JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa Holds Inaugural Summer Solstice Garden Party To Celebrate First Anniversary Of Its JW Garden

After its first full year of operation, the JW Garden has become the cornerstone of the resort’s innovative approach to sustainability and its pioneering circular dining practices

SINGAPORE (26 June, 2025) – JW Marriott properties worldwide came together last weekend to celebrate the inaugural Summer Solstice Garden Party, a new global event introduced by the brand to honor the longest day of the year and its connection to nature, abundance, and renewal.

At JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa, the occasion held special significance as it marked the first anniversary of the resort’s pioneering JW Garden, a full farm model which at 27 acres in size makes it not only the largest JW Garden in Asia but also the largest outside the United States. 

The milestone was celebrated with an immersive afternoon and evening of mindfulness, connection, and sustainability. The thoughtfully curated program began with botanical-inspired refreshments at the Yoga Shala, followed by a calming sound bath and a live painting session by Phuket-based artist Ludalet, whose artwork captured the spirit of the JW Garden.

The celebration continued with the JW Garden Story Walk, led by chefs and storytellers who shared the garden’s role in the resort’s groundbreaking circular gastronomy and sustainability programs.  The evening culminated in a lively alfresco garden party, featuring a soulful menu crafted from JW Garden ingredients and upcycled produce, showcasing the resort’s innovative approach to sustainable dining.

The launch of the Summer Solstice Garden Party marks the beginning of a meaningful new tradition for JW Marriott properties worldwide. Rooted in the brand’s values of mindfulness, nourishment and togetherness, the new event aims to inspire deeper connections with nature and promote sustainable practices.

The JW Garden: A Story of Impact and Innovation

Since its launch on 30 April 2024, the 27-acre JW Garden has flourished to become a cornerstone of JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa’s farm-to-table philosophy and the embodiment of its innovative sustainability practices. Over the course of its first year, the garden has been quietly reshaping the way the resort operates, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

The garden has produced over 5.8 tons of fresh organic vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers, supplying the kitchens with ingredients that travel just steps from soil to plate. This organic abundance has not only elevated the culinary experience for guests but has significantly reduced the need for imported produce, thus lowering the resort’s carbon footprint.

But the JW Garden’s story is not just about what it grows—it’s also about how it has inspired creative sustainability solutions. The resort’s garden has become the inspiration for further innovation in circular gastronomy. Surplus fruit trimmings are transformed into over 2,100 liters of fresh juice, while over 1000kgs of leftover watermelon rind has found new life as either tangy pickles or handcrafted candy.

Even breakfast bread that would otherwise go to waste has been repurposed into 684 kilograms of circular sourdough, served fresh each morning.  Other achievements include 58kg of potato peels reused as tasty home-made chips, 86.8kg of unused boiled rice transformed into artisanal rice crackers and 128kg of left over focaccia and egg-shells from the JW Garden used to craft the resort’s signature circular pasta, which is featured at events like the popular La Festa sunset barbecue.

The garden’s reach extends beyond the plate too. Nearly 5 tons of used coffee grounds from the resort’s cafes have been repurposed as natural fertilizer, enriching the soil and supporting the next harvest. Ashes from the resort’s wood-fired ovens at Olive and Drift Beach Bar & Grill are similarly reused as a nutrient-rich soil enhancer.

Spearheaded by previous Cluster Director of Culinary, Silvano Amolini, and passionately carried forward by the resort’s culinary team, these efforts have turned the JW Garden into a model of collaboration and sustainability, where teams from the garden, kitchens, and engineering departments work hand-in-hand to bring these ideas to life, demonstrating that even small, intentional steps can make a meaningful difference.

The garden has also enriched the lives of the resort’s guests and staff. Over 4,500 visitors have explored its winding paths, learning more about sustainable practices and gaining a deeper appreciation for where their food comes from as well as participating in full classroom sessions led by the resort’s resident environmentalist at the on-site Environmental School. These sessions are often combined with active participation in the Nipa Palm reforestation program, fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability and the importance of preserving our coastal ecosystem.

For the resort’s kitchens, the JW Garden is a source of pride, with over 90% of eggs now coming either from cage-free sources or directly from the garden itself. The resort currently receives some 2-300 pasteurised eggs a day from the 300 hens on the farm, ensuring a steady supply of fresh, safe ingredients for the resort’s operations.

The resort has also proudly begun producing its own goat’s cheese, crafted in-house with milk from the farm’s resident goats — further strengthening the farm-to-table philosophy. A cross-pollination program, supported by dedicated butterfly and bee conservation efforts, also plays a key role in promoting biodiversity and preserving the natural health of the land.

For added significance of the resort’s efforts towards nature conservation and regenerative tourism, two six-month old baby sharks from its Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Center, operated in partnership with Oceans For All Foundation, were returned to their natural habitat. The purpose-built nursery is a dedicated marine sanctuary for the Andaman Sea’s threatened bamboo sharks and offers a unique experience for guests to make a positive impact on the local marine environment as part of Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy^TM.

These achievements, while perhaps modest in the context of a full resort operation, nonetheless represent a growing commitment to sustainability that is both inspiring and replicable. The JW Garden is proof that progress begins with a single seed—both literal and metaphorical.