I like to think of myself as a life-long learner. Every experience comes with a lesson. My recent holiday in Fiji was no different; I learnt to be hopeful about our environment and climate because some people – in the most unlikely places – are real champions of change.
From farm to table
A master chef is a farmer and a foodie
Trailing behind the gregarious and passionate Chef G on Fiji’s beautiful island resort, Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort, Tokoriki Island, I watch our food guide in disbelief as we bush-bash through lush greenery. Stopping for no one, Chef G is on a mission: he’s cooking up a storm tonight and he’s teaching me what fresh really means. He stops intermittently in front of a tree here and a plant there, inspects the leaves and fruits, then takes only what he wants and what he needs. Soon, my recently wed wife and I have our hands full, burdened with an eclectic mixture of exotic herbs, vegetables, and foodstuff.
Where I live, food comes from the supermarket wrapped tight in fresh plastic. Where Chef G lives, the island is his supermarket, and his food is kept fresh by deep roots and breathing leaves. What isn’t available, he farms in his own allotment adjacent to the kitchen- all in his spare time! His knowledge of agriculture and botany is immense, something that’s enthusiastically conveyed through his eager lessons on each strange looking herbaceous plant stacked on top of my outstretched hands.
Three or four hours later, while watching a burning sunset slowly sinking into the blue horizon from a beach cabana on Tokoriki Island, Chef G delivers the most incredible dinner. From his mouthwatering baked cassava fries to his aromatic banana blossom curry, our platter of food looked more like an organic artwork than a dinner. I promise you’ve never had anything like it.
Sheraton is lucky to have such a master chef; someone who understands that sustainably sourced ingredients are worthwhile investments. Chef G’s presence is a testament to the resort’s honest commitment to preserving and protecting the environment while delivering a world-class guest experience. I discover first-hand the joy of eating being an experience and not just a taste-test.
What makes someone an artist? How can you perfect a craft? I learnt a master chef is both a foodie and a farmer. A true artisan values the materials and the process just as much as the product. Chef G’s passion for his art and commitment to sustainability has left an indelible impact on the island; his mark quite literally permeates through its soil and roots.
You need a farm to feed an island village
Audacious goals need long-term investments
Although some argue bigger is better, often size just makes things harder. At Sheraton’s larger resort on Denarau Island, you certainly get a luxury experience as a guest. The food is delicious, the scenery breathtaking, and the facilities are world-class. But as a travel writer interested in sustainability, it made me question if – and how – the hotel could still stay true to its environmental commitments. After my time on Tokoriki Island, I was doubtful that I’d find more people like Chef G and other sustainable initiatives that could scale to support its size.
All doubts were soon quashed.
On my first day, I found myself on a short golf-buggy ride through a beautiful emerald, green golf course. I mightn’t know how to swing a club but just looking at the 18-hole course made me wish I could. Coming into view was a secluded fenced-off area, tucked away next to the fairway. The closer we got, the bigger it became; what initially looked like a garden, turned into a 5-acre farm!
Never in my life have I heard of – let alone seen with my own eyes – a resort with its own on-site organic farm. Utilising sustainable practices like hydroponics, which improve water efficiency and minimises agricultural run-off, the site supports a vibrant range of produce: from thyme to Thai basil and pumpkin to papaya. The allotment has everything and anything a chef might need.
Twice a week, guests can have their own immersive farm-to-fork experience. Embracing Fijian culture, the resort hosts Kava ceremonies and traditional performances onsite before treating you to the spoils of the soil – a Lovo – a customary underground cooking method.
I learnt that sustainability is more than being an eco-warrior. Real sustainability is about preserving our lands and our cultures in innovative ways. Sheraton showed me that the more ambitious you are about it, the better.
James Townsend was a guest of the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort, Tokoriki Island
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