Gastronomy
Anantara Kihavah Villas entices with award-winning gourmet dining 6 metres underwater
Maldives.net.mv – With 79 grandiose one bedroom pool villas and expansive residences unravelling over two, three and four bedrooms, the best underwater restaurant on earth and a 3:1 staff-guest ratio, Anantara Kihavah Villas in the Baa Atoll UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve is one of the Maldives most resplendent resorts. For the ultimate adventures above and below the water, guests staying here go from their luxurious Over Water Pool Villa with glass-bottomed bathtubs to an underwater restaurant, aptly named SEA, for award-winning gourmet dining and degustation dinners.
Dining at sea
The mirrored interior reflects the surrounding Indian Ocean marine life as you dine on European cuisine and indulge in paired wine suggestions from the resident Wine Guru. Voted by World Travel Awards 2015 as the World’s Best Underwater Hotel Restaurant, SEA doubles as a restaurant and the world’s only underwater wine cellar, with coveted 360 labels in its collection.
“This incredible restaurant offers the unreal experience of dining underwater—no diving gear necessary,” explains General Manager Jean-Marc Ma-Poon. “We’re very honoured and proud to have been acknowledged by World Travel Awards as the World’s Best Underwater Hotel Restaurant. Our underwater dining adventure is right in the heart of Baa Atoll and the only one in the world on the edge of a natural reef. With more than 100 species of marine life swimming around, no matter what the time of day it is, guests can be sure of great views, with delicious cuisine and an enviable wine selection as well!”
SEA serves lunch and dinner, as well as breakfast on request, while taking in the 360-degree view of the Indian Ocean’s mesmerizing marine life around you. Four-course degustation menus are served under the winning combination of Senior Wine Guru Nilesh Bootun’s expertise of varietals and vines, and the culinary ‘Haute & Nouvelle Cuisine’ experience of the resort’s new Executive Chef, Lamberto Valdez.
Imbibing with the finest
Where else can you tour the vineyards of the world six metres underwater? For the second consecutive year, Anantara Kihavah Villa’s acclaimed underwater restaurant SEA received the prestigious three star accolade from World of Fine Wines Magazine. In the publication’s World’s Best Wine Lists, over 4,000 restaurants from around the globe were considered for the awards, with just 896 restaurants bestowed a one, two, or three-star accolade, and only 300 wine lists making it into the top three-star category.
The wine awards have quickly become some of the most prestigious awards within the restaurant community. According to World Sommelier Champion Gerard Bassett, the awards are the pinnacle for a restaurant wine list: “These exciting new global awards are rapidly becoming as coveted as Michelin Stars.” The esteemed panel of senior judges this year included some of the
world’s greatest experts, including Alder Yarrow, Elin McCoy, Ch’ng Poh Tiong, Andrew Jefford, Andreas Larsson, Francis Percival, Tom Stevenson and The World of Fine Wine Editor Neil Beckett.
The World of Fine Wines publication comments, “Few restaurants in the world can claim to offer its guests a view as distractingly gorgeous as that offered by Sea Underwater Wine Cellar and Restaurant […] In such a setting, the food and wine needs to be special if it’s to be anything more than a supporting player. But a glance at the fine international cuisine and extensive collection of bottles suggests a remarkable gastronomic as well as visual spectacle—a spectacle where Michel Picard Puligny-Montrachet 2010 is matched with Atlantic salmon mi-cuit, crisp potatoes galette, snow peas trendrils, and an orange and miso reduction.”
Anantara Kihavah’s Senior Wine Guru, Nilesh Bootun, takes great pride and pleasure sharing his passion for wines says, “Our Wine List enables oenophiles to embark in a journey with amazing adventures from Old World to New World by discovering some prestigious selection among 360 labels, handpicked from 20 renowned wine producing countries including the new horizons such as India, China, Thailand and Turkey. Personal taste always varies from each individual but the preference of enjoying young wines (ready to drink) to vintage treasures (at their peak) would be definitely possible with the 90 year of wine history (from 1924 to 2014) having a selection from each decade.”
Dreaming over the ocean
Also voted by World Travel Awards 2015 as the Leaving Villa Resort in the Maldives, poised over a lagoon with sweeping ocean views are 40 Over Water Pool Villas, arranged in a grand circular formation and interlinked by an overwater bicycle pathway. A tall arched doorway reveals vaulted ceilings and dark hardwood floors, leading to the main bedroom where each villas opens up onto a wraparound deck, and it’s there that Anantara Kihavah Villas epitomises Maldivian luxury. Furnished with a queen-size daybed that swings from the ceiling, hammocks that hang over the lagoon and a ladder that drops you straight into the water, this is where your dreams take a holiday.
The piece de resistance, however, is found in the bathroom. Fronted by floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with step-through access to an oversize plunge pool, it features a glass shower with intricately engraved doors and sweeping Indian Ocean views, an outdoor rainforest shower, his and hers vanities, a cream chaise lounge and a glass-bottomed bathtub that peers down into the sparkling turquoise waters; a quick glance down and you can see tropical fish, a turtle, or even a spotted eagle-rays sweep along the bottom of your tub.
Anantara Kihavah Villas offers exceptional food and wine pairing while staying in the award-winning stylish resort haven of private pool villas, just 35 minutes by seaplane with Maldivian Airways from Male.
Cooking
Domenico Carella and Fabrizio Margarita unite for innovative culinary experience at Patina Maldives
Patina Maldives has announces an exclusive culinary pop-up, Ultra Milano by Domenico Carella, taking place from November 9th to November 13th, 2024. This exclusive experience will showcase the innovative culinary and mixology talents of Domenico Carella, a renowned figure in the food and beverage industry.
Carella has built an impressive career as a professional chef, bartender, and manager. With over a decade of experience, he has mastered the art of blending ingredients and flavours to create dishes that perfectly balance texture and taste. His culinary journey has taken him around the world, earning accolades such as Manager of the Year in Asia by “That’s Shanghai” in 2015.
At this event, Domenico Carella’s mixology will complement Fabrizio Margarita’s pizza artistry, reimagining dining with a sustainable flair at Veli Bar in Patina Maldives, Fari Islands.
Carella’s approach to food and beverage emphasises environmental respect and sustainability. His holistic vision ensures that all departments, from the kitchen to the bar, work harmoniously, aligning the procurement of raw materials to create a unified and sustainable operation.
Food
Feast of flavours at Reethi Beach Resort for World Food Day
Reethi Beach Resort celebrated World Food Day with an unforgettable culinary event that treated guests to a galactic flavour bomb, leaving them full of gratitude and joy.
The resort’s main restaurant hosted an expansive festival of global cuisine, featuring a diverse array of dishes including Chinese, Spanish, French, Italian, Indian & Sri Lankan, Maldivian, Asian, Neptune, Island Grill, Tex-Mex, and Mediterranean. Guests expressed their thanks, with some quoting, “Right place at the right time!” as they savored every dish. The night was truly one to remember.
Guests remained seated throughout the evening, eagerly waiting to experience each cuisine. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and appreciation as one guest humorously remarked, “Unfortunately, there is so much to try!” The vibrant range of flavojrs and expertly prepared dishes, coupled with live saxophone music, created an electric ambiance that transformed the dinner into an extraordinary celebration.
Executive Chef Farish shared his thoughts on the event: “We wanted to take our guests on a culinary journey around the world, and seeing their joy as they explored each dish was incredibly rewarding. The team worked tirelessly to ensure every bite was perfect, and their gratitude means everything to us.”
Guests were treated to live cooking action stations, where chefs demonstrated their skills with flair, engaging with diners and adding to the lively, interactive experience. From fresh seafood to international grills, every dish highlighted the expertise of the culinary team.
General Manager, Valentin Osolos, reflected on the success of the night, saying: “This celebration truly captured the spirit of World Food Day: a night of indulgence and joy, where our guests came together over incredible food. We are proud to have created such a memorable experience for them.”
The combination of exquisite food, warm gratitude from the guests, and the festive atmosphere made World Food Day at Reethi Beach Resort an outstanding success, leaving guests eagerly awaiting more experiences like this in the future.
Drink
From champagne dinners to wagyu pop-ups: gourmet journey at One&Only Reethi Rah
One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives is set to welcome culinary enthusiasts to a unique journey of exclusive dining experiences this November and December. From refined Champagne and whisky dinners to indulgent Wagyu burger pop-ups at the resort’s lively Beach Club, guests will embark on a flavourful journey tailored to satisfy even the most refined palates.
Guests can immerse themselves in the sophisticated elegance of Drappier Champagne while overlooking the stunning Indian Ocean. Hosted by Michel Drappier, the 7th generation of the founding family, this evening offers insights into the 62-hectare vineyards where the iconic Drappier Champagne vintages are produced. The experience will be complemented by an exquisite pairing dinner and live acoustic music.
On the shores of One&Only Reethi Rah, guests are invited to explore the rich flavours of Glenmorangie Scotch Whisky paired with Australia’s famous Blackmore Wagyu. This evening will feature insights into Glenmorangie’s craft, led by the celebrated master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden, and include guidance from wine and spirits expert Kamal Malik on the art of pairing.
This flavourful afternoon will spotlight Wagyu burgers featuring Rhônes, a rare, 100% grass-fed breed from award-winning Blackmore Wagyu. Typically reserved for the world’s most exclusive restaurants, Rhônes beef—limited to just 50 cattle annually—is available in the Maldives only at One&Only Reethi Rah.
At Reethi Restaurant, diners can savour exquisite sakes alongside breathtaking ocean views. With selections ranging from refreshing Naraman to aromatic Eisen, guests will enjoy a spectrum of balanced notes and flavours in the company of Michael Campion, Managing Director of the renowned Four Fox Sake.
The season’s culinary pinnacle will be a series of pop-ups led by chef Mauro Colagreco, bringing the celebrated flavours and techniques of Mirazur, the three-Michelin-star restaurant, to the shores of One&Only Reethi Rah. Taking place from December 21-28, the events will highlight locally sourced ingredients in line with Chef Mauro’s Circular Gastronomy philosophy, which harmonises haute cuisine with a profound respect for nature and local communities.
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