Sustainability · 4 min read · August 26, 2025

The airport chef turning food waste into gourmet dishes

At London Heathrow Marriott, Chef Anna Pazdera is transforming overlooked ingredients and reshaping how airport hotels can lead the way in sustainable travel.

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At the London Heathrow Marriott, Executive Chef Anna Pazdera is redefining sustainability by turning food waste into gourmet meals. Her zero-waste kitchen features inventive dishes like banana peel burgers and pineapple-skin cake, inviting guests to rethink what's considered waste. What started as a personal mission has now influenced practices across the Marriott chain, cutting food waste by over 50%. By making thoughtful, creative use of every ingredient, Anna shows that even a one-night airport hotel stay can support meaningful, sustainable travel.

At first glance, an airport hotel might not seem the most likely place to find a sustainability pioneer. But step into the kitchen at London Heathrow Marriott and you'll find Executive Chef Anna Pazdera, who does things a little differently.

She's not just serving up meals. She's rethinking what we call waste, reimagining familiar ingredients, and turning one-night stopovers into something more meaningful.

We caught up with her as part of our Holiday Heroes series, celebrating the travel industry trailblazers helping us holiday more sustainably.

From Kitchen Porter to Executive Chef

Anna's journey started far from the bustle of Heathrow – in a home where food was never wasted and every meal mattered. 'I was raised to be grateful for what was on my plate,' she says. Years later, that mindset came rushing back the day she saw a truck haul away bins of unused food from her own kitchen. 'I felt so guilty. That wasn't how I was raised. I knew I had to change something.'

And she did.

A zero-waste kitchen – at an airport hotel

Under Anna's lead, the Heathrow Marriott has become a quiet trailblazer in hotel sustainability. Guests are invited into the open kitchen to explore a working food waste lab, try a zero-waste menu, and learn how ingredients like banana peels and watermelon rinds can become the stars of the dish.

Think banana skin burgers, watermelon rind curry, and even pineapple-skin cake. Coffee grounds? They end up in mushroom and truffle pizzas. Even the soap in your room might be made from veggie peels and espresso waste – thoughtful touches that tell a bigger story.

'It's not about inventing new flavours,' says Anna. 'It's about rethinking what we already use – and giving every part a second life.'

Why it matters

Airport hotels usually see guests for one night only – one quick dinner, one breakfast buffet, then to the skies. But for Anna, every plate is a chance to change minds. 'Guests often tell me, "I never expected this from an airport hotel,"' she says. "That's what makes it worth it."

And she's not alone. Her work has sparked change across the Marriott group – introducing Meat-Free Mondays for staff and conferences, sharing ideas through a UK-wide chef network, and helping cut food waste across the chain by more than 50%.

She's even grown a rooftop garden on-site, packed with herbs and tomatoes. 'It's small,' she admits, 'but it makes a big difference.'

Travel better, even for one night

Staying at a hotel like this turns a routine layover into something more mindful. And as Anna reminds us, you don't need to be a chef to make a difference.

Her advice to travellers? Take only what you'll eat – especially at buffets. Share good ideas. Support places doing things differently. And if you're inspired, pass it on.

Inspired by Anna's story?

At Holiday Extras, we want it to be easy for travellers to make more sustainable choices on their holiday – whether that's cutting waste in a hotel kitchen or supporting local communities who rely on tourism.

That's why we're proud to partner with The Travel Foundation, supporting tourism that gives back more than it takes.

Who are the Travel Foundation?

Find out more about our charitable partner and how they're maximising the positive impact tourism has on the world.

In Sustainability Jun 17, 2025