Mandarin Oriental, Paris has unveiled its new rooftop vegetable garden as part of its contribution to sustainability. Perched atop the city’s most fashionable district, the garden complements the hotel’s rooftop beehive and will contribute to the existing year-round supply of fresh, organic produce. Executive Chef, Thierry Marx, will use the garden’s produce as seasonings and herbal tea infusions at Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx. Ten types of fresh mint, plus other herbs, including thyme, rosemary, sage and fennel, will be grown in the garden, alongside vegetables, such as courgettes, tomatoes, celery and onions. Already, bees from the hotel’s hive have gathered nectar from the vegetable garden’s many flowers to produce an aromatic honey. In July 2016, they yielded 20 kg of honey, which Executive Chef, Thierry Marx, and Pastry Chef, David Landriot, have used in their recipes. The hotel installed the beehive to help reverse a decrease in the French bee population. An important part of the pollination process, bees thrive in Paris which is a pesticide-free zone. Since opening in 2011, Mandarin Oriental, Paris has been recognized as an eco-responsible hotel and is the first in France to obtain High Quality Environment certification (HQE). As an HQE certified building, the Palace consumes 20 to 30% less energy than a non-HQE building.
