Latest news with #DesaPotatoHead
Business Times
25-04-2025
- Business Times
Bali's first ‘zero-waste' eco-luxury hotel: Desa Potato Head
[BALI] At some point in the last decade, luxury found itself on a therapist's couch. Guilty about its plastic past, worried about its carbon footprint, and deeply conflicted about the pool towel situation, the industry needed a makeover. 'If we go zero-waste, can we still be a five-star hotel?' it wondered aloud. 'If the soap dispenser is upcycled, does it still say 'escape'? What kind of a paradise are we if we don't offer single-use straws and disposable room slippers?' If luxury had bothered to look East, or more specifically, South-east – or even more squarely at Bali, Indonesia – it would have learnt a thing or two from Desa Potato Head in Seminyak. Here, plastic straws are banned, the soap dispensers are upcycled, the room slippers are fully biodegradable, and the minibar offers mostly locally sourced drinks. Rooms feature recycled wood furnishings. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD It's a tropical beach resort, yes – but also an invitation to rethink how we live and what we leave behind. Surprisingly, all that 'guest re-education' hasn't stopped Potato Head from getting on the list of the World's 50 Best Hotels, both in 2023 and 2024 – a ranking decided by 600 jurors. Most of the other listed hotels are classic grande dames, where heritage and thread count matter more than the carbon costs of freighting moth orchids for their lift lobbies. Potato Head slipped past the gatekeepers of traditional luxury and grabbed a spot on the list – by redefining what hospitality might look like in a climate-conscious world. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Desa Potato Head made the World's 50 Best Hotel list in 2023 and 2024. What luxury leaves behind At a recent press event, international journalists were taken to – of all places – a 2,000 square metre waste facility. While they struggled to maintain their composure – mindful not to insult the workers quietly sorting through Bali's unsightly trash – Amanda Marcella, Potato Head's director of sustainability, explained how the island's trash has grown into a daily, visible reminder of the true cost of paradise. 'Bali generates 1.6 million tonnes of waste annually – more than what the government can manage,' she said. Hotels and businesses contribute around 12 per cent of that, and tourists generate 3.5 times more waste per day than locals. Approximately 50 per cent of all waste ends up illegally dumped, with an estimated 11 per cent eventually leaking into marine environments. A worker at the waste management facility. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD 'Instead of blaming the government, instead of asking them to do something, we want to do something about it ourselves,' Marcella said. 'We're part of the tourism economy – so we have to help solve the problems that we partly create.' In late 2024, Potato Head helped launch the Community Waste Project, whose central engine is the aforementioned waste facility processing waste from local businesses. 'We have seven partners, including beach clubs, hotels, and restaurants. We pick up the waste from the different properties, and separate the waste – organic waste goes to the pig farms or becomes compost; plastics are upcycled into products we sell or use at the hotel. 'The goal isn't just to manage waste but to inspire others to do it right.' The resort sorts its waste and repurposes over 99 per cent of it. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Today, Potato Head has achieved just 0.5 per cent landfill waste – meaning only 0.5 per cent of all the waste it generates ends up in a landfill. According to a full audit by EcoMantra, almost all of Potato Head's waste is reused, recycled, composted, or otherwise managed sustainably, making the 15-year-old property Bali's first zero-waste luxury hotel. Waste is delicious The story continues in its kitchens where waste isn't just managed – it's marinated, pickled, fermented, and eventually served. Across Potato Head's six restaurants and bars, the team has committed to what they call 'upcycled menus' – an ambitious plan to ensure that by the end of 2025, at least 25 per cent of their dishes will be made from the by-products of the property itself. In the hands of their culinary R&D chef, Felix Schoener, leftovers aren't scraps – they're ingredients in waiting. Take, for example, the ginger pulp left over from juicing. In most hotel kitchens, that would go straight into the bin. Here, it finds a second life as ginger beer, ginger syrup, or even infused into arak to create an aromatic zero-waste cocktail. A quarter of the dishes are made from byproducts of the hotel. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Unused egg whites from the bakery are reimagined as an umami-rich shoyu-style sauce. Fish scales – not typically the stuff of fine dining – are reborn as crisp, savoury crackers at Ijen, Indonesia's first zero-waste restaurant. And should you find yourself sipping on burnt bread kombucha at Dome, know that the sourdough was yesterday's breakfast, now reincarnated with a little help from fermentation and the transformative power of rice koji. 'Having worked in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, I've seen firsthand how much food gets thrown away in the industry,' Schoener said. 'Here, the goal isn't just to reduce waste – it's to create flavour. Preservation techniques like fermentation or curing don't just save ingredients; they transform the dish into something extraordinary.' Potato Head's Ijen is Indonesia's first zero-waste restaurant. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD This isn't just culinary gimmickry. It's tied to a much larger ambition to heal Bali's food systems from the ground up – starting with the soil itself. The resort has helped over 110 local farmers transition from conventional to organic agriculture since 2024, part of its regenerative farming programme. The mission, as Marcella put it, is simple: 'To repair Bali's soil.' Synthetic fertilisers, Marcella explains, have long damaged the island's land and waterways, a side effect of the race to keep up with hyper-tourism. The hope is that by working directly with farmers – providing education, on-site training, and guaranteed crop absorption – Potato Head can help reshape the island's supply chain, one regenerative harvest at a time. A manifesto in concrete This ethos stretches beyond the kitchen. At Ijen, banana leaves replace plastic wrap, line-caught seafood arrives fresh from local fishers, and the dining room itself is a case study in reuse: terrazzo flooring flecked with broken plates and glass, seat cushions stuffed with foam salvaged from motorcycle seats, and drinking glasses fashioned from repurposed beer bottles. The resort turns the plastic waste it generates into coasters, soap dispensers, tissue holders and other objects for hotel use and sale. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Of course, the entire Potato Head architecture and building design is as much a manifesto as the menu. The resort's newest annexe, Potato Head Studios, was conceived by the Dutch firm OMA, led by David Gianotten, in collaboration with celebrated Indonesian architect Andra Matin. The building's materials tell a story of thoughtful reuse: pink-hued concrete incorporates leftover bricks from the Potato Head's earlier Katamama Suites, while breezeblock walls cast intricate shadows reminiscent of Balinese Tika calendars. Ceiling panels woven from recycled plastic bottles and terrazzo floors made from repurposed concrete waste further underscore the resort's commitment to sustainability. Liina Klauss's popular art installation is made from 5,000 flip-flops left behind on Bali's beaches. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Eco-mindful art installations punctuate the property: Nano Uhero's bamboo sculpture greets guests with the sound of gongs and a Balinese water blessing. Liina Klauss's much-Instagrammed 5,000 Lost Soles is created from 5,000 flip-flops discarded by tourists on Bali's beaches. At Potato Head, trash isn't something to hide. It's something to work with, to celebrate, to transform. The writer was a guest of Desa Potato Head
Business Times
23-04-2025
- Business Times
Driving ‘zero waste' in Bali
Hotels have been flying the sustainability flag for years, with varying levels of commitment. But even before 'zero-waste' became a buzzword, Desa Potato Head in Bali, one of the trendiest beach clubs in the world, was already focused on the environment. In 2023, the eco-luxury resort clinched a spot in the World's 50 Best Hotels annual list – alongside iconic locations such as Raffles Singapore, Aman Tokyo and Claridge's in London. But what is less known is the fact that it has taken its own plastic ban and compost kitchens a step further, to become a working model of eco-hospitality. For example, it produces only 0.5 per cent landfill waste, and runs a zero-waste restaurant – a claim few other garlanded hotels can make. In this week's BT Lifestyle, we visit the property in Bali and learn more about how style, nightlife and serious waste management can not only co-exist under the same roof, but actually thrive. In Health, we ask the question: Is irritable bowel syndrom (IBS) simply caused by stress and not a 'real' condition? This being IBS Awareness month, we explore both the misconceptions and science behind this complex gut-brain disorder, and whether exercise and diet can bring it under control. In Arts, get a sneak peek at the upcoming production of Macbeth, the latest Shakespeare in the Park production to take place at Fort Canning. And in Dining, we see if Tempura Ensei, the Singapore outpost of a 120-year-old Edo-style tempura restaurant in Japan, lives up to its ancient reputation. For all this and more, don't miss BT Lifestyle this week.
Business Times
23-04-2025
- Business Times
Bali's ‘zero-waste' eco-luxury hotel: Desa Potato Head
[BALI] At some point in the last decade, luxury found itself on a therapist's couch. Guilty about its plastic past, worried about its carbon footprint, and deeply conflicted about the pool towel situation, the industry needed a makeover. 'If we go zero-waste, can we still be a five-star hotel?' it wondered aloud. 'If the soap dispenser is upcycled, does it still say 'escape'? What kind of a paradise are we if we don't offer single-use straws and disposable room slippers?' If luxury had bothered to look East, or more specifically, South-east – or even more squarely at Bali, Indonesia – it would have learnt a thing or two from Desa Potato Head in Seminyak. Here, plastic straws are banned, the soap dispensers are upcycled, the room slippers are fully biodegradable, and the minibar offers mostly locally sourced drinks. Rooms feature recycled wood furnishings. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD It's a tropical beach resort, yes – but also an invitation to rethink how we live and what we leave behind. Surprisingly, all that 'guest re-education' hasn't stopped Potato Head from getting on the list of the World's 50 Best Hotels, both in 2023 and 2024 – a ranking decided by 600 jurors. Most of the other listed hotels are classic grande dames, where heritage and thread count matter more than the carbon costs of freighting moth orchids for their lift lobbies. Potato Head slipped past the gatekeepers of traditional luxury and grabbed a spot on the list – by redefining what hospitality might look like in a climate-conscious world. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Desa Potato Head made the World's 50 Best Hotel list in 2023 and 2024. What luxury leaves behind At a recent press event, international journalists were taken to – of all places – a 2,000 square metre waste facility. While they struggled to maintain their composure – mindful not to insult the workers quietly sorting through Bali's unsightly trash – Amanda Marcella, Potato Head's director of sustainability, explained how the island's trash has grown into a daily, visible reminder of the true cost of paradise. 'Bali generates 1.6 million tonnes of waste annually – more than what the government can manage,' she said. Hotels and businesses contribute around 12 per cent of that, and tourists generate 3.5 times more waste per day than locals. Approximately 50 per cent of all waste ends up illegally dumped, with an estimated 11 per cent eventually leaking into marine environments. A worker at the waste management facility. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD 'Instead of blaming the government, instead of asking them to do something, we want to do something about it ourselves,' Marcella said. 'We're part of the tourism economy – so we have to help solve the problems that we partly create.' In late 2024, Potato Head helped launch the Community Waste Project, whose central engine is the aforementioned waste facility processing waste from local businesses. 'We have seven partners, including beach clubs, hotels, and restaurants. We pick up the waste from the different properties, and separate the waste – organic waste goes to the pig farms or becomes compost; plastics are upcycled into products we sell or use at the hotel. 'The goal isn't just to manage waste but to inspire others to do it right.' The resort sorts its waste and repurposes over 99 per cent of it. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Today, Potato Head has achieved just 0.5 per cent landfill waste – meaning only 0.5 per cent of all the waste it generates ends up in a landfill. According to a full audit by EcoMantra, almost all of Potato Head's waste is reused, recycled, composted, or otherwise managed sustainably, making the 15-year-old property Bali's first zero-waste luxury hotel. Waste is delicious The story continues in its kitchens where waste isn't just managed – it's marinated, pickled, fermented, and eventually served. Across Potato Head's six restaurants and bars, the team has committed to what they call 'upcycled menus' – an ambitious plan to ensure that by the end of 2025, at least 25 per cent of their dishes will be made from the by-products of the property itself. In the hands of their culinary R&D chef, Felix Schoener, leftovers aren't scraps – they're ingredients in waiting. Take, for example, the ginger pulp left over from juicing. In most hotel kitchens, that would go straight into the bin. Here, it finds a second life as ginger beer, ginger syrup, or even infused into arak to create an aromatic zero-waste cocktail. A quarter of the dishes are made from byproducts of the hotel. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Unused egg whites from the bakery are reimagined as an umami-rich shoyu-style sauce. Fish scales – not typically the stuff of fine dining – are reborn as crisp, savoury crackers at Ijen, Indonesia's first zero-waste restaurant. And should you find yourself sipping on burnt bread kombucha at Dome, know that the sourdough was yesterday's breakfast, now reincarnated with a little help from fermentation and the transformative power of rice koji. 'Having worked in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, I've seen firsthand how much food gets thrown away in the industry,' Schoener said. 'Here, the goal isn't just to reduce waste – it's to create flavour. Preservation techniques like fermentation or curing don't just save ingredients; they transform the dish into something extraordinary.' Potato Head's Ijen is Indonesia's first zero-waste restaurant. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD This isn't just culinary gimmickry. It's tied to a much larger ambition to heal Bali's food systems from the ground up – starting with the soil itself. The resort has helped over 110 local farmers transition from conventional to organic agriculture since 2024, part of its regenerative farming programme. The mission, as Marcella put it, is simple: 'To repair Bali's soil.' Synthetic fertilisers, Marcella explains, have long damaged the island's land and waterways, a side effect of the race to keep up with hyper-tourism. The hope is that by working directly with farmers – providing education, on-site training, and guaranteed crop absorption – Potato Head can help reshape the island's supply chain, one regenerative harvest at a time. A manifesto in concrete This ethos stretches beyond the kitchen. At Ijen, banana leaves replace plastic wrap, line-caught seafood arrives fresh from local fishers, and the dining room itself is a case study in reuse: terrazzo flooring flecked with broken plates and glass, seat cushions stuffed with foam salvaged from motorcycle seats, and drinking glasses fashioned from repurposed beer bottles. The resort turns the plastic waste it generates into coasters, soap dispensers, tissue holders and other objects for hotel use and sale. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Of course, the entire Potato Head architecture and building design is as much a manifesto as the menu. The resort's newest annexe, Potato Head Studios, was conceived by the Dutch firm OMA, led by David Gianotten, in collaboration with celebrated Indonesian architect Andra Matin. The building's materials tell a story of thoughtful reuse: pink-hued concrete incorporates leftover bricks from the Potato Head's earlier Katamama Suites, while breezeblock walls cast intricate shadows reminiscent of Balinese Tika calendars. Ceiling panels woven from recycled plastic bottles and terrazzo floors made from repurposed concrete waste further underscore the resort's commitment to sustainability. Liina Klauss's popular art installation is made from 5,000 flip-flops left behind on Bali's beaches. PHOTO: DESA POTATO HEAD Eco-mindful art installations punctuate the property: Nano Uhero's bamboo sculpture greets guests with the sound of gongs and a Balinese water blessing. Liina Klauss's much-Instagrammed 5,000 Lost Soles is created from 5,000 flip-flops discarded by tourists on Bali's beaches. At Potato Head, trash isn't something to hide. It's something to work with, to celebrate, to transform. Visit
