Switching now to other news...
Like most Belizeans, you probably had eggs for breakfast today. Well, so did our news team, except they probably weren't like the ones at your table. That's because they weren't the normal chicken eggs you buy from the grocery store.
Volstruis Restaurant has begun serving ostrich eggs - yes, from those same ostriches you saw back in 2022 when 7News first visited Nancy Marin's farm.
And today's spread included other meats, breads, and cheeses Marin made from ingredients gathered from her farm. But the star, of course, was the ginormous sunny side up egg that was split between almost 10 people. Courtney Menzies was one of them, and she has this story.
Courtney Menzies
"This is the aftermath of the first ever ostrich-egg breakfast in Belize. It's served right here at the Volstruis restaurant, managed by Nancy Marin. As you can see, there's still a good chunk left - that's because this is not your ordinary chicken egg - and an egg this big can mean big things for Belize."
Nancy Marin, Owner, Volstruis Restaurant/Ostrich Farmer
"It is super exciting, we had previous anticipated that we were going to do this in 2025 because we wanted to make sure that we had numbers that we could provide because I really wanted to be able to see to resorts so that we could supply the tourism industry. Obviously, it would be good business, but also something new for Belize and I always get excited when Belize has something new and exciting to offer to visitors but I decided that, one, we've invested a lot and we do need to start seeing some profits after just putting in, and two, I just was excited to share with you guys and for Belizeans to taste it because it's important to get buy in, it's important to hear what you guys said, you know, it's buttery, it's nice, it's filling and as soon as Belizeans can taste the eggs, the meat, we get buy in and we see how culturally acceptable it is."
And when the news of an ostrich farm in Belize first came to light, there was a lot of skepticism, and a lot of meetings to get it regulated. But now, the restaurant is open for business and has been seeing a lot of demand. And according to Minister Kareem Musa, it may just be Belize's next industry.
Kareem Musa, Minister of New Growth Industries
"It's not often that ministers get to be a part of something so groundbreaking and soon to be extremely trending in Belize. This, as you know, is an industry that has been coming along over the course of the last two years thanks to the tenacity of Nancy and Jaime, we've seen them go from success to success starting originally with two birds and expanding to the point that we can actually enjoy eggs today and I'm so proud to have been one of the firsts, along with yourself, to try a sunny side up ostrich egg, completely intriguing experience, tastes absolutely delicious for those of you who are wondering and certainly a must try, if you're up this side in Cayo, to come and try out the ostrich egg and also they have ostrich meat as well so you can have burgers and different types of products on the menu so it's an honor for me to be here to celebrate and to congratulate Nancy and Jamie on this accomplishment."
"It's going to be exponential in terms of its growth, we can see once the ostriches start laying, say, 40, 50 eggs per year, we can see where the market will grow, not just for the local market but for the resorts as well, are already asking Nancy when they can get a hold of a few of these eggs because we can see the demand is going to be there."
But a breakfast this luxurious - estimated to be able to feed about 10 people - isn't cheap or easy to make. In fact, even cracking the egg takes a lot of care and precision - and even a few threats.
Nancy Marin, Owner, Volstruis Restaurant/Ostrich Farmer
"You actually have to carve around the egg and then try to crack so as to not destroy the entire egg. My husband did the cracking and I told him, I will strangle you if you destroy my shell, so he had to be careful. Last year when I did it, I did it with a hammer, he did it with knife and chisels today. You guys will see the footage, it's very different, a chicken egg, you hold it with one hand and you crack it. The ostrich egg, he had to be holding it when we put it in the pot, the cook and I had to hold the two sides of the pot, pour it in so as to not break the yolk, we wanted you guys to see the full egg and the yolk intact but it's not easy, it's not an easy task to break it, it's not an easy task to cook it and then it's not an easy to take it out from the pot into the serving platter you saw. And sometimes the little edges get compromised but we were happy we were able to give you the full yolk so you could see the full magnificence of the ostrich egg."
And if you can't make it for breakfast, there's always lunch, and with ostrich burgers this big, you may need to take the afternoon off of work.
And there's no part of the ostrich that goes to waste, since Marin also makes artwork out of the eggs, as well as jewelry out of the feathers, and even leather products.
And while she and her husband do much of the heavy lifting, she also has a lot of help from her staff, including her ostrich wrangler.
Jen Martinez, Ostrich Wrangler
"Like any animal, an ostrich, you still have to be alert around an ostrich, you can't just let down your guard, ostriches are very peaceful animals, they get attached to their handlers, so that's something very nice, you get to learn their personality and everything but another thing, an ostrich is very easily scared so you have to always be alert."
"Then the caretaking, dietary, make sure you're keeping a steady diet to get a better outcome of eggs, which is what we're hoping for right now and meat as well."
Courtney Menzies:
"When you saw this breakfast this morning knowing all the work you've personally put in, how did that make you feel?"
Jen Martinez, Ostrich Wrangler
"Very proud, very excited, not nervous, I know a lot of us were feeling nervous, but not nervous, very excited. Hopeful, it makes me hopeful."
And Marin is also hopeful that many other Belizeans will get the chance to add something a little more adventurous to their menu.
Nancy Marin, Owner, Volstruis Restaurant/Ostrich Farmer
"In other countries, the ostrich egg is a very exclusive, very expensive breakfast or brunch, very expensive meal, and I think that Belize deserves to have that. together we have struggled a lot in Belize and we have tried a lot of things, have failed, have tried again and you guys have followed me through the struggle and I think it's not just for me, it's for you guys, it's for us, it's for Belize. I am excited that Belize can have a new cuisine, a different cuisine, and we can join countries like South Africa, like Germany, like Russia that can provide this for visitors visiting Belize."
And if you're looking to meet your fitness goal for the day, one egg is about 2,000 calories, over 200 grams of protein, and they have a lot less sodium.
But if you want to try it out, you'll have to book it in advance - and be prepared to pay the $500 price tag.
Volstruis Restaurant is located in Georgeville in the Cayo District.
