Abstract
This study was designed to explain current food waste practices, specifically from the perspective of
the staff in hotel kitchens. A case study of the perceptions of the staff involved in the food waste chain
in a hotel group in Gauteng was undertaken, using a quantitative approach. The study objective was
achieved using structured questionnaires that were administered to the relevant stakeholders involved
in food waste generation. The findings revealed that the staff concerned generally had a positive
perception of the environmental issues pertaining to food waste generation. With this positive
foundation, the study recommends that general hotel initiatives should focus on the food waste policies
and procedures that capitalise on the positive perceptions involved, by means of assisting staff to create
greater balance between their beliefs and work practices. Initiatives such as specific training could
assist the staff to better understand ‘best food waste practice’ in relation to such negotiated
sustainability issues as “social, environmental and financial policies and procedures”. The study
proposes a conceptual framework that could be useful and applicable in the managing of food waste
within hotels in the South African context. The study, further, offers insights into the current food waste
strategies that are in place to reduce the amount of food waste within hotels and to further unpack the
nature and patterns of food waste within specific hotels.