In this week's Green Leaders series, KUAM visited the Hyatt Regency Guam, which is making necessary strides to be more sustainable. 

Last week, Hyatt Executive Chef Mirko Agostini, found himself in good company with the hotel playing host to the University of Guam's conference on Island Sustainability. The longtime Hyatt chef has been a huge supporter of supporting local farms and sustainable efforts.

 

"Support strongly hydroponics and aquaponics which is the UOG Triton Farm, where they grow tilapia and the nice lettuce, which when its available we use in all our outlets," he said. "And the hydroponics, we use a new business that came online a few months ago and it's great, you have a 40-foot container full of romaine lettuce, you pick it and it's so fresh."

Walking around, you will come across small herb gardens planted by some of the Hyatt chefs.

"Chef Tony, a chef for the Hyatt, is so passionate he grows his mint for the mojito that they serve here at Breezes, and we have lemongrass which we would use when we make roasted barbecue chicken which we are making today for the UOG CIS, which is about being sustainable, they are working hard to help the community and educate the community what it means to be sustainable," Agostini said. 

In fact, Hyatt's restaurants are committed to the care and sustainability of the community, they've established great relationships with local businesses such as the UOG Coreseed Aquaculture Corporation and Tiny Greens Guam in efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and ultimately support local.

"We have the UOG shrimp, which as a chef, is a dream .with the shrimp we partnered with UOG anywhere I can use it," Agostini said. "They bring it to me in ice water, which they just farmed two hours ago and then when it's cooked- it's so crunchy, so tender so juicy and everyone can see it."

Looking toward the future of the Tumon hotel, Agostini says there are projects in the works.

"To support how we can be more sustainable with ourselves with us hopefully being able to grow our lettuce. at the moment I support local and I support in growing Guam, but a dream here if I'm able to get space here is to grow product/produce that is for us," he said. "That is my dream."