Conrad Hilton, Washington D.C.

Last edited: 14 November 2022

The Conrad Hilton, located in Washington, D.C., USA, set the bar high, when planning their newest hospitality project. The architects and planners sought, and met, LEED Gold Construction requirements. This included having the hotel capture 90% of the rainfall falling on the property to irrigate outdoor terraces and cool the air conditioning towers, and incorporating highly efficient construction strategies into the build. The hotel has embarked on the goal of reducing the property's carbon footprint 50% by 2030, and reducing kitchen waste to zero.

Executive chef Joshua Murry 2, 11-14-22 — **Executive Chef Joshua Murry**

A_Solar_Oven_Takes_Eco-friendly_Cooking_to_the_Next_Level-3 — A Solar Oven Takes Eco-friendly Cooking to the Next Level-3

The hotel opened, and the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, stalling the hospitality industry worldwide. People had mostly stopped traveling. This period of down time created some space for dreaming and designing for Executive Chef, Joshua Murry. He had used simple solar cookers in his childhood, and wished to test their potential for the rooftop Summit Restaurant at the hotel. He settled upon the highly regarded All American Sun Oven as their primary solar cooker.

He developed a technique for roasting dry-rubbed pork, which includes having smoke infused into the cooking chamber of the solar box oven. Pulled pork, carrot hummus, hibiscus sun tea, and fondue are solar cooked menu items available at the restaurant. Fresh bar garnishes are prepared with a solar dehydrator. Murry notes, the menu planning does require keeping an eye on the weather, and maintaining some flexibility with the daily offerings.