How SM Hotels is Scaling Sustainability: Chef Leah Magallanes on Practical Change

In this episode, we talk with Chef Leah Magallanes, Vice President for Sustainability, Quality Assurance, and Food & Beverage at SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. (SMHCC) in the Philippines.Chef Leah leads the integration of sustainability into business strategy, operations, and guest experience across SMHCC’s nationwide portfolio of hotels and convention centres, including brands such as Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Conrad Manila, Radisson Hotel Group properties, SMX, and Lanson. With over a decade in senior leadership and a multidisciplinary background spanning culinary arts, finance, brand management, and operations, she is widely recognised for turning sustainability ambition into practical, scalable action.In this conversation, we discuss how sustainability in hospitality is evolving and where the industry still has work to do. Chef Leah shares insights from her leadership at SM Hotels, including initiatives such as Tela Tales and Plate for the Planet, and reflects on how she has helped make sustainability more engaging and actionable at the property level.We also explore SM Hotels’ journey toward cage-free sourcing over the past three years—what it has taken to build internal alignment, overcome implementation challenges, and reduce costs along the way.