The Shelbourne Dublin is on a mission to become a zero-waste hotel.
It’s a lofty goal for any establishment, let alone a 200-year-old luxury hotel known as the Grand Dame of Dublin.
But the team at The Shelbourne, led by General Manager JP Kavanagh and Executive Chef Garry Hughes, believes it can strike a balance between luxury and sustainability without sacrificing the guest experience.
And if you think that sounds too good to be true — well, that makes two of us.
Providing a true luxury experience while also reflecting their values and concern for the environment is an almost impossible objective. But that hasn’t stopped hotel managers from trying.
Zero waste is a journey, not a destination
One of the first things the sustainability duo told me is that the hotel itself, built in the 19th century, has been on this journey for a long time.
The seeds of The Shelbourne’s sustainability can be traced back to the very structure itself. The hotel’s large windows were designed to maximize natural light, a testament to the energy-efficient principles employed two centuries ago. The Shelbourne’s recent push toward a zero-waste goal represents the next level.
It began with a focus on food waste, an area where high-end hotels often face scrutiny.
“As a chef, I’m always conscious of whether our guests like something,” explained Hughes, describing his long-held practice of monitoring plate waste to gauge guest preferences and minimize unnecessary production. “Did they eat it? If they did, they liked it.”
Earlier this year, The Shelbourne installed a system called Winnow, a technology that tracks and categorizes food waste in the kitchen. Using a designated scale and camera, The Shelbourne’s staff tracks discarded items, providing Hughes and his team with detailed daily reports.
The Shelbourne is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. This system was implemented as part of a company-wide initiative called the Food Lover’s Community, which involves all staff from departments ranging from finance to human resources.
“It makes you question what you do,” explained Hughes.
True to its name, Winnow has identified areas for improvement and is changing mindsets within the kitchen.
“Pulling his hair out”
Initially, the volume of waste revealed by the Winnow system was disheartening for the team.
“For the first few weeks, Garry was pulling his hair out,” recalled Kavanagh. “He could see everything that goes in the bins.”
The data revealed that a substantial portion of waste stemmed from overproduction, prompting The Shelbourne to adjust its approach to buffet service, a mainstay of luxury hotels.
“We have to have the buffet looking forward and fabulous,” says Hughes, noting the high standards expected by guests of a five-star establishment.
To address overproduction, The Shelbourne introduced smaller plates at the buffet. They also change the setup during the last half hour of the buffet, switching to smaller containers or offering only à la carte options to reduce waste.
To further tackle the challenge of buffet waste, The Shelbourne teamed up with local charities to donate surplus food from large events.
“On the days that we have banquets, we work with either the Salvation Army or the Ivy Trust,” says Kavanagh.
Sourcing local food to reduce carbon emissions
The emphasis on local sourcing extends beyond charity partnerships. The Shelbourne prioritizes procuring ingredients from within a 50-kilometer radius whenever possible, reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation. For example, its butcher is located less than 10 minutes from the hotel.
The hotel’s energy practices also reflect its commitment to sustainability. The Shelbourne relies on renewable energy sources for its operations, a decision driven by a sense of responsibility, even though it costs more.
“I could get electricity and gas cheaper for this hotel,” says Kavanagh, “but it’s not always about the money. It’s about doing the right thing.”
The Shelbourne’s dedication to sustainability has not gone unnoticed. The hotel recently received a silver label from Green Hospitality in Ireland, and it’s currently working towards a platinum label, the highest possible rating. The Shelbourne’s restaurant, The Saddle Room, scored 97 percent on an independent audit from The Pledge on Food Waste qualifying them as a “gold” level establishment.
Despite its progress, The Shelbourne’s team acknowledges that achieving zero waste is an ongoing process, with new challenges constantly arising.
“We’re nowhere near the end of this journey,” said Kavanagh. “We’re probably at the end of the beginning.”
Here’s the biggest obstacle to zero waste
For The Shelbourne, the key to long-term success lies in fostering a culture of sustainability that extends to every level of the hotel, from the executive suite to the kitchen staff.
One persistent hurdle is maintaining staff engagement in a high-turnover industry. To address this, they’ve implemented mandatory training on sustainability for all new employees. The hotel also encourages staff to contribute ideas on reducing waste through a suggestion box, monthly recognition ceremonies, and rewards such as gift vouchers.
“The struggle is keeping everybody on board,” says Hughes.
Whether these efforts will resonate with guests accustomed to luxury with little regard for environmental impact remains to be seen. While the hotel does provide information on its sustainability practices on its website, the staff has yet to implement more visible measures, such as quantifying daily food waste for guests in the restaurant.
Guests can, however, taste The Shelbourne’s sustainability when they order a meal. The onsite bar is all-in on the 808 Movement to offer “closed loop” sustainable cocktails. Six drinks, including the Mint Manhattan, Cosmo, and Dark & Stormy, all contain one ingredient that is fully closed loop, meaning that food waste is cut down by using leftover products to create the beverage.
The Shelbourne’s signature sweet potato and onion soup — as the hotel puts it, “meticulously curated to ensure that every ingredient is used in full” — is on the menu every day at No. 27 Bar & Lounge.
The kitchen uses everything, including the peel, to make this plant-based dish. And to Hughes’ credit, the zero-waste dish didn’t cut corners on taste. It’s a light and flavorful soup — a small but delicious step toward sustainability.
In a world struggling with the increasing urgency of climate change, The Shelbourne’s journey toward zero waste offers a compelling case study. Even the grandest of dames can evolve to embrace a more sustainable future. It just takes time.
