Israeli Resort Takes Farm-To-Table To Another Level

While most tourists visiting Israel head to either Jerusalem for the religious sites or Tel Aviv for Los Angeles-like lifestyle, there is a unique farm-to-table resort in the north that's drawing a lot of attention: Mizpe Hayamim. It's a wellness resort but one unlike many others. Not only do they offer a place for tranquility, it's place that allows you to reconnect with nature and nutrition like you've never seen before. It's the definition of farm-to-table with gardens, orchards and livestock onsite. Almost all culinary endeavors on the resort are crafted in-house from resources produced by the property. And with a former Gordon Ramsay apprentice running the kitchen, not only are the creations healthy, they're gourmet. We visited the Rosh Pinah in the Northern tip of Israel to get a taste of the hype and see why it's almost always fully-booked.

Farm To Table...Literally

Israel might be known as the vegan culinary capital of the world and that movement has had ripple effects on the culinary scene. People are way more conscious as to what they are putting in their bodies, where it's coming from and what impact it has on the environment. Hence the blossoming farm-to-table scene that's happening across the country right now.

In most places, the farm-to-table approach typically refers to restaurants or resorts sourcing local ingredients. Most will work within a reasonable 50 or 100-mile radius. At Mizpe Hayamim, the properties boundary is the range what they try to work within.

Rich with 150 acres of farming land, Mizpe Hayamim has created a natural resource of their own that keeps on giving. From flower beds to vegetable gardens to fruit trees to livestock, everything that they need is at their fingertips. More importantly to the customers who visit, it's all organic.

Everything that's produced on the farm gets put to use in the resort. The flowers are used for decoration in the lobby, the produce heads to the resort's two restaurants and the dairy collected goes to the production of cheeses, yogurt and butter. Even little things like jams and soaps are made in-house.

It would be much easier to order in ingredients but that's not the point here. The idea is to build a perfect harmony with nature, make the most it and to provide an incredibly organic experience.

The Dairy Endeavor

A restaurant or a resort having its own garden is rare but it happens. A restaurant or resort having its own dairy program is something that's really hard to find. The great lengths that Mizpe Hayamim goes to in order to produce free range dairy and then churn that into all sorts of products for the restaurant is incredibly laborious. They have separate labs for the cheese, which they age, and the yogurt, which they produce daily.

Those who appreciate hormone-free, antibiotic-free milk from grass-fed, free-range cows will find themselves on cloud nine. While the resort sees a high number of vegans visitors, even they will bend the rules a little bit knowing that the animals are treated well throughout the process.

The Restaurants

Mizpe Hayamim has two restaurants on site: a vegetarian restaurant and an everything restaurant (Muscat). Both offer menus that change based on the produce of the season. Whatever the farm delivers is what the chefs get to work with.

[[{"fid":"5004135","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","alignment":"center","field_image_alt[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_title[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_image_caption[und][0][format]":"filtered_html","field_image_credit[und][0][value]":"Dave%20Golokhov","field_image_credit[und][0][format]":"image_credit","field_has_syndication_rights[und]":"1","field_licensor[und]":"","field_license_id[und][0][value]":""},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default","alignment":"center","field_image_alt[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_title[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_image_caption[und][0][format]":"filtered_html","field_image_credit[und][0][value]":"Dave%20Golokhov","field_image_credit[und][0][format]":"image_credit","field_has_syndication_rights[und]":"1","field_licensor[und]":"","field_license_id[und][0][value]":""}},"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default media-wysiwyg-align-center","data-delta":"1"}}]]

Speaking of the head chef, it's Guy Lasnitzky, who oversees the entire culinary program. He previously worked under Chef Gordon Ramsay at Maze in London. We didn't ask about the stresses of working in a Gordon Ramsay kitchen but the fact that he's cooking at a wellness retreat speaks volumes.

In-House Bakery

Of course, a resort that's doing everything from scratch at this level won't be ordering in any bread. Yes, Mizpe Hayamim has a full-on bakery in-house where they warm ovens are busy producing all sorts of flaky delicacies.

Walk up to the second floor and get a glance inside through the windows. The bakery production is on display every day that they're working, so you can get a sneak peek at what pastries will be served in the farm shop later in the day, or what cakes and cookies will be featured for dessert in the restaurants in the evening. 

Daily Activities

The accommodations are cozy at Mizpe Hayamim as the rooms are stocked with the common comforts. But you're better off spending the majority of your time outside to get a taste of the perfect harmony surrounding you. There's a morning walk through the garden, which gives you the opportunity to see the extent of the production. And feel free to pull a grapefruit or fig off a tree if they're ripe and get a taste of Mother Nature first-hand. The livestock are usually moseying around in their quarters and guests are always welcome to pet. If you're looking for organized activities, there is mediation, yoga and other happenings where you can take in the tranquility.

And lastly, make sure you take in the view. Mizpe Hayamim is located on the side of a mountain with a fantastic view of the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee.

[[{"fid":"5004136","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","alignment":"center","field_image_alt[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_title[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_image_caption[und][0][format]":"filtered_html","field_image_credit[und][0][value]":"Dave%20Golokhov","field_image_credit[und][0][format]":"image_credit","field_has_syndication_rights[und]":"1","field_licensor[und]":"","field_license_id[und][0][value]":""},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"2":{"format":"default","alignment":"center","field_image_alt[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_title[und][0][value]":false,"field_image_caption[und][0][value]":"","field_image_caption[und][0][format]":"filtered_html","field_image_credit[und][0][value]":"Dave%20Golokhov","field_image_credit[und][0][format]":"image_credit","field_has_syndication_rights[und]":"1","field_licensor[und]":"","field_license_id[und][0][value]":""}},"attributes":{"class":"media-element file-default media-wysiwyg-align-center","data-delta":"2"}}]]

The Spa

Mizpe Hayamim has a lovely spa and like the rest of the resort, they are reaping the benefits of the farm. You can unwind in the spa with all sorts of traditional treatments but what makes this one unique is that they're employing many of the herbs from the garden. The scent of fresh Jasmine flows through the air while homemade olive oils and other herbs and spices are put to use for a number of the body and face treatments. It's a nice feeling to be lathered in the natural ingredients rather than chemical-laden creams from far, far away.

Local artists craft homemade soaps, ceramics and candles, which are nice to take home as a souvenir.

Travel expenses for this article were paid for by Israel Tourism.