The choice to focus on eco-sustainable cuisine is an obvious feature of the journey we started with the Bioland certification, as a means to set our own course. To us, this partnership is both a confidence-booster and an incentive. For trusting is good, but checking is better.
In a world where anything can be procured at any time, all year round, and in times of culinary oversupply, the pull of cheap goods from far-away countries has grown stronger and stronger.
And if we dare to look beyond the reassuring curtains of buzzwords, we soon realise how sustainability in the food industry is, alas, a very broad concept. An honest approach to it implies rethinking things on a larger scale – and involving our guests as well. We have to be aware and willing to choose quality over variety, to question the origin and the impact of every single food. This change in perspective requires much in terms of time and mindfulness, as well as a consistent, decisive effort from caterers and kitchen brigades.
Choosing to go organic means more than just replacing standard foods with organically farmed options. It means changing the way you think, the range of products you offer, and way the kitchen is managed altogether. We have deliberately reduced our menu selection, and guests are asked to choose their evening menu in the morning. This way, not only can we cook all dishes in exactly the right amounts, and using fresh ingredients, but we also optimise the storage of ingredients.
We have completely eliminated wasteful buffets, with the exception of our salad bar. Additionally, we have eliminated seafood from our menus, as it is neither sustainable nor in tune with the South Tyrolean culinary tradition. We source our meat from local organic farms, and much more mindfully. To enrich our menus, we have chosen to include delectable vegetarian creations from organic ingredients instead.
But doing without many things, and focusing our appreciation on what is simple, local and natural, is precisely what allows for great achievements on a small scale. At least in terms of regional cycles, environment and health protection, and – last but not least – of a unique culinary experience!
Barbara & Horst Peintner, hoteliers
