The farm-to-table movement is not new. But it’s having its moment as the concept of regenerative travel shapes tourism post-Covid.
There are many things to love about farm to table dining.
It celebrates local produce, it helps support local farmers and communities, it is kind to the ecology, and it helps cut the food’s carbon footprint.
At Tanah Gajah Ubud’s “Farm to Table” dining, for instance, ingredients are harvested within 100 metres of guests’ table. The catfish are caught from a pond behind the garden. The yams grow behind one of the villas. The cinnamon is ground from bark of a tree by the pool.
Singaporean-born chef Khairudin ‘Dean’ Nor, who oversees the experience, also brings guests on a horticultural survey of the resort’s organic garden. He explains the story behind each plant, its properties, how it grows, what it’s used for, when to harvest, and other little-known oddities (e.g. you can eat the flower of starfruit).
Partnering with local suppliers to secure seasonal produce also guarantees Chef Dean a perpetually fresh menu. No stale supplies here!
Tanah Gajah is an idyllic 20-key property, moored among the rice paddies in Ubud. It prides itself as a guest-oriented resort where Chef Dean says he personally welcomes and greets guests upon their arrival. This allows him to learns of guests’ food preference, dietary requirements and tailor make a menu for their entire stay at Tanah Gajah.
On catering to Muslim guests’ halal needs, he says, “I am a Muslim, too. Although our restaurants are not halal certified, we do source our produce from halal certified suppliers and I customise a menu for our (Muslim) guests. So far we have received very positive feedback from them and they really appreciate us going that extra mile for them.”
Tanah Gajah is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.