurants, their respective menus, and how to make a booking.
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