Portsea Hotel has won the Innovation Award at Mornington Peninsula Shire’s food awards program – Best Bites. The initiative helps to support local food businesses that provide safe and healthy food and dining premises, and publishes a directory of the businesses that receive a food safety rating of over 90% in the Best Bites Food Guide.

It’s a forward thinking food awards program, recognising more than just delicious, fresh food. Assessment is undertaken in the areas of recycling, water and energy consumption and other environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business practises.

The Innovation award is bestowed upon the food business which has implemented the most innovative and sustainable business practices in 2014. Portsea Hotel won the category because they have installed a fully contained, commercial on-site composting unit by Closed Loop, putting an end to unnecessary food waste. The fertile compost is taken to nearby Cape Schanck Farm, where it provides nutrients for the herbs and veggies that are grown and used in the Portsea Hotel’s kitchen!

General manager Trent Smith (pictured left with venue manager Adrian Young) says the response from the Hotel’s patrons to initiatives like this one are very positive, and that they are even in negotiations to install a glass crushing machine in the venue. Mr Smith said,

“Installing a composting machine at Portsea Hotel has had so many benefits, from lowering waste removal costs to improving the taste of the veggies that our great compost feeds.”

“The Best Bite award proves that we are an industry leader in sustainability out here in the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and we hope other businesses follow our lead,” said Mr Smith.

Congratulations to the team at the Portsea Hotel!

Photo credit: Tanya Fry.