As the largest resort on Maui, The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas (Westin KOR) may appear to have a big footprint on the island but in fact, it is one of Maui’s most environmentally conscious businesses and has been steadily reducing its energy consumption for the past five years. The resort garnered a 2013 Hawai‘i Green Business Award and Maui ‘Aipono Award for Excellence in Sustainability.
Acknowledging that the resort takes its responsibilities seriously, General Manager Angela Nolan said, “Many of our guests are environmentally conscious and want to experience the culture of sustainability wherever they go. A philosophy that we try to practice year-round is ‘the small steps each of us take can make a big difference together.’ By using sustainable practices, we’ve reduced our carbon footprint about 22 percent from 2008.”
Resort restaurants have been working diligently to reduce their environmental impact. They recycle cooking oil, which stays on Maui to be converted into diesel fuel, donate edible waste to local pig farms, serve takeout meals and beverages in containers made from cornstarch that quickly deconstruct in the field, and buy 90 percent of their produce from island farmers.
“Our objective is to really grow and help support local farmers by purchasing Maui grown produce, serving local beef and farm fresh eggs, and utilizing fresh fish in all our venues,” remarked Francois Milliet, Executive Chef of Westin KOR.
Chef Milliet, continually works on his menus to maintain the farm-to-table focus and do his part in keeping Hawai‘i sustainable,” he explains, “We want to support our farmers because the local produce tastes better; it’s picked when ripe and brought fresh to the restaurants. The farmers raise their families here and we help encourage the next generation to stay here by sharing culinary skills and supporting educational programs.”
One of the student initiatives that Chef Francois leads is the Super Chef Program, which was conceived by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Students pick fresh ingredients from a local farm and join the chefs in the resort’s restaurant to learn how to cook what they’ve harvested into a healthy meal.
The Westin KOR reinforces its commitment to environmental and community sustainability by participating in special events. Chef Francois considers Maui to be a microcosm of our planet, noting that it can be an example for the rest
of the world. The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas
is leading the way.
