El Nido Resorts takes sustainability practices to its kitchens
Named in 2015 as a model for sustainable tourism in the Branded Accommodation category by the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association, El Nido Resorts takes its sustainability practices even to its kitchens. The salad greens, vegetables and pigs from the company farm, where no harmful chemicals or pesticides are used, account for 60 percent of its total kitchen purchases.
Crisp, bright green lettuce and arugula salads that thrive in cool weather are not usually served at island and beach destinations, but they are the centerpiece of the lunch and dinner menus at the four El Nido Resorts (ENR) in northern Palawan, namely, Apulit, Miniloc, Lagen and Pangulasian. The fresh greens are grown right in the ENR farms alongside tomatoes, eggplant, watermelon, kale and cauliflower and put on the table hours after they are picked.
Almost a decade ago, the company decided to grow as much of its own produce as it could for practical reasons. Lettuce flown in daily from Manila cost as much as P345 per kilo, not counting spoilage and handling costs. No one in the surrounding communities had attempted to grow lettuce or even the most common vegetables at the scale needed by the resorts, mainly because of the poverty of Palawan soil.
But the advent of composting changed all that. El Nido Resorts took the 36,000 kgs. of biodegradable waste collectively generated by the properties and processed them into organic fertilizer with the help of carbonized rice hulls and vermicast. Composted waste continues to be used as a soil conditioner in the company’s nine greenhouses that have helped reduce food costs at the resorts. Locals are also encouraged to study and adapt the innovations at the El Nido Resorts farm so they can grow their own vegetables.
It was only a matter of time before the firm decided to grow its own pigs raised on organic material. Consequently, El Nido Resorts pork is leaner than usual and thus, healthier, according to ENR farm manager Henry Gonzalez. Visitors to the pigpens are often surprised not to encounter any of the foul odors associated with feeds injected with hormones and other harmful chemicals.
The chefs at each of the resorts have also responded by creating drinks and dishes inspired by the produce in the company backyard. The breakfast and lunch buffets at the El Nido Resorts at Apulit, Miniloc and Lagen (named after the islands that host them) usually carry a variety of freshly concocted juices. Vegetarians are pleased with the freshness and variety of ingredients, while other diners have a choice of meats, shellfish and other seafood in chafing dishes or served from inviting grill stations. Guests of Pangulasian island resort as a rule order a la carte but are treated as well to entrees featuring fresh picks and the catch of the day.
Joey Bernardino, director of sales and marketing, discloses that most guests are delighted by the innovative ways food comes to their table at the resorts. “Even if we don’t serve lobster, lapu-lapu and other endangered species, they are pleased to know that our menus are helping them leave a smaller ecological footprint. We are seeing more and more responsible travelers wanting to help conserve the beauty of their surroundings in whatever way they can.”