The Residence by Cenizaro reinforces its commitment to nurturing people and the planet on World Environment Day, with the launch of the Earth Basket programme, kitchen gardens that showcase the local produce of each resort

The Residence by Cenizaro, part of Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts, celebrated World Environment Day on 5 June by rolling out its Earth Basket initiative across most of The Residence by Cenizaro properties this summer. The resulting kitchen gardens are part of Cenizaro’s greater global strategy to deliver world-class hospitality through enriching experiences for guests, staff and the local community.

(Kitchen Garden with farm fresh produce at The Residence Bintan)

The new Earth Basket initiative is part of the Cenizaro Cares programme and challenges each resort to successfully transform an area of the resort into a year-round on-site kitchen farm. Spearheaded by each resort’s Green Committee, each resort develops the farm to suit its unique needs and to best showcase native produce. Food waste from the resort is composted in-house and is used to nourish the kitchen gardens without any pesticides. This initiative hopes to showcase the local biodiversity of each destination and provide rich varieties of zero kilometre produce at peak freshness while also serving as an educational tool for staff, guests, and the broader community.

“We want to be more than a window for our guests to view the natural beauty of their surroundings. We want to offer travellers an immersive, enriching opportunity for them to experience the real local biodiversity of each of our properties, the full flavours of the land and connect with the community,” says AlexysTjhia, Director of Corporate Responsibility at The Residence by Cenizaro. “We are incredibly privileged to be in some of the world’s most breathtaking places and we want to ensure that we pay it back by kickstarting efforts to preserve and grow what makes them so special.”

At The Residence Bintan for example, their Earth Basket has produced a harvest of almost 600kg of fresh produce since its inception in December 2019. The team has a resort family of chickens and ducks to provide fresh eggs; Dwarf Coconut Trees, Pulai Trees and Singapore Cherry Trees to name a few, have been planted at the resort; and the kitchen garden has its very own ‘spice garden’, herbs from which guests can learn to make jamu, a traditional Indonesian herbal tonic.

(Children with produce at The Residence Bintan's kitchen garden)

The Residence Maldives is cultivating Ayurvedic plants for an uplifting, health-focused beverage offering as well as producing inhouse virgin coconut oil for its spa treatments. The Residence Tunis is also producing its very own olive oil using local harvests to enhance its culinary offering. The hope is for each Earth Basket to showcase the plants unique to the cuisine and culture of each destination.

The Earth Basket initiative has also had significant positive impact on the environment through the rehabilitation of degraded land into a thriving habitat with increased biodiversity. At some resorts, the native fauna has also begun to return as they evolve into a welcoming, healthy habitat.

(Inhouse olive oil at The Residence Tunis)

Each kitchen farm is guided and grown through close cross-departmental collaboration, giving the local teams ownership over these ecological achievements, and raising awareness of the importance of environmental consciousness. To this end, other ongoing projects led by Cenizaro’s teams, such as mangrove restoration and coastal clean-ups outside resort boundaries, have been organized to involve, educate and benefit the broader local community.

(Farm Rabbits at The Residence Bintan)

With the Earth Basket programme fully integrated into elevating the guest experience, residents can expect to come home to nature at each property under The Residence collection. The produce will feature in the culinary and spa offering, allowing guests to eat well and live well. On-site activations in the farms will cater to guests of all ages, enabling them to create memorable first-hand experiences with nature. The farms will serve as immersive showcases of local biodiversity with head gardeners leading tours for guests to learn about the ecosystem and native plants.

(A chef with fresh produce at The Residence Bintan)

The ecological sensitivity nurtured in the staff and the broader local communities also shapes the guest experience. Through workshops in the farms and culinary masterclasses for local cuisine, special packages have been designed for guests to learn about eating well through farming and sustainable living as well as to consider how personal wellness is critically connected to the preservation of the environment. The opportunity to experience local cuisine and native produce also helps guests develop deeper insights and connections to the local culture of their destination.

(Earth Table at The Residence Maldives)

(Launching their first property in 1996, The Residence Tunis, the established hospitality brand followed with The Residence Mauritius, The Residence Zanizbar, The Residence Maldives at Falhumaafushi, The Residence Bintan and finally The Residence Maldives at Dhigurah in 2019. Further expansion is planned with three hotels in Tunisia including the group’s first city and desert properties – The Residence Douz, The Medina of Tunis and Djerba Island – alongside The Residence Mapur in Indonesia.)

(Fresh olives at The Residence Tunis)