Hammett’s Monastik: only locally sourced ingredients and traditional preservation techniques

Hammett's Collection adds another restaurant to its list. Hammett’s Monastik in Sliema, using only locally sourced ingredients and traditional techniques of preservation

Hammett's Collection opens fourth restaurant in the heart of Sliema
Hammett's Collection opens fourth restaurant in the heart of Sliema

Hammett's Collection adds another restaurant to its list. Hammett’s Monastik has recently opened its doors on the Tigne Seafront in Sliema. The award winning company led by restaurateur Chris Hammett and head chef Jorge Lugo is determined to start a new chapter with its latest venture with a focus on local produce and sustainability.

The menu is inspired by continental European cuisine, using only locally sourced ingredients and traditional techniques of preservation to get the best out of the seasonal produce available at the time, such as pickling and fermentation.

These techniques used by monasteries to be self-sufficient are adopted in the restaurant, as well as the objective to live off the local land. Hence the name Monastik.

Using only local produce means that a close relationship has been cultivated with dedicated local farmers who only use sustainable organic practices and cultivate their crops pesticide free, so they can offer the finest ingredients whilst also taking care of the land for future generations.

The goal is to serve solely Maltese grown or caught food in the coming months. This comes with its challenges with ingredients such as sugar and oil to cook with, but sustainable alternatives have been found by studying the history books. Besides that, grains cultivated for the production of flour are currently not harvested in Malta anymore, but the restaurant is joining forces with a local farmer to revive these and other industries.

Meat is purchased from local farmers and is bought whole, to respect the animal by using every part of it in a concept of nose-to-tail eating. The team is slowly getting more involved with the growing of the animals and hope to be able to say that all our animals will be fed 100% organic food and be treated in a better way in the industry in the coming years. Monastik’s wines and cocktails are (created with ingredients) sourced from suppliers who use sustainable practices as well. Therefore, the mixologists can offer a cocktail list with many “100% organic” markings.

Like the other Hammett's establishments, Hammett’s Monastik works with a shared meal format. It’s encouraged that multiple dishes are ordered per table to be shared among guests. The idea is that patrons don’t only eat for sustenance, but also to share an experience with their fellow diners to bond and reconnect with them as well as create your own tasting ‘menu’ This also drives the kitchen team to constantly change the menu depending on what is available at the best possible time and allows guests to have a different tasting experience every time Hammett’s Monastik is open for breakfast, happy hour and dinner.

This is the fourth restaurant that has opened as part of IBB Hammett’s Collection Ltd. The other restaurants are Hammett’s Gastro Bar serving Asian Fusion dishes in Sliema, Hammett’s Macina Restaurant serving Ethnic Mediterranean dishes in Senglea and Hammett’s Mestizo serving meso South American food in St Julian’s.

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