So that guests are in synch with the hotel ’ s eco ambitions , Cayron also makes a point to regularly engage with lunch goers at all-day dining venue Voila !
After lunch , the Alain Ducasse disciple typically spends about an hour tending to his new , office-side garden . Despite the fact he ’ s got just 12 square meters to work with , he is growing everything from Thai eggplant to long pepper and lemon balm out there .
Cayron expects the garden to produce as much as 150 kilos of herbs and vegetables annually , and to be the hotel ’ s main source of honey once a hive is installed next month .
Development of the plot began in May as part of AccorHotels ’ mission to have 1,000 ‘ urban gardens ’ internationally
by the end of 2016 .
The push falls under AccorHotels ’ Planet 21 initiative , which was launched in 2011 with the goal of putting sustainable hospitality at the core of the group ’ s growth strategy .
Products from the garden go into dishes that are served up in both Voila ! and the hotel ’ s acclaimed rooftop restaurant , L ’ Appart .
Items with Sofitel garden ingredients are marked on the menus . The tactic has raised discourse between server and patron .
“ Guests always ask about the garden ,” said Lionel Formento , the hotel ’ s food and beverage director . “ They want to know where it is , why we created one , what it ’ s got — the whole story .”
Since opening in April 2012 as the flagship property for Sofitel Luxury Hotels in Southeast Asia , Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit has become the premier address for travelers seeking award-winning accommodation in Thailand ’ s capital .
The 32-story , 345-room hotel has been hailed ‘ Best New Business Hotel ’ by readers of Business Traveller UK and has made Conde Nast Traveler USA ’ s list of the 25 ‘ Best Hotels in Southeast Asia .’
L ’ Appart is currently ranked No . 20 on TripAdvisor among almost 9,000 restaurants in Bangkok .
The hotel is also site of one of Bangkok ’ s largest ballrooms and Thailand ’ s only Le SPA with L ’ Occitane .
Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit ’ s F & B team — including Jeremy Cayron ( right ) — has turned to technology to fight food costs and waste
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