Itisha Ismail

Director NGO Malaysia

2024 marks the 12^th year since Itisha and Simon started the eco travel company Bike and Tours in Lahad Datu, Sabah.  Throughout these 12 precious years, both absorbed the learning curve Sabah has to offer covering various spectrum including areas of tours and travel (of course), hospitality, ecotourism, reforestation and community collaboration. Of recent years due to circumstances the direction of Bike and Tours has taken a different turn and the focus is growing more seriously into food & agro- tourism through syntropic farming.

Itisha’s passion and interest lies in food culture despite her areas of studies and past tenures that has absolutely nothing to do with food. As she stares at her academic achievement - MBA in International Business from University of Southern Queensland certificate framed and placed at her office desk, there is always the inner voice that says it should have been a Masters in Gastronomy instead! Whilst this door is still open, Itisha co-founded Hawa’s Artisan Kitchen (HAK) under Bike and Tours food tourism arm. The home cooked food offered to guests at HAK is focused on heritage Malaysian dishes using sustainable ingredients grown locally following syntropic farming practices whenever possible.

Not a popular opinion to some but the rising number of restaurants/cafes in Lahad Datu have little respect to both diners and mother nature. Majority of diners do not mind being served with one time use plastic utensils & cutleries or feasting on frozen mass produced, heavily processed fast food served to the table. It will be a long journey, but it must start somewhere. Thereby, Itisha takes on the responsibility and commitment as Director at SynBorneo. It is with much hope that SynBorneo could bring not just the idea but the practice of having wholesome, clean, fresh food to the table that is mindful to the environment and to those who plants, source, cooks and consumes.

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