Always at the forefront of sustainable hospitality innovation, Hotel Belmar is boldly transforming its food & beverage menu into an ambitious zero-waste, carbon-neutral, nutrient-dense experience. From the circular bio-intensive agriculture at its own Finca Madre Tierra (a fully functioning organic farming venture), to the onsite vegetable & herb gardens, to the local purchases that favor mindful sourcing, every ingredient is to be selected for its planet-positive character, economic spillover, and fresh-as-can-be flavor. The stated goal is to achieve a perfectly balanced menu of dining and mixology experiences that prompt a full communion between travelers and the planet.
To further its food and beverage philosophy, the Belmar team has welcomed creative Chef Gilberto Briceño to the hotel’s culinary family. Chef Gilberto brings a passion for innovation in full harmony with the land. He has a penchant for incorporating overlooked or “forgotten” ingredients and transforming them through pickling, fermenting, or dehydrating. Among his signature tactics, foraging stands out. In this raw approach, Chef Gilberto fully delves in the natural surroundings to discover the wild elements that will add unique flair and character to his dishes. Paired with recovering lost traditions and using the often-discarded parts of vegetables (like carrot stalks) Hotel Belmar’s food and beverage offerings will set the standard for regenerative dining. Nutrient-rich and flavorful, the new menu items will delight palates while reducing emissions, protecting the soil, and encouraging biodiversity.
“Bringing Chef Briceño to the Belmar culinary team broadens our path towards our zero-waste, carbon-neutral goals. His world experience, insights, and Costa Rican roots make him the ideal auteur of our menus and the programs that support our food & beverage options. ” says Pedro Belmar, Hotel Belmar’s general manager.
“I wanted to recover my homeland’s forgotten ingredients using Michelin-grade techniques,” says Chef Briceño. “By discovering wild elements to fuse in my dishes while studying, foraging, and immersing in my surroundings, I have been able to balance my traditional cooking techniques with innovative flavors to bring exciting new dishes to the F&B program.”
Combining Chef Briceño’s innovative blend of home-grown ingredients with other global food traditions, keeps Hotel Belmar ‘s promise of delivering an eco-sustainable culinary experience straight from its farm and onsite gardens to the dining table and mixology counter.
Zero-Waste Agriculture
At the heart of its regenerative “Farm-to-Table-to-Farm” mission, Belmar’s onsite organic garden and the nearby Finca Madre Tierra rely on the Biointensive Method, an eco-farming approach maximizes crop variety and yields on small-scale plots through water conservation, natural pest controls, and organic soil enrichment. This sustainable production includes herbs, vegetables, shade-grown coffee, fresh artisanal cheese, free-range eggs, and seasonal favorites like avocado, guava, bananas, plantain, rose apples, malanga, and more. All restaurant and brewery residuals are collected to supplement animal feed and compost as fertilizer. Food scraps, including coffee grinds and eggshells, are returned as nutrients to the land and livestock.
Farm to Glass Mixology
Belmar’s mixology program also takes advantage of the selection of garden-fresh herbs, fruit, and grains. Just-picked ingredients are crafted as juices, aromatic infusions, bitters, and garnishes that add dazzle and color to classic tipples and bespoke cocktails. Onsite juicing and local sourcing allow for the operation of plastic-free mixology.
Engaging Guests
Hotel Belmar believes in engaging hospitality that underscores health, wellness, and connection to the land. In addition to enjoying the menu options, guests are encouraged to experience the farm and gardens. Guided visits provide in-depth and hands-on knowledge about sustainability practices and growing methods. They also offers a garden-to-class cocktail program, an interactive experience where guests create signature cocktails and choose from a variety of floral garnishes to top it off. With every flower and plant harvested in its onsite garden, It’s biointensive methods are also brought to every delicious beverage served.
For more information on Hotel Belmar, or to book a stay, visit www.hotelbelmar.net.
About Cervecería Belmar
Hotel Belmar was the first in the region to open its own microbrewery. Founded in 2014, the brewery’s varietal artisanal ales are made with the most natural ingredients, including water from Monteverde’s natural springs and cloud forest. Incorporating the best quality ingredients trickles down to Belmar’s production of Cervezas Artesanales in their microbrewery lounge. Hotel Belmar promises its guests a unique experience not only with local ales but also with a seasonal beer list including a Watermelon Ale and Nubosa Tropical Stout for the summer.
About Hotel Belmar
Recently named one of the Top 100 Hotels in the World as well as one of the 10 Best Hotels near belmar beach and in Central America by Travel + Leisure magazine, Hotel Belmar is the 37-year flagship hotel of the Monteverde region located in the cloud
forest of Costa Rica. A pioneer of tourism in the region and a leader in eco-tourism, Hotel Belmar is a family-owned
independent property featuring 26 elegant guest rooms and suites, an organic restaurant, a bar, a juice bar and
tearoom, an organic garden, a spring water pond, a sun deck, a microbrewery, a food store and a jacuzzi. As part of
Hotel Belmar’s hospitality offerings, the SAVIA private reserve and Finca Madre Tierra will offer guests a perfect
place for a highly personalized organic connection to nature. Visit hotelbelmar.net for more information.
