Mövenpick Resort Petra enhances Go Healthy menu with traditions of local olive oil

In its efforts to support small communities through buying from local suppliers, as well as highlighting the health benefits of olive oil, Mövenpick Resort Petra has enhanced its progressive “Go Healthy” menu with specialities containing local olive oil from Wadi Musa. In an area cherished for its strong sense of community and belonging, the annual olive-picking season is a revered event that everyone eagerly looks forward to.

“Go Healthy” is a global signature service of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, featuring tasty, nutritious dishes that are good for both people and the planet. A key element revolves around using locally sourced seasonal products from environmentally conscious suppliers.

Nestling between amber-hued sands and blue skies, Mövenpick Resort Petra is located in the culture-rich valley of Wadi Musa. Although the area is most famous for being the gateway to the Rose City of Petra, the region is also recognised for growing olive trees. In Wadi Musa, olive growing is a practice infused with tradition and heritage. It starts upon the observance of the season’s first rain, as it is a common belief amongst tribal elders that the first drop of rain is what ensures the olives’ quality and oil yield.

Each year, family members, friends and neighbours gather to collect the year’s harvest. With folkloric chants in the background, buckets of olives can be seen making their journey to the nearby presses. By buying these olives, Mövenpick Resort Petra enhances its dining culture by providing wholesome, nutrient-rich products that come straight from the farm, as well as sharing a part of the area’s history, culture and traditions.

“It’s a great story to tell and the olive oil itself is of a very high quality,” said Rania Bawalsa, Hotel Manager. “Mövenpick Resort Petra is committed to purchasing locally produced olive oil as part of our corporate social responsibility programme. Our initiative also serves numerous causes – it helps to financially support local communities, reduces our carbon footprint, raises awareness of the health properties of olive oil and celebrates the area’s local traditions.”

Olive oil is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine and often forms the foundation of the region’s signature dishes. Mövenpick Resort Petra’s Executive Chef Suliman Mashaleh has taken extra care to select and prepare dishes utilising the finest and purest olive oil the valley has to offer. They include traditional Jordanian dishes such as mushakhan (roasted chicken with onions and bread dipped in olive oil), zaatar manakeesh (a thin thyme and dough breakfast dish), labneh balls (dried yoghurt for breakfast, snacks and dinner) and makdous (walnut-stuffed mini-eggplant for breakfast, snacks and dinner).

The “Go Healthy” menu at Mövenpick Resort Petra features delicious, nutritious dishes crafted in an innovative way. They offer a plethora of health benefits and essential nutrients that will help guests through the day. It is available during breakfast, lunch and dinner.