The Bali Hotels Association (BHA) launched the second BHA Sustainable Food Festival this year in collaboration with the Bali Restaurant and Café Association (BRCA) taking place on July 8–24, 2022 at 44 member hotels and participating restaurants. Celebrating the opening of Bali to foreign tourists, this festival provides an opportunity for participating hotels and restaurants to showcase their innovative works having done to implement the principles of sustainability in operational activities.

As an echo of the reduce, reuse, and recycle practices having been at the forefront of business since the last few years, the BHA Sustainable Food Festival aims to present more than just an ordinary food festival. Creations from member hotels and participating restaurants can be enjoyed at lunch and dinner during the festival.

Key criteria for sustainability becoming the main focus of this festival include the presentation of at least two menus for lunch and three menus for dinner. The ingredients used must be 100 percent from Indonesia. The menus are encouraged to feature authentic Indonesian dishes such as rendang, balado as well as organic products.

The festival also aims to reduce waste output to near zero by encouraging hotels to undertake waste reduction activities such as composting and waste separation to facilitate recycling efforts. This initiative is intended to set benchmarks for the future that can be applied across all operational areas beyond the festival period.

Scholars of Sustenance (SOS), a global food charity foundation, through its local division of SOS Indonesia, has been invited as a supporting partner for this festival. Participating hotels and restaurants can donate food that has been cooked but has not been served and is still fit for consumption to SOS Indonesia to be donated to people in need.

Theme of this year’s festival is “Bringing Sustainability to the Table” celebrating the ability to drive inclusive development and generate new opportunities through local supply chains. “This is our opportunity to look at tourism data, not only from a statistical perspective, and recognize that behind every number there is a human being,” said Kevin Girard.

Find and enjoy a variety of dishes from the selected menu of the BHA Sustainable Food Festival at one of the participating hotels and restaurants, including 30 BHA Member Hotels, namely Ayana Resort and Spa Bali, Bali Garden Beach Resort, COMO Shambhala Estate, COMO Uma Ubud, Conrad Bali, Grand Hyatt Bali, Tugu Bali Hotel, Hilton Bali Resort, Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach Hotel, Nikko Bali Benoa Beach Hotel, Jimbaran Puri—a Belmond Hotel, Mamaka by Ovoloa and MERUSAKA Nusa Dua (formerly INAYA Putri Bali).

In addition, there are also Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, Plataran Ubud Hotel and Spa, Raffles Bali, Renaissance Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa, SenS Hotel & Spa–Ubud, SereS Springs Resort & Spa Singakerta, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort, Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort, The Amala & The Amala Estate Seminyak, The Apurva Kempinski Bali, The Edge Uluwatu, The Ritz-Carlton Bali, The Samaya Seminyak Bali, The Trans Resort Bali, Viceroy Bali (Cascades Restaurant & Bar), Villa Air Bali and W Bali Seminyak.

Meanwhile, the 14 BRCA members are also participating in the festival such as Bali Asli Restaurant, Bali Wine Cellars, Bumbu Bali, Restaurant & Cooking School and Art Cafe Bumbu Bali, Burgreens, Cibo! Cucina-Deli-Gelateria, Ginger Moon Canteen, Gourmet Garage, Jackson Lily’s, Le Gastronome, REV BISTRO, Shima Teppanyaki, The Cellardoor Hatten Wines, The Kelusa and Ultimo Italian Restaurant.

Participants who take part in this “BHA Sustainable Food Festival” serve traditional to contemporary dishes. So, start your culinary adventure as each venue features different dishes to highlight their creative and innovative approach to sustainability. (BTN/014)