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THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association and World Wildlife Fund have revamped the "Hotel Kitchen" platform to help U.S. hoteliers reduce food waste, divert food from landfills and lower operating costs. The initiative supports the goal of halving U.S. food waste by 2030, AHLA and WWF said in a joint statement. Hotel Kitchen is part of AHLA's Responsible Stay initiative, which promotes energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation and responsible sourcing, the statement said. Since its 2017 launch, more than 36,000 hotel staff have completed the training, with pilot properties reducing food waste by 17 to 38 percent. "Reducing food waste provides a number of important benefits: it's good for the environment, reduces hoteliers' operating costs and conserves resources at a time when too many Americans are food insecure," said Lauren Pravlik, AHLA's vice president for committees and member engagement. "The Hotel Kitchen platform is dedicated to helping hoteliers achieve these goals, and we are pleased to continue sharing this resource with the industry through our partnership with WWF."

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL recently introduced Lobby in a Box, a modular design package that allows hoteliers to transform lobby dining areas into multifunctional, revenue-generating spaces in around 120 days. The offering is designed for extended-stay brands, including Suburban Studios and MainStay Suites. The package enables the conversion of standard lobby dining spaces in transient hotels, allowing hoteliers to create new income streams for the MainStay brand through a marketplace offering on-the-go food, beverages and travel essentials, Choice said in a statement. The program allows hotel owners to meet the needs of long-staying guests who prefer in-room dining with kitchens. "As demand for extended-stay accommodations continues to exceed supply, solutions like Lobby in a Box and Kitchen in a Box help franchisees seize opportunities in a growing market while providing long-staying guests a superior experience," said Matt McElhare, Choice's vice president and lead of extended-stay brands. "Our goal is to simplify the conversion process and maximize hotel owners' return on investment by giving them the tools to create functional and profitable spaces."

THE AMERICAN HOTEL & Lodging Association has launched Responsible Stay, an industry initiative to make meetings, events and guest experiences in U.S. hotels more environmentally and socially responsible. AHLA contends that the initiative is meant to unite major hotel companies, including at least two Asian American-owned companies, around sustainability priorities. Responsible Stay is focused on four areas: Energy efficiency: Optimizing energy efficiency through operational improvements and adoption of clean energy technologies Waste reduction: Investing in waste reduction programs and new, innovative alternatives to reduce, reuse and recycle waste across properties Water conservation: Ensuring the reduction of water usage by implementing water-efficient practices in core areas like laundry, food and beverage, and landscaping Responsible sourcing practices: Sourcing responsibly and prioritizing sustainability in supply chains to prevent harmful environmental and social impacts Under the initiative, AHLA and its members will strengthen environmental programs, education and resources to provide a "responsible stay" for guests, protect the future of the planet and support communities across the country, the statement added.

CHEF AND HUMANITARIAN José Andrés will deliver the opening keynote at The Hospitality Show on Oct. 28. The three-day event, organized by Questex and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, will take place from Oct. 28 to 30 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Additional speakers and program updates will be announced in the coming months, AHLA said in a statement. In the discussion titled "Changing the World Through the Power of Food," Andrés, a food and hunger advocate, will express his belief that "food is a basic human right," AHLA said. The World Central Kitchen, the non-profit he founded in 2010 to provide food relief after disasters, has delivered over 350 million meals worldwide. Andrés also founded José Andrés Group, which owns restaurants such as the two-Michelin-starred minibar in Washington D.C., Mercado Little Spain in New York City and multiple locations of the Bazaar by José Andrés, the statement said. Andrés popularized Spanish tapas in the U.S. and introduced avant-garde cuisine.