MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
Hotel Britomart and Antipodes have successfully collaborated to not just create a beautiful work of art but deliver an imaginative take on recycling.
One could argue that modern environmental solutions cannot be designed without outof-the-box thinking. This thinking usually comes about when passionate people from different industries, sectors and areas of expertise put their heads together. A joint effort between an awardwinning green hotel, sustainable bottled water brand and talented glass artists is exemplifying this power of eco-innovation through collaboration.
When The Hotel Britomart, New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star rated hotel, was looking for a water supplier, it made sense to partner with a brand that shared their same sustainable values. And so, a natural partnership was formed with Antipodes, Aotearoa’s first Toitū carboNZero certified bottled water company. “Being New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel, sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do and the suppliers we choose form part of that promise,” says The Hotel Britomart general manager Clinton
Farley. “With Antipodes being New Zealand owned and the world’s first carbon-zero water, it was the obvious choice for our operations and is being served throughout The Hotel Britomart and kingi.”
It’s here where chef Tom Hishon, the co-founder of The Hotel Britomart’s restaurant, kingi, saw an opportunity to take this partnership to a new level. “I’ve always had an interest in upcycling or utilising unwanted items and this was an idea that had been lurking for some time,” he says. Hishon reached out to glassblowers Stephen Bradbourne and Isaac Katzoff from Monmouth Glass Studio and asked them to repurpose empty Antipodes glass bottles into blown wine carafes and plates to use in the restaurant. “They have such great knowledge with anything glass related and are true masters of their craft.”
The result of this partnership is not only beautiful works of art, but an ingenious take on recycling. “Waste is merely a lack of imagination,” says Hishon. Of course, for any brand upholding a sustainability message, transparency is crucial. For Antipodes, this means working with a deep appreciation and respect for the water’s origins. Antipodes water is sourced from the artesian aquifer near Whakatāne, an area surrounded by ignimbrite rock. It is this special geological makeup that gives Antipodes water its exceptional purity, with no need for sterilisation, additives, or industrial processing. Using state-of-theart technology means Antipodes is bottled right at the source, ensuring the purity is unaltered.
This may seem like a lot of work for something as simple as water, but as Master Sommelier and Antipodes Ambassador Cameron Douglas explains, the remarkably low minerality in the water creates a subtle, clean taste that elevates a dining experience. “Sommeliers learn very quickly that food and other substances can change perceptions about wine easily, so when it comes to preparing my palate for wine and other beverages, I want a palate cleanser that will not alter or change my perceptions. Antipodes does this marvellously well – it is the best at establishing a clean and clear palate for tasting with no residue or aftertaste,” he says.