In celebration of World Ocean Day, which took place on June 8, Relais & Châteaux in partnership with Ethic Ocean, teamed up with The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas, to take their joint commitment to sustainability a step further by promoting marine conservation and biodiversity through a special menu event. This year's theme, "#SOSforbiodiversity" (Save Ocean Species), emphasized the protection of endangered species like eels.
Relais & Châteaux, a global association with over 580 members across 65 countries, has been championing marine conservation in partnership with Ethic Ocean since 2009. This collaboration has seen years of continuous efforts aimed at raising awareness and promoting sustainable practices worldwide.
World Ocean Day menu
Chef Masatomo Kina, the fine-dining main chef at The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas, crafted the special menu to fit the strict criteria of Relais & Châteaux and Ethic Ocean’s sustainability theme. This task required careful selection of ingredients, adhering to Ethic Ocean's three-tiered rating system that categorizes seafood species as red, yellow or green— with only green-rated products acceptable for the menu.
"Regarding SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), I’m still learning, especially about not using red-listed species like eels. This experience has been educational for me, too, and it's the start of something new. We proposed several dishes, but many were rejected and had to be revised multiple times. It was stressful, but compromising on our standards was not an option. In the end, our menu was approved by Ethic Ocean, ensuring the ingredients used met their criteria." Kina explained.
The final four-course menu includes:
- Starter: Marinated Sardine Mille-Feuille Style with Local Sugarcane Vinaigrette and Vegetable Puree from "Chef’s Garden."
- Risotto: with Lemongrass and Coconut Emulsion, served atop Farm Fresh Vegetable Risotto.
- Main Course: Grilled Locally Farmed Flounder with "Our Farm" Eggplant Aioli and Seared Scallop, Scallop Mariniere Sauce, Piperch (Local Pepper) and Anise-Flavored Oil.
- Dessert: Blancmange with Aosa Seaweed and Hijiki, Topped with Sea Grapes with Farm Fresh Water Lemon Jelly.
Our Farm to table
A unique feature of The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas is its onsite farm, "Our Farm," which spans 3,000 square meters adjacent to the hotel. The farm is managed by a team of seven farmers who are directly employed by the hotel. The farmers produce a variety of vegetables and fruits, including bananas, dragon fruit, asparagus, white pumpkin and figs, for the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, cafe, bar drinks and in-room dining.
The farm also features a "Chef’s Garden" with over 40 herbs grown specifically for the hotel's culinary needs based on the chef’s requests. Many of these vegetables, fruits and herbs made an appearance on the special World Ocean Day menu too, adding farm-freshness to the seafood-based dishes.
A commitment to conservation
Outside of the World Ocean Day event, The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas undertakes numerous initiatives to preserve the biodiversity of Okinawa's beautiful marine environments along with the local community. General Manager Tetsuji Nishi emphasized the connection as so: "We aim to be an integral part of the community, and we wouldn't exist without it. Before opening, in cooperation with the local community and Yomitan village chiefs, we cleaned up the local beach area, and just after five years, the native turtles returned to our shores."
He added, "We are also advancing research with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology as we prepare to open a new hotel next summer. We want to continue promoting sustainable activities and grow together with the community."
Community and sustainability
The local Yomitan community plays a crucial role in the hotel’s sustainability efforts, too. The Fishermen's Cooperative Association, led by President Katsumasa Maedomari, implements strict regulations to ensure sustainable fishing practices in their local seas.
"Despite numerous challenges getting all the local fishermen on board, we’ve improved our operations significantly with the help of national and prefectural subsidies. Our regular meetings and consultations with various stakeholders help address issues and implement effective strategies. We strive to preserve our resources for future generations, and community cooperation remains vital in our endeavors." Maedomari stated.
The cooperative also promotes environmental conservation by hosting fish farming and restocking programs through annual events during which local children help release fish into the sea.
Other local businesses, such as Chubuki Garasu Kobo Niji, one of Okinawa’s famous Ryukyu glass workshops, known for its bubble glass art, demonstrate a commitment to sustainability by using recycled glass to create unique pieces. Each glass is carefully removed of its original stickers and then melted and molded into new creations using a blowing technique in which crafters blow down a metal pipe to create an air gap in a bulb of hot glass.
Looking forward
Relais & Châteaux and The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas' participation in World Ocean Day reflects a broader commitment to sustainable practices within Japan’s hospitality industry. By aligning their efforts with local initiatives and maintaining a strict commitment to ethical standards, they are setting a benchmark for environmental responsibility.
This collaborative approach highlights the potential for meaningful change when global organizations and local communities work together towards common goals.
With continued environmentally focused efforts and a shared vision for sustainability, Relais & Châteaux and its hotels, like The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas, are paving the way for a future where luxury hospitality and environmental stewardship coexist.
Discover more of Relais & Châteaux Japan.
The Uza Terrace Beach Club Villas
630-1 Uza, Yomitan, Nakagami District, Okinawa
How to get there: From Naha Airport, the drive will take you about an hour.
© Japan Today
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