Napa Valley's Silverado Resort Takes Slow Road to Sustainability

Silverado Resort's frenetic executive chef Peter Pahk believes some things must be done slowly.

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. August 17, 2009

AUGUST 17, 2009 - Pahk has been instrumental in driving the Napa Valley resort's numerous food-related environmental initiatives, and he has realized that to be a true leader you cannot expect overnight results. One of the his many initiatives is to embrace organizations such as Slow Foods Napa and Slow Foods USA, organizations committed to identifying, preserving and promoting small agricultural producers and to educate the public about distinctive regional food traditions.

The resort's membership in Slow Foods aptly illustrates the commitment of Pahk and other resort leaders in procuring and serving locally grown, organic foods whenever possible.

"Our culture is so used to fast - fast production, shipping and eating - that we sometimes forget about the integral beauty of freshly grown and prepared foods," said Pahk. "Our guests truly appreciate having a wide array of menu choices using locally harvested food."

He also has helped launch numerous successful and leading programs at the venerable resort; including - last year - an initiative to recycle food scraps and grass clippings in addition to traditional recyclables. The Silverado food scrap recycling program was a first in Napa Valley, a destination that is normally an environmental leader.

"I believe the hospitality industry was a little slow out of the starting gate when it comes to sustainability, but the industry as a whole has made up for that delay by now taking giant green steps in numerous areas," said Pahk. "Recycling food scraps should be a no-brainer for an industry that produces an abundance of the stuff. Turns out, it is incredibly difficult to accomplish, and it takes the commitment of a service provider as well as hotel management and an entire staff to pull it off."

Getting that kind of commitment takes time. Pahk pulled it off after only six months of testing. Now in place for more than a year, the program has resulted in a reduction of generic garbage of more than 50 percent plus 50 percent savings on composting costs.

The program is one of the resort's many waste-reduction initiatives.

"We do everything we can to reduce waste - from buying products from local producers to offering meat and seafood that is harvested using the most sustainable practices available," said Pahk.

Several years ago, the resort implemented a Foodservice Energy Awareness Program to teach all of the resort's foodservice employees to participate in energy conservation, green procurement and waste reduction. In 2001, the resort introduced an aggressive seafood policy that promoted the use of sustainable seafood and discontinued serving four species of threatened seafood.

"It didn't happen overnight, but clearly our efforts are working," said Pahk. "We have become more successful than I would have imagined when we started truly emphasizing sustainability years ago."

Silverado Resort was the first resort in Napa Valley to become a member of the Chef's Collaborative, a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine. Chef Pak also sits on the board for Sustainable Napa County, an organization that promotes sustainable business practices in the Napa Valley hospitality industry. And the resort's operator, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, was the first U.S. hospitality company to be granted the "Chain of Custody" certification from the Marine Stewardship Council. This important certification guarantees all wild Alaska salmon menu items can be traced to their source, assuring customers that fisheries have met the Marine Stewardship Council's stringent environmental standards.

The resort's environmental programs extend far beyond foodservice operations. For example, guest rooms are supplied with rapidly renewable paper products, and housekeepers use sustainable cleaning solutions and separate and recycle all guestroom garbage. Additionally, the resort uses a state-of-the-art water-saving irrigation system to maintain its two championship golf courses.

Silverado Resort offers two restaurants, the Grill at Silverado - popular with Napa Valley residents as well as guests - and Royal Oak Restaurant. Appetizers are also served in the resort's main lounge. The resort features 280 guest condominium units and private cottage suites surrounding the fairways of its two championship golf courses, a spa, swimming pools, tennis courts and other recreational offerings.