“I was a guest in restaurants everyday and I complained in many restaurants. Somebody told me why don’t you open a restaurant by yourself. So I was brought here, this was available and the rent was good. I said “OK I will work for two years here and then I will go back in Italy to retire. This was 24 years ago” Valentino Valenti said when we asked about his restaurant Il-Panzier.
Even though he didn’t plan to own the restaurant for such a long time, he invested in energy efficient equipment and lighting from the beginning. The restaurant comes with its own private garden where people dine amongst crops and herbs being grown by Valentino himself. Produces which he uses in the food cooked at the restaurant.
“We keep our kitchen supplied with fresh herbs all year round with varieties that thrive on our sunny courtyard enjoying natural light and the sun. In such environment growing herbs is relatively easy, and the results are fantastic. Who can resist a sprig of fresh basil atop a spaghetti bolognaise? Or parsley chopped on roasted meat? This not only saves us money, but will consume less in terms of pollution to travel and land which can be easily used to grow other crops”.
To date he still keeps on reducing his consumption by following simple measures like hydrating his local foods and herbs and using the sun instead of electrical dehydrators.
