Sustainable dining takes center stage this June as The Westin Manila welcomes Davao City’s beloved plant-based concept Kindred Café for the seventh edition of its Green Mondays culinary series at Seasonal Tastes.
For the entire month of June 2026, restaurateur and chef Saharah Lara Casteel will take over the One Dish Wonders live station at the hotel’s Monday lunch buffet, introducing Metro Manila diners to Kindred Café’s signature zero-waste, plant-based comfort food creations that have earned a loyal following in Davao.
The Westin Manila launched Green Mondays in 2024 under its Eat Well program, an initiative aimed at making nutrient-rich and environmentally conscious dining options more accessible to both hotel guests and local diners.
“In Kindred, we offer comforting, familiar food approached with creativity and intention,” said Chef Casteel. “For Green Mondays with Kindred Café, guests can expect satisfying plant-based iterations of familiar dishes that still never feel like a compromise.”
Before launching Kindred Café in 2019, Casteel first introduced The Vegan Dinosaur, a concept largely centered on salads and health-focused offerings. However, she eventually wanted to create a more approachable and exciting entry point into plant-based cuisine.
For Casteel, the concept is deeply personal and rooted in environmental advocacy.
“I went vegan many years ago for the environment,” she shared. “With that, I’ve spent the last decade building spaces based on thoughtful hospitality that forward zero-waste living and plant-based menus. What I like about having a plant-based diet is actually getting your food straight from the source.”
Armed with a culinary arts degree from Le Cordon Bleu, Casteel developed a menu that transforms vegetables and plant-based ingredients into dishes that are both familiar and indulgent, without necessarily looking or tasting traditionally “vegan.”
At Seasonal Tastes, guests can expect a rotating selection of Kindred Café’s bestsellers prepared à la minute during the Monday lunch buffet.
Among Casteel’s personal favorites is the Sticky Tofu Rice Bowl, which features bold Asian flavors best paired with rice. Another crowd favorite from Davao is the Tofu “Salmon” Bowl, praised for being protein-rich and well-balanced.
Guests may also sample dishes such as the “Tofish” Mango Salad made with mixed greens, tofu “fish” fillets, mangoes, sweet corn, edamame, and chermoula dressing; Mushroom “Scallops” Pasta featuring tagliatelle and king oyster mushroom scallops in a creamy plant-based sauce; Summer Salad Rolls wrapped in whole wheat tortilla with fresh vegetables and tahini; and Taters & Nuggets served with plant-based Thousand Island dip and pepitas parmesan.
“When crafting our menus, what I like doing is working with what we already have, because aside from plant-based cuisine, I am also an advocate for zero-waste living,” Casteel explained.
Beyond introducing diners to new flavors, Casteel hopes the collaboration encourages more people to explore mindful eating habits, even one meal at a time.
“If done well, plant-based cuisine is better for the environment,” she said. “Even so, it’s also a privilege. Not everyone has the time or resources to go fully plant-based, but if we can replace one meal with a plant-based meal, that’s already a step forward.”
Green Mondays with Kindred Café will be available every Monday of June 2026 at the Seasonal Tastes lunch buffet from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m.
For reservations, visit The Westin Manila Green Mondays reservation page.
