In a recent visit to a farm near the second Penang Bridge, three renowned chefs were welcomed by the Senior Marketing Team of the fish farm. The chefs were taken on an intriguing boat ride to explore the farm’s harvesting and processing facility. The farm, in collaboration with GST Group, has been a trusted supplier to the region since 2015. However, it’s their recent expansion that has caught the attention of culinary enthusiasts—a new focus on sustainable seafood.
The GST Group has extended their offerings to include a wide array of sustainably sourced seafood, ranging from tilapia and prawns to garoupa, red snapper, seabass, cobia, and yellowtail. This development has resonated particularly well with the locals, who have shown a growing fondness for the Seafood buffet at Spice Market Café, available every Friday through Sunday.
Cluster Executive Chef Lim Soon Leong expressed his passion for providing guests with not just delectable seafood, but also a commitment to the environment. “We are dedicated to offering our guests healthy seafood options while actively contributing to the development of regenerative aquaculture,” Chef Lim explained. “This initiative is just one of the many ways we strive to make the world a better place through our culinary endeavors.”
In line with their dedication to sustainable practices, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts introduced the Rooted in Nature culinary initiative in 2014. This groundbreaking program aims to showcase locally or ethically sourced food offerings at all of their hotels and resorts worldwide. Recognizing the uniqueness of each location, the initiative enables Shangri-La to incorporate sustainable items from local markets into their menus, providing guests with a truly authentic dining experience.
Diners can easily identify Rooted in Nature menu items by locating the distinctive pea shoot logo placed beside the dish description on a la carte menus and café stations. To earn this label, each item must meet one or more of five stringent guidelines, ensuring that a prominent ingredient in the dish aligns with the sustainability principles set forth by the initiative.
The five guidelines of Shangri-La’s Rooted in Nature initiative serve as a comprehensive roadmap for the hotel group’s commitment to responsible sourcing. They include supporting local agricultural and fishing communities, procuring chemical pesticide-free local produce, sourcing free-range livestock and poultry products whenever possible, acquiring sustainably-sourced seafood caught through ethical means, and serving organic and fair trade products that adhere to national and local food safety standards.
Through Rooted in Nature, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts strive to foster sustainability, champion local communities, and provide guests with an extraordinary culinary experience that showcases their dedication to ethical and environmentally conscious practices. It is an initiative that not only tantalizes the taste buds but also nurtures a greener future for all.
