14 May 2013
Three years ago Heritage Auckland introduced a healthy and sustainable dining direction into its menu options at the hotels Hectors restaurant and lobby cafe. Today, it is the first New Zealand restaurant to be accepted into the New Zealand Vegetarian Society Approval Programme.
To be approved by the New Zealand Vegetarian Society, the hotel had to go through a rigorous review of its plant based menu items and food preparation methods for both the hotel cafés exclusively plant based menu, and across the extensive vegan/vegetarian options presented on the Hectors menu.
The approval programme, denoted with the seedling trademark, originated in the UK and launched in 1998 in New Zealand. It is an internationally recognised programme for products and restaurant meals suitable for consumption by vegetarians.
We applaud Heritage Auckland and its management and culinary team for the tireless commitment to listening to and providing for the vegan and vegetarian communities. With over 80,000 New Zealanders following a vegetarian diet and rising interest in the vegetarian/vegan philosophy, its an achievement that is well deserved, says Stephanie Lane of the New Zealand Vegetarian Society.
Being the first restaurant in New Zealand to secure a place in the New Zealand Vegetarian Society Approval Programme is a huge honour and a great endorsement of what our team have worked so hard to achieve, says Heritage Aucklands general manager, Graeme Back.
With grill and meat based restaurants lauded by celebrity chefs, why the decision by an international standard hotel to defy the mainstream hospitality industry and adopt a brave new direction embracing vegetarian and vegan dining?
According to the general manager of Heritage Auckland, Mr Graeme Back, there were a range of reasons.
We had observed the international trend towards more conscious cuisine and saw a great fit with our own philosophies. As well as humane reasons, as an Enviro Gold hotel we saw the sustainability potential of plant based meals, and also saw a way to assist our guests and diners with their health goals with lower fat and nutritious meal choices, says Graeme Back.
To develop the menu options, Heritage Aucklands executive chef, Jinu Abraham, set about an extensive process of consultation with both vegetarian and vegan communities, food suppliers and dieticians.
We wanted to create a delicious dining experience for vegetarians and vegans where they could be assured a top quality meal, says Jinu Abraham. So often a restaurant only pays lip service to this community with one token vegetarian dish on the menu. We wanted to completely embrace the concept and give total assurance our commitment begins from the kitchen right through to the plate, says Jinu.
Jinus efforts have already been rewarded when he won the inaugural Best New Zealand Vegetarian Dish recipe competition 2012, winning over 200 chefs nationwide. Being the first restaurant in the approval programme tops off a great year for our culinary team, adds Jinu Abraham
Heritage Auckland operates a purely plant based menu café in the foyer of the Hobson Street wing and has delectable choice of dishes including an extensive array of vegan/vegetarian items on the menu in Hectors restaurant, open daily. For bookings and information call 09 9797434.
Hectors Restaurant, Heritage Auckland
35 Hobson St Auckland City
Phone: 09 9797434.
ENDS
Contact:
Graeme Back General Manager Heritage Auckland
Jinu Abraham Executive Chef Heritage Auckland
Stephanie Lane Trademark and Education Manager New Zealand Vegetarian Society
Nicky Owers Spokesperson New Zealand Vegetarian Society
Notes to Editors:
About Heritage Auckland
The Heritage Auckland has a wide range of well-appointed hotel rooms and self-contained suites, a signature restaurant and lobby café bar, extensive conference facilities catering for up to 300 people for a banquet and 400 for cocktails. The hotel’s superb recreational facilities include a swimming pool, health club and a tennis court.
The hotel is Qualmark four and half star rated and accredited Enviro Gold.
Heritage Hotel Management
Heritage Hotel Management manage a pre-eminent range of four star plus properties in New Zealand with convenient CBD CityLife Hotels in Auckland and Wellington, and luxury Heritage Hotels in Auckland, Nelson, Hanmer Springs, Christchurch and Queenstown. New to the group is the rapidly growing Heritage Boutique Collection.
New Zealand Vegetarian Society
The New Zealand Vegetarian Society is a not-for-profit organisation formed in 1943. Its Mission Statement is: To increase vegetarianism in order to reduce cruelty to animals, improve human health, protect the environment and preserve world food resources through education, information, support, campaigning and research. The Approval programme it runs sets authoritative standards for vegetarian foods in New Zealand and offers an instantly recognisable symbol of vegetarian suitability.
