Sustainable Food Practices

Green composting trash bins are used throughout service operations. All trimmings from food and organic waste go into these bins. The bins are also used during events, so food waste from guests' plates can be scraped and saved for composting.

The Convention Center preserves produce in oil, vinegar, or sugars. These techniques are a great way to transform small amounts of leftover fruits and vegetables into something new. Pickled vegetables are used in salads or garnishes for buffets. Confit garlic or shallots are used in marinades or vinaigrettes, and marmalades are complement charcuterie boards during breakfast banquets.

Leftover herbs are blended with olive oil to create an herb puree that can be used for marinades or bases for sauces like pesto or salsa verde. An in-house dehydrator is also used for grinding herbs to be used in dry rubs.

Herbs and vegetables are added to soup bones and meat trimmings to create an in-house stock that is then frozen and used as a base for sauces and cooking techniques like poaching.

The Pasadena Convention Center has transitioned from using plastic bottled water to aluminum canned water for a more eco-friendly recyclable product.

The Pasadena Convention Center has partnered with Union Station Homeless Services to donate leftovers from large events. This includes premade sandwiches, salads, or any items that cannot be stored or preserved.