Bastianich & Batali Hospitality Group—the partnership between restaurateur Joseph Bastianich and celebrity chef Mario Batali—has recently made the Las Vegas Strip a little greener by earning Green Restaurant Association (GRA) certification at three of its restaurants.

B&B Ristorante and Enoteca San Marco, both in the Venetian, and Carne Vino in the Palazzo are currently the only restaurants on the Strip to be GRA-Certified Green Restaurants. The company has a strong top-down emphasis on environmental leadership. Says Batali, “I am very excited about being the first restaurant group in the first LEED® building on the strip to achieve full-on green certified status. I hope that this will be just the beginning in Las Vegas to help preserve our planet for the generations to come.”

According to Elizabeth Meltz, B&B Hospitality’s director of kitchen operations, achieving the official green designation requires teamwork and focus but is easier than one might think.

“Our certifications for these restaurants were accomplished over the course of a year, and we continue to make environmental advances with assistance from the GRA,” Meltz says. “Our creative designer, culinary director, and executive chefs have played a huge role in the planning and implementation of our green design and logistics, which focus on several key areas. Although we don’t have full metrics yet, we’re confident this program will deliver the strong results we’re expecting.”

COMPOSTING
Much of B&B Hospitality’s sustainability effort at the Las Vegas restaurants has focused on food waste composting. Where kitchens are small, accommodation is made for organic material receptacles. One- to five-gallon buckets are placed throughout food preparation areas. Kitchen porters periodically empty the organic waste into covered 55-gallon barrels housed in refrigerated units. The compost is picked up every three days by local farmers, who are partner-purveyors of the restaurant group.

OIL RECYCLING
Vegetable oil recycling is another eco-friendly B&B Hospitality initiative. Used oil is strained through fine mesh colanders and stored in covered 55-gallon drums, which are moved by porters onto loading docks at the two hotels. The farmers who pick up the compost also retrieve the recycled oil for use as biodiesel in farm vehicles. Oil recycling was inspired by partner Joe Bastianich, whose personal vehicle and restaurant delivery truck both run on waste vegetable oil. B&B’s Las Vegas restaurants also plan to convert their warehouse truck to biodiesel this year.

B&B Hospitality’s Culinary Director Zach Allen estimates that “50 percent of our locally purveyed, seasonal vegetables and herbs come from our composted land and are hauled in trucks that run on our recycled oil.”

WATER FILTRATION
At B&B Ristorante, Enoteca San Marco, and Carne Vino, no bottled water is used. Instead, an investment was made in Natura tap water filtration systems, which neatly tuck under countertops and are affordable to rent at $325 per month. A triple-carbon filtering process produces chilled sparkling or still water to be served in reusable bottles.

“That’s a real plus in Las Vegas, where water resources are limited and tap water tends to be hard and unpleasant in flavor,” says Allen. There’s also significant cost savings—roughly $10,000 a year for the three venues—in avoiding the expense of imported bottled waters. In terms of customer satisfaction, “We were a little concerned Pellegrino lovers might resist the change,” Allen says, “but guest comments are favorable.”

Additionally, Niagara Conservation low-flow faucet aerators were installed in all kitchen and restroom sinks. Using less water, especially hot water, results in lower energy bills. Meltz quantifies the reduced flow at 1.5 gallons per minute, down from the standard 2.2 gallons, representing a substantial cost savings.

PLASTICS AND PAPER
Zero Styrofoam usage is a requirement for GRA certification. “We go a step further and don’t use disposable materials for employee meals or beverages either,” Meltz adds. “We purchased $275 worth of durable, dishwasher-safe plastic dinnerware and reusable water bottles for employees, and we use recyclable plastic containers and paper bags for carry-out food.” B&B Hospitality Group also makes an effort to use recycled paper for office materials and restaurant menus whenever possible.

OVERCOMING RESISTANCE
“One of the biggest challenges is getting staff involved. Implement the changes over time, build consensus, and conduct proper training. It’s all about awareness and education,” Meltz says. “At first, staff might resist aerated faucets with their reduced water flow, or they may be slow in developing good composting and recycling habits. They may balk at using nontoxic cleaning agents that produce less foam and require more effort.”

Allen echoes Meltz’s views on the importance of training meetings for successful implementation of sustainability programs. “We teach green procedures in pre-shift meetings, do a lot of hand holding, and continue to reinforce weekly,” he says.

“As management preaches green procedures, employees begin to feel good about these measures and the opportunity to do something positive for the planet,” says Meltz. “We encourage staff to make suggestions that contribute to better environmental methods and practices.”

Meltz encourages other hoteliers to look at greening up kitchens, although it might initially seem daunting. “It’s neither difficult nor overwhelmingly expensive,” she says. “One of the best baby steps a hotelier can take is a ‘Green Wednesday,’ where you forego ordering products mid-week and help keep extra trucks off the road. It takes a little more planning, but it’s an easy way to get started.”

Nancy Fox, a 20-year travel industry veteran based in Orlando, covers topics related to food and beverage, travel, and lifestyle.