Gluten Free Policy On The Menu At Sofitel Fiji

MEDIA RELEASE
6 September 2007

Gluten Free Policy On The Menu At Sofitel Fiji

Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa introduces gluten free options for guests

The Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa has introduced a new 'gluten free' policy for guests, creating a range of new menu items designed especially for the gluten intolerant and coeliacs travelling to the Fiji Islands.

"We've noticed an increasing number of guest enquiries for gluten free options and special meal requests over the past twelve months," says Executive chef Brendon Coffey.

"Obviously a huge part of any Fiji experience is enjoying great food, so the last thing we want is for guests to worry about what they can and can't eat while relaxing on holiday. With that in mind we've decided to make life more comfortable for our guests by implementing convenient new gluten-free meal options."

Mr Coffey says access to appropriate food items to meet various dietary requirements and ailments is becoming a priority for many travellers, with one per cent of Australians and New Zealanders affected by coeliac disease.

"Rather than an afterthought, the way a restaurant or resort caters to guest tastes is becoming an important part of the holiday research process and can actually impact where a person will and won't stay and eat at while away," he says.

"We have had many experiences with many types of dietary needs and preferences and are able to accommodate just about anything at the Sofitel Fiji Resort. Indeed, gluten free and other healthy diet ideals actually complement Sofitel's commitment to using fresh and organic rather than processed products and produce whenever we can, supporting local Fijian industry as a result.

"By listening to guest feedback and suggestions we have now created what we think is a generous range of quality and great tasting gluten free meals that sit beside our popular vegetarian options and local recipes for maximum choice and peace of mind for those with sensitive diets."

Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease caused by an intolerance to gluten. Hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders and Australians suffer from this condition which leads to the small intestine becoming inflamed after consuming the protein component in wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats. It leads to poor absorption of nutrients and, if left untreated, can lead to a range of problems including malnutrition, osteoporosis, intestinal cancer and infertility.

Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa has opened a gluten free counter at the resort's Lagoon Restaurant, with the breakfast menu including gluten free (FGF) friendly choices such as GF muesli, GF organic multi-grain and corn meal flakes, GF savory and white bread and GF muffins.

The luxury Sofitel Fiji Resort provides a diverse range of casual and elegant dining experiences for guests with five different food and beverage outlets, plus room service available 24 hours a day.
Options include a signature restaurant, relaxed bars and caf-style eateries for indulgent choices and amazing variety. Indoor and over-water venue options add to the appeal of Sofitel's creative cuisine while refreshing menus have been designed to showcase the best in local produce and selected imported delicacies from the Pacific region.
For more information on the resort visit www.sofitelfiji.com.fj. To book call 1300 65 65 65.

Sofitel: premium hotels around the world

Because no one country or city is the same, Sofitel has made each of its hotels around the world a truly unique establishment. Combining the spirit of each place with the values of modernity, refinement and absolute comfort, they are all imbued in their inimitable way with the French "art de vivre".
Whether their setting is a great business metropolis like Paris, New York or Bangkok, or nestling in the landscape in Indonesia, Polynesia or Brazil, each Sofitel hotel offers travelers a genuine haven of peace. So that each guest, for an overnight stay or longer, during a business trip or for a holiday, can enjoy the rich variety of these unique places in comfort and tranquility.

Accor, the European leader in hotels and tourism, and a global leader in corporate services, operates in nearly 100 countries with 166,000 employees. It offers to its individual and corporate clients 40 years of expertise in its two core businesses:
- Hotels, with the Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, All Seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands: around 3.800 hotels and 450,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lentre ;
- Services to corporate clients and public institutions: 23 million people in 35 countries benefit from Accor Services products (human resources, marketing services, expense management).

Ends

© Scoop Media