Gastronomy
Anantara Veli Resort welcomes Bobby Chinn for a San Pellegrino Fine Dining Lovers event to the Maldives
Maldives.net.mv – Anantara Veli Resort welcomes celebrity TV Chef Bobby Chinn for a special guest appearance at 73 Degrees restaurant for one night only, 11 May 2016. In association with Fine Dining Lovers, the event is a continuation of an exclusive series at Anantara resorts across the Maldives, featuring culinary collaborations with San Pellegrino’s Fine Dining Lovers and award-winning chefs from the 50 Best restaurant series and beyond.
Bobby Chinn from House of Ho restaurant in London will appear for one night at Anantara Veli as a Guest Chef, followed by two events combining fishing trips and dining around the table with Bobby. Likeminded food lovers will gather in the serene ambiance of the luxury adults-only resort for an evening of exotic flavours and shared conversation on May 11. The following two days, guests can join Bobby on fishing trips and celebrate the catch with Anantara’s signature Dine By Design experience on the beach front, hosted by Bobby at the table.
Internationally renowned television presenter, chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Bobby Chinn has lived in Vietnam since 1996. Half Egyptian and half Chinese, he established his restaurant Bobby Chinn in Hanoi and his profile quickly rose on the culinary scene. Over his career, he has cooked for a number of personalities, including Bill Clinton in 2011 and Bob Dylan on his Asian Tour. In 2013, Bobby moved to London to open his new restaurant, the House of Ho. In his book on Vietnamese Food, Chef Anthony Bourdain described him as “an international man of mystery” and “what Bobby doesn’t know about Southeast Asian food isn’t worth knowing”.
At Anantara Veli Resort, where part of the focus is on achieving a healthy balanced lifestyle, Chef Bobby will indulge guests with the wonders of his dishes that bring a mix of global ingredients and sustainable choices to a fine dining level. “The team at Anantara Veli is tremendously excited to welcome Bobby Chin to the resort and we are particularly excited that he will be working with our resident Ayurveda doctor from our Sundari Ayurvdic Spa. Together they will create a brand new addition to the Anantara Spice Spoons Cooking Class series, focusing purely on Ayurveda cuisine. This collaboration takes healthy eating to a whole different level and fits our luxury offering, with some items being incorporated to our daily culinary choices.” says Anantara Veli General Manager Coetzer Deysel.

Among the signature dishes showcasing just why Bobby Chinn is a master of combining flavours into new dishes, the six-course menu served on May 11 will include Oyster brûlée, sake sabayon, Foie Gras wrapped Fig Port Jus, Sake steamed lobster risotto, Seared Scallops braised with edamame truffle pea jus and a Rack of Lamb with Asian Ratatouille. Additionally, a menu of the finest spirits and wines will be selected by Anantara’s Wine Guru and Executive Chef Walter Butti to complement the exclusive Fine Dining Lovers event.
“As part of our ongoing partnership with Anantara, collaborating with the skilled and entertaining chef Bobby Chinn on healthy cuisine, fine dining and bringing him to the luxury resort surroundings of Anantara is a perfect match for S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. It will be a unique Fine Dining Lovers event in the Maldives that really highlights how healthy cuisine can be indulgent too”, says Filippo Cassabgi, Area Manager for San Pellegrino.
Available to guests at Anantara Veli Resort, Anantara Dhigu Resort and Nalahdu Maldives, as well as those staying at other resorts near South Male Atoll, this month’s one-of-a-kind offering priced at USD 165++ per person for the dinner on May 11, including wine pairing, can be booked by calling Anantara Reservations directly at +960 66 44 1111.
Drink
Huvafen Maldives hosts exclusive Riedel Wine experience led by Maximilian J. Riedel
Huvafen Maldives is hosting an extraordinary wine experience in collaboration with Riedel, the world-renowned Austrian glassware company, led by 11th-generation CEO Maximilian J. Riedel. The exclusive event will take place in Vinum, Huvafen’s underground wine cellar – the first of its kind in the Maldives – offering guests a uniquely immersive setting to explore the art of wine enjoyment.
Over two evenings, Maximilian J. Riedel, the eleventh generation of family owned company RIEDEL, will personally guide an intimate group of guests through a sensory tasting of iconic wines using four distinct glasses from the RIEDEL Veloce collection, highlighting how the shape and size of each glass considerably influences aroma, texture and flavour – a hallmark of Riedel’s renowned approach to wine enjoyment.
Carrying forward a remarkable family legacy, Maximilian leads the Austrian glassware company with great success and a keen spirit for the Zeitgeist. He continues to redefine the so called Riedel Wine Glass Experience. Each year, these comparative tastings inspire, educate, and entertain more than 50,000 participants all over the world.
“Maximilian Riedel’s expertise brings an extraordinary dimension to wine enjoyment,” said General Manager, Noel Cameron. “This partnership aligns perfectly with our philosophy of curating unforgettable, refined experiences for our guests, where every detail, from the wine to the glass, is considered.”
“A glass can make the wine shine or destroy its magic. This is why we at Riedel offer exclusively functional tools. Their only purpose is to support and present the wine in its best possible way,” said Maximilian Riedel. “I am looking very much forward to demonstrate which enormous difference glasses make, in this extraordinary underground setting of Huvafen Fushi. Guests will experience and enjoy how the functional glasses enhance their wine enjoyment.”
For reservations or to explore exclusive packages, please contact the resort’s reservations team at stay@huvafenfushi.com.
Drink
Atmosphere Core celebrates 100th wine masterclass with Bottega Gala Gold event
A standout achievement in the Maldives’ experience-led hospitality scene, Atmosphere Core has completed its 100th Wine Masterclass as part of the resorts’ signature Holiday Plan. Held at Atmosphere Kanifushi on 6 December 2025, the landmark centenary event, Bottega Gala Gold, offered guests a rare opportunity to meet and engage directly with representatives of one of Italy’s most celebrated sparkling wine makers, while discovering the stories, terroir and craftsmanship behind the label.
What began in September 2021 with a Champagne Guy Charbaut masterclass at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO has since evolved into one of the region’s most distinctive wine-hospitality initiatives. Spanning nine island resorts, all the complimentary wine masterclasses invited in-house guests to enjoy hosted tastings and immersive encounters directly with the company’s partner winemakers.
Over the past four years, Atmosphere Core has forged pioneering partnerships with five terroir producers. Champagne Guy Charbaut (1er Cru Champagne) masterclasses have been held annually since 2021; Bodegas Viñátigo (Canary Islands) since 2022; Glenelly Estate (Stellenbosch) since 2023; Martín Códax (Galicia) since 2024; and, most recently, Bottega SpA a fourth-generation Italian estate, whose masterclasses debuted in 2025. Each partner was selected for its authenticity, expressive terroir, and craftsmanship, qualities increasingly sought by today’s global traveller.

From formal masterclasses and intimate vineyard-style dinners to lively sundowners and gala tastings, Atmosphere Core’s wine experiences showcase the versatility of its partners and the culinary team’s evolving sommelier expertise. In an innovative approach within the industry, all 100 events have been included within the resorts’ signature Holiday Plans.
Nicolas Laguette, Director of Wine at Atmosphere Core, said, “We set out to build a wine culture that allows us to be outrageously creative with the way we pair wines with culinary experiences and tell stories, while being vigorously disciplined in our selection, partnerships, training, and service. Reaching our 100th Wine Experience reminded us why we started. To make wine knowledge accessible, to spark curiosity, and to give generously to our guests and colleagues. That mindset, the Joy of Giving, is what has shaped every single one of these 100 moments.”
Atmosphere Core’s award-winning wine program is designed around three dimensions: in-resort experiences for guests, in-vineyard expeditions for culinary teams, and in-market events with travel and media partners. Together, these threads create an impactful wine culture.
Partner winemakers travel to the Maldives to host masterclasses, while the resort’s culinary teams journey to their vineyards in Europe and South Africa, deepening mutual understanding. Guest feedback has also highlighted the rarity of such terroir-driven offerings being built into a resort island holiday, as curiosity for authentic wines continues to grow globally.
With the successful milestone of its 100th Wine Masterclass now achieved, Atmosphere Core looks ahead to an expanded calendar of planned wine experiences, with the 2026 program currently in development. As the wine program evolves, the Joy of Giving remains at its core, ensuring guests always have something new to discover, one expressive bottle and one memorable story at a time.
Cooking
TAPASAKE Maldives marks first anniversary with Luca Cinalli guest mixology night
TAPASAKE Maldives, the destination restaurant set in the private island of One&Only Reethi Rah, will be welcoming internationally renowned mixologist Luca Cinalli to celebrate its 1 Year Anniversary with an exclusive dining experience. On 20th December, Cinalli joins the restaurant’s resident Chef Ahmed Jameel for an immersive cocktail experience, elevated by a one-night five-course anniversary menu.
The first of its kind since the inception of One&Only Reethi Rah, TAPASAKE Maldives re-opened on 20th December 2024 and features breathtaking ocean views, bold contemporary design, and dining experiences and a beverage program that unite the precision of Japan and the soul of the Mediterranean in a flowing exchange of flavour, texture, and culture. In addition to the original restaurant in the Maldives, TAPASAKE also operates in Dubai, Mauritius, and Montenegro.
The exclusive event features the creativity of Luca Cinalli, originally from Lanciano, a small fishing town in Italy, and now globally acclaimed for his work with The World’s 50 Best Bars, including Nightjar and Oriole in London. Guests can experience his inventive and masterful flavours, honed by over 20 years of experience in the hospitality, food and beverage, and bar industries. Cinalli will be collaborating with the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine, Ahmed Jameel, a native of the Maldives whose culinary work is rooted in balancing both traditional and contemporary Japanese techniques.

Set against the soothing vistas of the azure Indian Ocean, the exclusive cocktail pairing is the leading attraction of the evening’s anniversary celebrations, where expertly paired signature cocktails curated by Cinalli and the TAPASAKE team pair beautifully with dishes like Black Cod Medallion and Sakura Tea-Smoked Wagyu Short Rib. Each cocktail draws inspiration from different elements of TAPASAKE – from its diverse culinary influences and contemporary overwater design to the iconic golden sunsets that have become synonymous with the restaurant. Wave Kiss, for example, is reminiscent of watching waves break over the reef, recreated as an umami-rich liquid foam. TAPASAKE Chocolate, on the other hand, bridges the sweet yet distinctive palates of Japan, the Mediterranean, and the Maldives, blending sake chocolate liqueur and pistachio.
“We are excited to celebrate this momentous occasion with Luca Cinalli at TAPASAKE Maldives,” says Jan B. Tibaldi, General Manager of One&Only Reethi Rah. “With Luca’s creative flair influenced by his years working with The World’s 50 Best Bars paired with our team’s unrivalled service and deep connection with the island, this evening promises a truly special celebration of a remarkable first year.”
The dinner will be held exclusively on 20 December at TAPASAKE Maldives, which will be open from 7.00pm to 10.30pm.
For pre-bookings and more information, please email guest.information@oneandonlyreethirah.com or call +960 664 8800. For more information about the resort, please visit oneandonlyreethirah.com.
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