Guiding the sustainability journey of restaurants and chefs Metro Turkey Fairmont Quasar Istanbul, which embraces the responsibilities of sustainable tourism, Kemalcan Yurttaş, Chef de Cuisine at Aila RestaurantHe drew attention to how food waste can be prevented at Ramadan tables with the iftar meal prepared by .
While setting delicious tables during Ramadan, the month of sharing and abundance, Metro Turkey and Fairmont Quasar Istanbul, which do not forget their responsibilities towards the environment, organized an iftar dinner to discuss what can be done to spread sustainability and waste-free recipes in professional kitchens. The iftar table, prepared with sustainable kitchen principles, emphasized the importance of local and geographically indicated products, and focused on how to prevent food waste during Ramadan. Aila's Kitchen Chef Kemalcan Yurttaş inspired the sector with his "Sustainable Iftar Table" prepared using Metro branded products.
Metro Türkiye Prevents 11.5 Tons of Food from Going to Waste
Stating that the issue of food waste is one of the most important topics in the sustainability studies they carry out to protect the values of Turkish cuisine and pass them on to future generations, Metro Türkiye Corporate Communications Director Dr. Aslı Duran, “We started our sustainability journey with the title “Can a Plate Change Tomorrow?” We started by saying. The gastronomy sector is much more connected to environmental and ecological conditions than we think. Our limited resources are running out every day, and unfortunately, one of the most important reasons for this is food waste. The amount of food waste in the world is 1.3 billion tons, and 26% of this comes from the food and beverage sector. As the closest business partner of the food and beverage sector, we follow a strategy that includes our entire sphere of influence and ecosystem. In addition to fulfilling our responsibilities in our own operations, we also include our suppliers in the process and shed light on our professional customers such as hotels and restaurants, who will really strengthen this effect. In our own work, we have prevented 2017 tons of food from being wasted since 11.575, and ensured that approximately 10.650.000 meals reached those in need. We have prepared guides to guide the food and beverage sector, and created platforms where we share all the steps to be taken regarding sustainability. We continue to shed light on the sector with the practical trainings we organize at Gastronometro and the waste-free recipe examples we develop. "During the month of Ramadan, when food waste can increase, our wish is that all carefully prepared menus and all iftar tables where we come together with a sense of solidarity and sharing will be waste-free."

Aila Restaurant Takes Firm Steps Towards Sustainability
Aila's Kitchen Chef Kemal Can Yurttaş expressed their understanding of sustainability with the following words:
“As Aila, we are taking care to preserve the deep-rooted heritage of Anatolian cuisine and carry it into the future with a sustainable approach. We support local producers, use geographically indicated and natural products, and adopt a responsible and nature-friendly approach in our kitchen. We implement portion control, efficient inventory management, and waste-free kitchen practices in close collaboration with our suppliers to minimize food waste. Gastronomy has a much stronger connection with our environment than we think. In this era when our natural resources are rapidly depleting, we see sustainability in our kitchens as a necessity, not a choice. In line with Fairmont Quasar Istanbul’s environmental and social responsibility principles, we will continue to pursue our sustainable gastronomy journey with the same determination.”
At the invitation, special flavors were served with a special presentation by Chef Kemalcan Yurttaş, where no food was wasted and local and geographically indicated products, which are of great importance in terms of food sustainability, were used. From chickpea Karacadağ rice soup to Tarsus hummus, from Antakya tabbouleh to sea bream pastrami, from Konya Bozkır tahini baba ghanoush to mushroom roast, from Konya yağ ekmek to Balıkesir lamb shank tandoori and date-filled baklava yufka, all flavors received full marks from the guests, while each variety also revealed how an iftar table can be prepared with a waste-free kitchen approach.
Source: HORECA TREND and Metro Türkiye