Hyatt Regency Irvine Introduces Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.

Aug. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- Hyatt Regency Irvine, a AAA Four Diamond hotel in the heart of Southern California, today announced the launch of Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served., Hyatt’s global philosophy focused on sourcing and providing healthy food and beverage options for Hyatt guests and associates and that are good for the local communities in which they reside and good for the planet.  Embarking on the journey to become the first global hospitality brand to make an effort of this magnitude, this philosophy will guide Hyatt Regency Irvine’s food and beverage planning from the operational level to the guest experience. With this long term strategy, Hyatt Regency Irvine will work to anticipate and satisfy the evolving preferences of its guests, ensuring that travelers have more options to fit their needs and lifestyles while staying in Orange County.

Driven by insights and in-depth research, Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served. is grounded in three pillars.  

- The first pillar is focused on healthy people, and is implemented by providing portion controlled, balanced offerings and natural ingredients prepared with nutrient preserving cooking techniques. Examples include reducing the hamburger size from 8 oz to 7 oz of meat; mandating gluten free and vegetarian options on all menus; offering Stay Fit Cuisine menu items on full-service brand menus; and providing natural bacon, organic produce and hormone free milk as menu options.  

- The second pillar is focused on a healthy planet by ensuring sustainable purchasing and operational practices which are intended to improve the long-term health of people and the planet. Examples include sourcing sustainable seafood; planting chef’s gardens on property; introducing recycling programs that include repurposing wet waste to feed for local farmers; and using new to-go containers and packaging.  

- The final pillar is intended to support healthy communities by sourcing from local suppliers as well as sharing knowledge at schools and actively supporting farmers’ markets and other community events. Examples include hosting farmers markets; sponsoring local culinary schools to participate in competitions; and mandating that five local ingredients be utilized on the menu.

“At Hyatt Regency Irvine, we want to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising what’s best for future generations. We believe we have a responsibility to ensure that our dishes are thoughtfully sourced and carefully served and that they utilize the freshest local ingredients,” said Mark Bastis, general manager, Hyatt Regency Irvine. “This new philosophy and effort to support the health of our guests, planet, and the local community is at the core of every food and beverage decision that we make at Hyatt Regency Irvine. We are evolving the way we purchase and serve food. We believe it's what our guests deserve."

Implementation of the philosophy, which began in the U.S. in mid-2011, includes sourcing and serving meat without supplemental growth hormones or antibiotics, cage-free eggs, sustainable seafood, and fresh local ingredients that reflect the season and local flavors. Hyatt Regency Irvine is also reducing the use of ingredients with high amounts of sodium and additives and serving beverages with natural sweeteners such as agave nectar.

Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served. is a key component of the health and wellness pillar of Hyatt Thrive, Hyatt’s global corporate responsibility platform designed to enable thriving communities.  

As an outgrowth of the company’s core values, Hyatt properties will continue to partner with local community groups and organize volunteer efforts and fund raising support in an effort to improve the economic future of the people and businesses in the communities where Hyatt hotels are located. From providing cooking skills courses in local schools to supporting and hosting farmers markets, Hyatt will also continue to make an effort to support the health of guests, associates and people in the local community.

To further demonstrate its dedication to Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served., Hyatt has joined forces with Partnership for Healthier America (PHA), which will hold Hyatt accountable for continuously improving the nutritional profile of children’s food menus at full-service managed Hyatt properties across the U.S. over the next 10 years. This pledge marks the first of its kind by a hospitality company to PHA.

About Hyatt Regency Irvine
Hyatt Regency Irvine has 536 modern rooms that offer city, mountain and pool views. Each room is equipped with iHome stereo with iPod® docking station and pampering Portico products. The hotel also offers RegencyClub® suites. Amenities of the hotel include 23 Respire by Hyatt rooms, heated, outdoor freeform pool and whirlpool, complimentary bicycles, tennis court, 24 hour StayFit™ gym with state-of-the-art equipment, YogaAway™, high speed internet, 24-hour business center, valet parking, concierge services, FastBoardTM and meeting rooms. There are four dining options in the hotel, including room service and an outdoor fire pit where guests can make s’mores. Hyatt Regency Irvine is located at 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, California 92614. Reservations can be made online at http://irvine.hyatt.com/ or by calling 949-975-1234. Get the latest updates on Facebook and Twitter.