As the DAILY TRIBUNE marks its 25th anniversary today, Okada Manila joins the celebration by sharing 25 of its best practices to inspire chefs, food professionals, kitchen users across the hospitality industry and every household in the country.

The Philippines’ largest integrated resort offering a blend of luxury hospitality, gaming, entertainment and retail experiences, practices sustainability beginning in the kitchen. Under its property-wide sustainability initiative called Okada Green Heart program, Okada Manila developed systems and guidelines across all its restaurants, kitchens and food service areas to significantly reduce food waste and promote responsible consumption. These efforts are practiced daily by Okada Manila’s culinary, stewarding and service teams, who are encouraged and empowered to rethink how food is stored, prepared and served.

Here are the 25 ways to prevent food wastage.

1. Smart inventory practices: FIFO and FEFO

We follow First In, First Out and First Expired, First Out systems to ensure ingredients are used in the right order, reducing spoilage and unnecessary waste in our culinary kitchen.

2. Right-sized portions

Serving sizes are carefully calibrated to avoid food excess, ensuring guests are satisfied while minimizing plate waste.

3. Prepping with purpose

Ingredient preparation is done mindfully. Edible trimmings — like peels, stalks and bread ends — are saved and repurposed into soups, sauces or garnishes.

4. Using the whole fish

We make full use of seafood by using every part: fillets for mains, bones for stocks, liver for pâté, and roe for cured condiments.

5. Upcycling citrus peels

Citrus peels from drinks and kitchens are turned into marmalade, cocktail syrup, or infused vinegar — giving them a second life.

6. Cooking with rendered fat

Fat from cooked pork and beef is collected and stored for reuse in other dishes — an age-old practice that enhances flavor and reduces waste.

7. Wine-to-sangria innovation

Leftover wine from bottles are repurposed into frozen sangria treats or dessert bases.

8. Pickled rind creations

Watermelon rinds and other tough trimmings are pickled and served as condiments — adding tang, crunch and sustainability to every bite.

9. Useful leftover logbooks

Our kitchens keep track of reusable leftovers, so they can be turned into flavorful additions to sauces, soups or vegetarian meals.

10. Donating surplus food

Through Okada Manila’s partnership with Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) Philippines, excess but safe-to-consume food from Medley Buffet and banquets is rescued and donated to those in need.

11. Sorting waste at the source

Every kitchen uses color-coded  bins to sort organic, recyclable and general waste — making composting and recycling more efficient.

12. Composting coffee grounds

Used coffee grounds are collected by our stewarding and repurposed as compost, enriching soil rather than disposing them.

13. Fertilizing with eggshells

Crushed eggshells are used as natural fertilizer, adding calcium and nutrients to garden soil.

14. Recycling used  cooking oil

Our used oil is professionally collected and converted into biofuel, avoiding improper disposal that can harm the environment.

15. Reusing paper and linens

Old printed menus and scratch papers are used as order slips. Damaged linens are cut and sewn into reusable kitchen cloths.

16. Turning old menus into buffet tags

Instead of printing new buffet signage, we reuse out-of-date menus and turn them into food labels for events and stations.

17. Straw policy: Upon request only

To reduce single-use plastic, straws are only given when requested by guests.

18. Return to plated meals

Where possible, we serve plated meals rather than buffets to better control portioning and limit excess food on guests’ plates.

19. Planning ahead with fruit scraps

We’re investing in tools like rotary evaporators to transform fruit scraps into flavorful syrups, cocktail bases or sauces.

20. Replacing disposable coasters

Our venues now use elegant reusable coasters made from capiz shells or recycled materials, reducing throwaway waste.

21. Switching to in-house filtered water

We’ve replaced large plastic water jugs from suppliers with in-house purification systems, eliminating unnecessary packaging waste.

22. Serving condiments only on request

Condiments like oil and vinegar are only served upon request, minimizing untouched leftovers in La Piazza.

23. Repurposing damaged placemats

Worn-out placemats are creatively reused as protective coasters for hot grill trays, keeping them out of the waste bin.

24. Order slips from scratch paper

We repurpose used printouts and past receipts as note paper for placing and checking kitchen orders.

25. Going digital

From QR-code menus to electronic time logs, we continue to shift to paperless systems that reduce our environmental footprint.

At Okada Manila, reducing food waste is a shared responsibility — one that is reflected in every plate served and every decision made in the kitchen. These 25 ways show that even the simplest habits, done consistently, can make a significant impact.

Hopefully, chefs, food handlers and kitchen teams everywhere would be inspired to build sustainable practices into their daily workflow — for the future of food maximization and the future of our planet.