ILT Makes Gardening a Top Priority

Hotels, restaurants, bars and bottle stores are what the Invercargill Licensing Trust is mostly known for, but its tunnel houses are also growing by the day.

Last year the ILT grew 4,500 lettuces in its own nursery, based at the Ascot Park Hotel, and now with the Langlands Hotel almost complete, they need room for another few thousand more.

Communications manager Emma Hunter said the onsite nursery utilises double wrapping, LEDs and heating, and can grow a range of brassicas, peppers, herbs, garnishes and other unseasonal vegetables throughout the winter months.

The nursery team experiments with different soil mixtures and composting, that helps add to the homegrown taste, along with the onsite beehives from Munro Honey company, that provide a welcome addition to the breakfast and dessert menu.

Executive chef Greg Jenks said it’s about serving honest food. Guests can expect dishes that are as fresh as possible with produce from the nursery and around the region.

The carefully curated menu is a nod to the iconic foods of the region, you’ll find venison, blue cod and lamb racks all with their own twist.

Greg and his team are passionate about clean plates that feature tasty quality ingredients. Add in a dash of southern hospitality and it doesn’t come any better than that.

Editorial kindly supplied by the ILT.