MÖVENPICK Hotels and Resorts in the Middle East has launched an exciting, new ‘Go Healthy’ initiative to produce tasty, nutritious dishes that are not only good for guests but also good for the planet. ‘Go Healthy’ menus are being created in all 26 Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts across the Middle East offering guests a wide range of meal choices featuring healthy ingredients.
But delicious food is just part of the bigger ‘Go Healthy’ picture. The use of local produce, the sourcing of seasonal ingredients, working with quality local suppliers and environmental awareness are key to every menu.
“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts and our ‘Go Healthy’ programme underlines this philosophy taking a holistic approach to food choices from every source to every table in every hotel,” said Peter Drescher, vice president of food and beverage for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in the Middle East and Asia.
“Supporting quality local suppliers helps the community and using local seasonal produce reduces the need to rely on imports which benefits the environment.”
Good sustainable practice also underpins every culinary choice. At all Mövenpick properties in Dubai, endangered species of king fish and hammour are no longer available, while in Mövenpick hotels in Doha prawns are off the menu during the June to August breeding season.
A commitment to sustainability may beat the heart of every Mövenpick hotel and resort, but each ‘Go Healthy’ dish is as distinctive as the restaurant in which it is served.
• At Mövenpick Resort & Spa Tala Bay Aqaba everything from bread, milk and vegetables to fruit, eggs and spices is locally sourced with all the ‘Go Healthy’ ingredients for the hotel’s popular ‘Assorted Arabic Mezze’ bought from nearby markets.
• At the Mövenpick Hotel Doha at least 40 per cent of menu ingredients are sourced locally, with grouper served with rocket leaves and pomegranate essence a popular ‘Go Healthy’ dish.
• 90 per cent of vegetables and seasonal fruits are sourced locally at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea with local honey proving to be a particular guest favourite.
• At the Mövenpick Hotel Beirut more than 75 per cent of ingredients are sourced from nearby suppliers and game meat dishes are ‘Go Healthy’ classics.
• At Mövenpick Hotels & Residences Bur Dubai butter and cream are never used in dishes. Fatty proteins such as duck are off the menu and the cornerstones of the hotel’s ‘Go Healthy’ menu are chicken and turkey, lean cuts of beef, and other ‘fat burning’ ingredients known to have health benefits such as green tea, yoghurt, whole grain cereal and sardines.
• At the Mövenpick Resort Petra chefs have introduced homemade potato sambusek and only use seasonal fruits and vegetables. The hotel’s olive oil is produced in nearby Wadi Mousa.
• At the Mövenpick Hotel & Resort Yanbu in Saudi Arabia chefs buy traditional ‘sayadia fish’, mint, dates and lamb direct from nearby markets with the hotel’s date cakes proving hugely popular.
“Our ‘Go Healthy’ concept builds on Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts’ reputation for quality food and culinary excellence,” said Drescher. “Eating good food should make you feel good in every way.”