Thirteen chefs from Baros Maldives have won the highest number of medals and awards at the recently concluded Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM) International Culinary Challenge and Exhibition 2017.
The annual event, organised by the Chefs Guild of Maldives in association with the Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka, enables chefs to demonstrate their skills before a panel of international judges. A total of 67 resorts in the Maldives represented by 564 competitors took part in this year’s edition.
Ibrahim Nathif won two top awards — trophies for Most Outstanding Chef in Maldives and Best Maldivian Chef — as well as five gold medals.
Nathif, 32, has worked at Baros for 13 years, and currently cooks in the resort’s fine dining Lighthouse Restaurant. As a result of his success, he has been selected to represent the Maldives at the Malaysian Culinary Challenge in February 2018.
Chef Ibrahim Nathif. PHOTO/ BAROS
Another top award was won by KYM Gunasekara who emerged as the Best Young Chef. He is 24, and has worked at Baros for three years.
“The record haul of medals comprises five gold, 12 silver and eight bronzes,” a statement by Baros read.
“The categories in which the chefs won reflect the multi-cuisine choices presented in the resort’s three restaurants, and special occasion dining. These included hot cooking of meat, seafood and poultry, biriyani, plated desserts, breads and pastries, Maldivian dish and wedding cake.”
According to Baros, more than 40 chefs work at its three gourmet restaurants as well as catering for off-island dining on a sandbank, lagoon deck or local Dhoni sailboat cruises. Also available is In Villa Meal Service in each of the resort’s 75 elegant overwater and beachside villas, the resort said.
Baros is a small coral island ringed by a sandy beach and a living house-reef, just 25 minutes by speedboat from the Maldives’ main Velana International Airport. It is an award-winning boutique resort renowned for discreet, personalised service excellence.
As a small leading luxury Maldives resort, Baros offers 75 tastefully designed Beach and Water Villas. With Beach Villas of classic elegance set in lush vegetation, and secluded Water Villas, many with private pools, Baros is one of the most romantic resorts in the Maldives, the perfect honeymoon getaway. Inspired by Maldivian traditions of heartfelt hospitality, Baros is a tropical island dream come true with fine cuisine and drinks served at three gourmet class restaurants, two bars, and a cigar and shisha lounge.
The recently rebranded spa at Baros, which will be open during the festive seasons as well, is located in a beautiful, lush tropical garden where serenity saturates the atmosphere, and is accessed by over-water stepping stones. It is a tranquil haven where complete well-being in body, mind and soul is made possible.
Sun Siyam Olhuveli Maldives will welcome award-winning food creator Kabita Singh, the personality behind Kabita’s Kitchen, for a special culinary residency in October to mark International Chefs’ Day on 20 October 2026.
Known for making everyday Indian cooking accessible to a wide audience, Singh will move from her digital kitchen to the Maldives, joining the resort’s culinary team for a live cooking experience created for guests.
The collaboration will bring together Singh’s approach to Indian cuisine — centred on familiar flavours, accessible recipes and an increasing focus on wholesome cooking — with Sun Siyam’s Plant Based Bliss philosophy, which promotes the nutritional and holistic benefits of plant-forward dining.
As part of the International Chefs’ Day celebrations, Singh will cook alongside Sun Siyam Olhuveli’s culinary team during a live session in front of resort guests. The experience will feature a specially curated selection of vegetarian, vegan and health-conscious dishes developed in collaboration with the resort’s chefs and inspired by Singh’s own cooking philosophy.
Guests will have the opportunity to watch Singh prepare the dishes, learn about the techniques and stories behind them, and sample her interpretation of plant-forward Indian cuisine in a Maldivian island setting.
Kabita’s Kitchen has grown from a home-cooking channel into one of India’s most widely followed food platforms, with approximately 14.6 million subscribers on YouTube alone. Singh has built her audience through content ranging from regional favourites and vegetarian staples to festive dishes, street-food classics and everyday family recipes.
Her influence within India’s food and digital content sector was recognised at the inaugural National Creators Award in 2024, where she received the Best Creator in Food Category award, presented by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We are really excited to welcome Kabita to Olhuveli and bring a taste of Kabita’s Kitchen to the Maldives,” said Hassan Adil, General Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli.
“Food is such an important part of the way people connect, and this is about bringing our guests closer to the experience, watching Kabita cook, discovering the flavours and stories behind her dishes, and of course tasting them together. Her fresh, approachable style is a great match for our Plant Based Bliss philosophy, and celebrating International Chefs’ Day together with our own culinary team makes it even more special. We want dining at Olhuveli to be fun, social and full of moments that guests remember long after they leave the island.”
Located in South Malé Atoll, Sun Siyam Olhuveli is part of Sun Siyam’s Lifestyle Collection. The resort combines beach experiences, dining, entertainment, wellness and other activities within its broader island offering.
The best way to secure the future is to create it.
Creating that future through specific, purposeful initiatives is what drives people of purpose—and, in turn, moves us all closer to the future we desire.
The Maldives is a compelling case study of a tourism-driven economy. Look around and ask why an event is being staged, what someone is working on, or where a new initiative is leading, and the answer will often point to the hospitality sector. Securing the future, therefore, is inextricably linked to strengthening and advancing that sector.
Here, “strengthening” means making the sector’s contribution more sustainable; ensuring that a greater share of its growth benefits the community; continuing to offer a compelling value proposition to the discerning global traveller; and ensuring that visitor experiences continue to generate an unparalleled reputation and valuable referrals.
To achieve these outcomes in the future, it is essential that current and future generations of the local community engage actively with the industry. Making hospitality appealing and aspirational, enhancing the quality of delivery and service, and building a pipeline of skills and talent into the sector are areas in which initiatives, inspiration, infrastructure and investment should be concentrated.
It is firmly in this context that Mr Ismail Hilmy, Chairman and Managing Director of BBM, initiated the establishment of a modern, exceptionally well-equipped and thoughtfully designed model kitchen, aptly named the Studio of Culinary Excellence. By donating the Studio to MNU, under whose auspices it will serve the Maldivian culinary community, Mr Hilmy is responding directly to the need for deeper community engagement. At the heart of BBM’s framework for industry-outreach initiatives— “Because tomorrows start today”—is Mr Hilmy’s ethos of fostering engagement and vibrancy in the industry.
“For our students, the gap between the classroom and a working resort kitchen has always been the hardest one to close,” said Dr Shehenaaz Adam, Vice Chancellor of the Maldives National University. “The Studio of Culinary Excellence closes that gap. Students can now train on the same equipment and to the same standards they will encounter on their first day in the industry. We are grateful to BBM for a partnership that goes well beyond a donation, and we look forward to the Studio becoming a place where the university and the industry learn from one another.”
The Studio therefore creates an opportunity to develop a pipeline of skills and talent in service of the industry.
“Embedding purpose in our work has been an ongoing endeavour at BBM. It keeps us connected to our stakeholders and builds insight, understanding and trust. Being a meaningful partner to academia as we move into the future gives us a great sense of fulfilment and guides our initiatives under the banner, ‘Because tomorrows start today,’” said AVS Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM.
But what is the value of physical infrastructure without the corresponding spark of aspiration and ambition?
As Ali Afrah Hassan, Executive Representative at Chairman’s Office – BBM, aptly observed: “The Studio offers students and members of the community hands-on experience with world-class equipment, together with knowledge-sharing masterclasses. Who knows—in the not-too-distant future, a Michelin-starred Maldivian chef may fondly credit some of their inspiration to time spent at the Studio!”
Now that is the mind and heart in sync—working towards a future that is aspirational, ambitious and entirely attainable.
Kuredhivaru Resort and Spa is set to welcome guests to a season of dining, family celebrations and island experiences, with a programme of events taking place from September through October.
The season begins with the Japanese Cocktail & Dining Experience on 26 September, featuring a six-course dinner inspired by the flavours of Japan and Peru. Guests can look forward to dishes including yellowfin tuna tartare, robata-grilled octopus, butter-poached lobster and slow-braised beef short rib, finished with a refreshing citrus dessert.
The dinner will be accompanied by cocktails created by award-winning Japanese bartender Norihiko Furuse, known for his creative and sustainable approach to mixology, bringing together Japanese spirits, seasonal fruits, local herbs and botanical ingredients.
On 3 October, Kuredhivaru will bring a taste of Germany to the Maldives with its annual Oktoberfest Celebration. Guests can enjoy Bavarian favourites including roast pork knuckle, beef goulash, German sausages, BBQ pork ribs and freshly baked pretzels, followed by classic desserts such as apple strudel, Black Forest cake and Bavarian cream. Live music and games will add to the festive atmosphere.
The celebrations continue with Halloween at Kuredhivaru from 30 to31 October, bringing two days of family-friendly activities, including Kids Club experiences, costume creations, the Rising Star Halloween Fashion Show, pumpkin carving, themed games, creative workshops and deliciously Halloween-inspired dining, and a few surprises lurking around every corner.
From the tiniest trick-or-treaters to grown-ups ready to join the fun, it’s Halloween island- style, full of imagination, laughter, sparkle and just the right amount of spooky!
With a mix of culinary experiences and seasonal celebrations, Kuredhivaru’s upcoming programme offers guests different ways to enjoy the island throughout the season.
For reservations or inquiries, guests are encouraged to contact the resort at Resort.Kuredhivaru.Reservations@ennismore.com or +960 656 3000.
