Gili Lankanfushi has relaunched its signature island restaurant as Kashiveli, showcasing locally-sourced nutritious ingredients and vibrant Maldivian  flavours.

Overseen by Executive Chef Aldo Cadau, the restaurant celebrates the bounty and abundance of the island’s lush tropical location, marrying the very best produce from land and sea.

Located where the island meets the sea, Kashiveli is named after the coralline white sand which fringes the  shoreline and  plays a central role in traditional Maldivian home life. For generations, islanders throughout the archipelago have collected the brightest kashiveli sand and used this to decorate their homes, changing the white sand floors every Ramadan to represent the new beginning.

To celebrate the relaunch of the restaurant, Gili Lankanfushi is introducing the Gili Culinary Journey, a rotating selection of international dishes which offer guests a global tasting tour without stepping foot off the spectacular beaches of the NorthMale Atoll. The menu will touch upon nine global gourmet hotspots, from Alicante in Spain to Nosy Be in Madagascar and Padang in Indonesia.

Offered three nights per week at Kashiveli, the Gili Culinary Journey celebrates the heritage and talent of Gili Lankanfushi’s culinary team. The diverse range of signature dishes include handmade culurgiones pasta with lobster, artichoke, Vermentino wine and saffron inspired by Cadau’s hometown of Caligari in Sardinia — and richly spiced lamb aatukkari kuzhambu by Executive Sous Chef Harinath Govindaraj, who hails from Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu.

Gili Lankanfushi’s vast organic garden, which is amongst the largest in the Maldives, provides an abundance of fresh produce for Kashiveli, from herbs and spices to fruits and salad leaves. Additional fresh, seasonal produce, including reef fish, meat and vegetables are sourced sustainably through local suppliers, fishermen and farmers.

Kashiveli joins the island’s two existing dining options: By the Sea, which serves delicious Japanese fusion dishes using locally-sourced seafood and reef fish, overlooking the calm waters of the island’s northern shore; and Overwater Bar, which offers lighter lunches and sundowner cocktails with a view of visiting sharks and rays.

Gili Lankanfushi also offers an enticing array of destination dining locations, from BBQ dinners on secluded sandbars to lantern-lit feasts amongst towering plants.

Set on the private island of Lankanfushi in the North Male Atoll, Gili Lankanfushi Maldives is an intimate coral island in a sparkling lagoon, with jetties threading across the water out to spacious villa accommodations, where ultimate privacy can be found. This luxury resort is just a 20-minute speedboat ride from the main Velana International Airport.

At Gili Lankanfushi, an idyllic personal hideaway is one of 45 spacious, rustic overwater villas crafted from natural wood and glass. A palette of sparkling blues paints the horizon, the ocean stretching to infinity wherever on the island. The open design, with indoor and outdoor living space, allows guests the freedom to be themselves, the sound of the sea and warm breeze soothing all senses.