Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) welcomes Chef Romain Dupeyre, executive chef and founder of Michelin-starred Racines in Hong Kong, to the Maldives.

On 20 September, Chef Dupeyre will lead the inaugural masterclass at the ‘Studio of Culinary Excellence’, a model kitchen donated by BBM to the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies (FHTS) at The Maldives National University (MNU).

The masterclass will feature a live cooking demonstration followed by an interactive food appreciation session. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

After the masterclass, Chef Dupeyre will head to Atmosphere Sangeli to host a guest culinary event.

A native of Nice on the Mediterranean coast in the South of France, Chef Dupeyre began his career at 15 as an apprentice at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant, La Chèvre d’Or. He later worked in Ireland, Paris, Melbourne and Bangkok before moving to Hong Kong in 2019, where he was the chef de cuisine at Petrus in the Island Shangri-La.

In November 2022, he founded Racines, a restaurant inspired by the culinary traditions of southern France. Racines earned its first Michelin star in 2024 and retained the distinction in 2025 and 2026.

The Studio of Culinary Excellence is an initiative by the Chairman and Managing Director of BBM, Mr Ismail Hilmy. The Studio gives culinary students access to world-class facilities and training aligned to international industry standards.

Bringing leading international chefs to the studio is central to this initiative. Chef Dupeyre’s visit marks the first step in that programme.

BBM is a leading importer and distributor serving Maldivian hospitality, food-service, FMCG retail and consumer-durables sectors. The company represents a broad portfolio of international brands and provides products and solutions to businesses throughout the Maldives.

Through its philosophy, “…because tomorrows start today,” BBM supports initiatives that promote long-term industry development, professional growth and opportunities for the people and communities connected to the Maldivian hospitality sector.

For wine lovers and curious travellers alike, there are few experiences as captivating as discovering a wine with a story. And few stories are as compelling as that of Bodegas Viñátigo a winery born from the volcanic soils of Tenerife, where winemakers have spent over thirty years bringing nearly forgotten grape varieties back to life.

This November, that story arrives once again in the Maldives, as THE OZEN COLLECTION hosts the sixth annual Bodegas Viñátigo Wine Master Class, a rare and immersive journey through the flavours, traditions, and artistry of the Canary Islands.

The journey begins at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO from 23^rd to 25^th November with The Submerged Cellar Soirée at M6m, the iconic underwater restaurant six metres beneath the lagoon, with the experimental underwater aged wines as welcome drink and a curated menu celebrating land and sea is thoughtfully paired with the expressive wines of Tenerife. The exploration continues across the resort’s signature dining venues, each offering a distinct perspective on the Bodegas Viñátigo collection. At Sea, Salt & Soy, the bold flavours of Pan-Asian cuisine meet the nuanced elegance of Canarian wines at TRADITION PEKING, creating a symphony of taste and texture. The experience culminates with Brunch with Shakespeare, a refined and poetic conclusion to the Maadhoo chapter, where wine, food, and storytelling converge beneath the Maldivian sun.

“Our wines from Tenerife’s volcanic soil to the pristine shores of the Maldives has been an extraordinary experience,” shares Juan Jesús Méndez. “Our collaboration with THE OZEN COLLECTION has allowed us to share these remarkable wines with a global audience. The continued enthusiasm from our guests encourages us to create even more expressions of our wines.”

The vinous voyage continues at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI from 27^th to 29^th November, where curated dinners and tastings explore the artistry of the wines through innovative culinary collaborations. The journey begins with The Sand Cellar Soirée at ORIGINꓱ, a contemporary dining experience that pairs the depth of volcanic wines with modern gastronomic artistry. A Pan-Asian dinner at Sand, Smoke & Soy brings together two distinctive culinary traditions in a creative dialogue, exploring the harmony between bold island flavours and the heritage of the Canary Islands. The experience culminates with Sunset with Shakespeare, an intimate beachside wine pairing offering guests the rare opportunity to engage directly with the Bodegas Viñátigo wine makers, connect with the passion and heritage behind each vintage, and toast to an unforgettable journey.

“Canary wine is a story of land, tradition, and connection. My journey with Bodegas Viñátigo has taken me to the annual harvest in Tenerife recently, where I witnessed the care and precision that shape every vintage. That experience brought a new level of detail and understanding to our collaboration, reinforcing our commitment to bringing guests not just a wine, but a sense of place. This partnership has enriched our offering and deepened our dedication to authentic, terroir-driven experiences,” said Rohit Salunke, Assistant Director of Wines at Atmosphere Core, said about his experience with the wine makers.

Since 2021, THE OZEN COLLECTION and Bodegas Viñátigo have shared a commitment to authenticity, craftsmanship, and the art of winemaking. Each year, this exclusive collaboration brings the rare volcanic wines of Tenerife to the shores of the Maldives, offering guests an intimate glimpse into the heritage and passion behind every vintage. Over the years, the programme has evolved into a signature event on the Maldivian luxury calendar, a celebration of terroir, tradition, and the enduring bond between two island cultures.

As part of the resort’s all-encompassing RESERVE™ Plan and INDULGENCE™ Plan, this once-a-year experience invites guests to indulge in an extraordinary celebration of wine, cuisine, and island beauty. With limited spaces and a programme designed to enchant both connoisseurs and newcomers alike, we encourage you to reserve your place and raise a glass to the artistry of land, sea, and timeless craft.

Finolhu, a Seaside Collection Resort, will welcome the distinctive wines of Central Otago, New Zealand, for two intimate Sato Wine Dinners this September, bringing together expressive winemaking and the resort’s award-winning culinary creativity in two of its signature dining settings.

Taking place on 23 September at Kanusan and 27 September at Crab Shack, the evenings will invite guests to discover a curated selection of Sato wines, each thoughtfully paired with a specially crafted menu by Finolhu’s culinary team. Designed to complement the individual character of every pour, the menus will create a journey through flavour, provenance and craftsmanship against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean.

Founded in 2009 by husband-and-wife winemakers Yoshiaki and Kyoko Sato, Sato Wines is a boutique producer based in Central Otago, one of New Zealand’s most celebrated wine regions. Following careers in international banking in Tokyo and London, the couple pursued their passion for winemaking, studying viticulture and oenology and gaining valuable winemaking experience across several countries before establishing their own vineyard in Central Otago.

At the heart of Sato is a philosophy centred on organic and biodynamic farming and minimal-intervention winemaking, allowing the character of the grapes, vineyard and vintage to take centre stage. Today, their wines have developed a devoted international following for their purity, finesse and distinctive expression of Central Otago.

The collaboration finds a natural home at Finolhu, where gastronomy is an integral part of the island experience. From relaxed barefoot dining along its famous two-kilometre sandbank to refined overwater cuisine, each of the resort’s restaurants brings together its own culinary identity, atmosphere and sense of place.

The first Sato Wine Dinner on 23 September will unfold at Kanusan, Finolhu’s award-winning overwater fine-dining restaurant, where classical and contemporary Japanese influences provide a contrasting setting for the second specially curated Sato pairing menu.

On 27 September, the experience moves to Crab Shack, Finolhu’s laid-back, toes-in-the-sand dining destination at the end of the sandbank. Surrounded by the lagoon and the relaxed rhythm of island life, the setting will provide an informal yet memorable backdrop for the evening’s wine and food pairings.

The dinners follow Finolhu’s recent recognition as one of the Best Culinary Resorts at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2026, celebrating the resort’s commitment to making gastronomy an essential part of the guest journey. From thoughtfully developed menus and international influences to distinctive settings shaped by the surrounding Maldivian landscape, Finolhu continues to approach dining as an experience that extends far beyond the plate.

The Sato Wine Dinners add another chapter to this culinary story, offering guests an opportunity to discover one of Central Otago’s distinctive boutique producers while experiencing Finolhu’s creativity through two very different island dining experiences.

For more information and reservations, visit finolhu.com.