Chef Kunal of the JW Marriott Hotel
Chef Kunal, tell us about yourself and the work you have done in the food industry in Vancouver.
My name is Kunal Dighe, and I’m the Executive Chef at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver and the DOUGLAS, an Autograph Collection hotel, where I lead the culinary teams of both luxury hotels in Vancouver's brand-new complex Parq Vancouver. At JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, I’ve been involved with several attention-grabbing weddings and events, including a Southeast Asian reception with more than 950 guests. I’ve turned catering dreams into reality for weddings whose culinary traditions range from Chinese and Persian to Middle Eastern and Western. In some instances, my team and I have surprised the wedding party with meaningful additions, such as a reception menu that paid homage to one bride's late mother. My goal in this role is to leave every guest delighted, satisfied, and eager to return for more.
How did you (and the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver) get involved with Vancouver Food Runners, and what drew you to partner with us?
Marriott International has committed to its Serve 360 Goal to reduce food waste by 50% by 2025. We started our partnership with VFR in November 2020, when most of our resources were shut down due to pandemic. I was looking for flexible and adaptable resources in order to donate our surplus food. I asked one of my friends, former Marriott chef, Chef TJ, who introduced me to VFR. He told me about the excellence I was looking for in a partnership with regards to ease of service. Vancouver Food Runners is a chef’s best friend: so flexible and adaptable. With one text, all the surplus food ends up on plates instead of going to waste. We are so grateful to have VFR as a partner. We, the JW Marriott chefs, believe that, “Starting a food recovery program can feed people, help the environment, and reduce costs."
What are some of the barriers chefs and other food industry professionals might have with respect to donating their surplus food? And how do you think VFR's food recovery program helps to address these concerns?
My thoughts on the Top 3 challenges are:
We have limited ground-level awareness regarding surplus food.
Lack of consistent tools and resources to follow through with our intent to donate.
Time and communication within the culinary industry.
VFR has an impressive app that allows every chef in Vancouver to speed up their contribution by calling or texting VFR when they have a food donation.
In your opinion, do you think there is a growing awareness in the food industry, particularly among hotels, around reducing food waste and getting involved with food recovery work?
Absolutely! Awareness is growing in hotels, and most notably, young chefs want to be part of this movement. As we all know, one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is Zero Hunger. We need to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. We are focusing on minimum versus maximum, small steps, and making sustainable progress.
Hotels, restaurants, and other food businesses have been deeply impacted by COVID-19, but even during these difficult times, many in the food industry have stepped up to help those in need. Tell us about this sense of community in the food industry and the desire to give back.
In this pandemic, so many things were uncertain and the food industry was impacted most of all. The food supply chain was affected because of many last-minute cancellations, no social gatherings and celebrations, and much food was left in the warehouse and storeroom. But our Vancouver chefs did everything they could to save and donate. I'm so proud of my team, that we could create a positive culture in my kitchen. As my squad says, "Don't waste, let's donate!" With the massive help of VFR and their volunteer food drivers, we have successfully donated over 2000 meals so far. It’s the joy of giving back to the community that satisfies us more than the number.
Anything else you would like to add?
I want to start a conversation among hotel and restaurant chefs to fight against food waste. We need more food heroes and chefs working together to feed those in need by redirecting our surplus food.
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