Petr Raba On The Future Of Dining At Marriott International

As 2026 approaches, the culinary landscape is shifting, with sustainability, purpose, and long-term thinking at the forefront, and Petr Raba weighs in.

New year, new rules, and a refreshed culinary landscape. As 2026 approaches, Petr Raba—Vice President of Food & Beverage for Marriott International across Asia Pacific—foresees a meaningful shift in how we dine, with sustainability-driven produce taking centre stage across Marriott properties worldwide.

For Raba, food has never been just about what’s on the plate. It’s about where it comes from, who grows it, and the stories that quietly travel with every bite. He sees a change in the culinary landscape this 2026

Raba oversees more than 5,000 restaurants and bars—a scale that could easily default to efficiency over soul. Instead, he’s steering the opposite direction: local, sustainable, and deeply human.

“Sustainability isn’t a trend for us,” he says plainly. “It’s part of our DNA.”

At Marriott, that commitment is measurable. By 2025, the group is targeting a 50% reduction in food waste, alongside responsible sourcing across its kitchens—from sustainable seafood to organic coffee. But beyond targets and timelines, Raba is most interested in what sustainability means to guests today. “This is no longer optional. It’s table stakes.”

Across Asia, Marriott properties are rethinking how food is grown and served. Some hotels now operate their own gardens and micro-farms, while others partner with innovators like BoomGrow—an urban agriculture company growing organic produce in containers right next to hotels. In Malaysia alone, more than 20 Marriott properties are already using BoomGrow produce, while roughly 85% of ingredients across the portfolio are locally sourced.

But sustainability, Raba insists, only works if it’s delicious.

That’s where chefs come in. One of Marriott’s standout initiatives, Malaysian Kitchen, challenged chefs nationwide to reimagine beloved local dishes—char kway teow, nasi lemak, and more—using local ingredients and elevated techniques. The result wasn’t just a friendly competition, but a platform to showcase Malaysian cuisine across the region, and eventually, the world.

“Malaysia is a great cuisine that’s still not widely understood outside the country,” Raba says. “We want to change that.”

Wellness, too, is reshaping the way Marriott thinks about dining. From plant-forward menus to alcohol-free beverage programmes that go far beyond tired mocktails, the goal is balance—not restriction. One hotel has even introduced a fully vegetarian brunch once a month, responding directly to guests seeking more mindful dining experiences.

Still, Raba is careful not to prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution. Each restaurant, he says, must stay true to its identity. “They need a story. They need to know who they are.”

To nurture creativity, Marriott gives chefs and bartenders room to experiment. A recent sustainable bartending competition brought finalists from across the region to Bangkok, producing nearly 200 sustainable cocktail recipes now shared throughout the portfolio. Winners aren’t just crowned—they’re invested in, mentored, and sent abroad to learn, collaborate, and grow.

Despite a career that’s taken him across four continents, Raba’s most memorable meal isn’t Michelin-starred or meticulously plated. It’s a humble chicken rice, eaten roadside in Malaysia after a day trip to see fireflies.

“That was the best chicken rice I’ve ever had,” he says, smiling. “Food always tastes better when it has a story.”

Looking ahead, Marriott plans to expand its cross-border culinary collaborations—bringing Malaysian chefs to Japan, Vietnam to Singapore, and beyond. Not just to showcase cuisine, but to build bridges between cultures, kitchens, and communities.

Because for Raba, the future of food isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about honouring where we are, who we feed, and how thoughtfully we do it—one plate at a time.

Marriott International