Keto to low-carb: Diets get a leg up at 5-stars

MUMBAI: Who says you cannot eat out when following a

diet plan

? As Indians increasingly join the health-conscious bandwagon,

five-star hotels

are stepping up the gastronomical game by adding

vegan

,

keto

and low-carb dishes to their restaurant, afternoon tea and in-room dining menus.


Novotel has opened a vegan bar at its Goa property, the meat-loving state’s first and a testament to the diet’s appeal. The

Hyatt

Place Hyderabad offers low-carb and keto-focused fare at its restaurant, while Taj has gluten-free bites on its spa and in-room dining menus.

These higher-priced options are helping

hotels

gain new patrons, as well as rupees, while retaining old customers, most of whom can be seen switching over to “conscious eating”. Unlike in the past where room tariffs accounted for the bulk of a hotel’s revenue, F&B today contributes as much as room rates to a property’s earnings.

Hoteliers said about 7% guests demand healthy, environment-friendly food as compared to the 1% earlier. As lifestyles become more sedentary, people want to cut down on carbs in their daily

diet

and prefer better options even when dining out, they added.

“Previously, people with special dietary needs would hesitate to eat out. But today, as the number of such people grows, they expect an equal treatment when they go out to dine,” said Sharad Dewan, regional director (food production) at

Park Hotels

.

“Some guests, who are on detox or on transformative diets, are so particular that they don’t eat beyond the specified macros...we then try and accommodate maximum requests of special meals with a sufficient lead time,” said Varun M B, executive chef at Novotel Hyderabad Airport.

The change in the menu comes even as the government plans norms mandating hotels to mention the calorie count of the food they serve. Bengaluru-based start-up Lo! Foods has helped Hyatt Place Hyderabad create a low-carb and keto-friendly menu — one of the ways hospitality brands are tying up sourcing arrangements.

J W Marriott

Mumbai said it had introduced vegan offerings in its patisserie and deli, keeping millennials in mind. But it noticed that patrons across age groups were requesting the plant-based dishes.

Hotels are also investing money to train their kitchen and service staff so that employees are able to answer queries related to vegan, keto or low-carb diets and which food ingredients qualify for these. “We explain to the staff as to why such diets are followed by people, what are the benefits. This way they become more empathetic towards such demands,” said Dewan of Park Hotels.


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