The St. Regis Maldives is set to host an exceptional gastronomic experience featuring Dassai, the renowned sake brand from Asahi Shuzo Co. This exclusive event will be led by Naoya Matsufuji, Chief Technology Officer of Asahi Shuzo, whose innovative approach has positioned Dassai at the forefront of the global sake industry. Matsufuji’s expertise and dedication to excellence have elevated the brand’s heritage while maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship.

This unique event will provide guests with a rare opportunity to indulge in Dassai’s exceptional sake, meticulously paired with a curated degustation menu designed to showcase the harmony between fine food and world-class sake.

The event is scheduled to commence on March 2, 2025, at Decanter, an underground wine cellar that houses an extensive collection of over 750 labels, offering an intimate and immersive setting for the exclusive tasting experience. On the following evening, March 3, 2025, guests will enjoy a refined dining experience at Orientale, where Eastern haute cuisine takes centre stage with an elegant sushi bar and a selection of seasonal pan-Asian dishes.

Situated in the pristine Dhaalu Atoll, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort serves as a sanctuary of luxury and tranquility. Located on a breathtaking natural island, the resort is surrounded by lush tropical landscapes, white-sand beaches, and the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean, providing an unparalleled escape. Its 77 elegantly designed villas seamlessly integrate with nature while offering modern comforts, including private terraces, pools, and stunning ocean or garden views.

Signature accommodations include the overwater John Jacob Astor Estate, featuring three bedrooms, a private gym, and massage rooms, as well as the beachfront Caroline Astor Estate, which offers panoramic views, a 67-square-meter pool, and opulent living spaces. Guests can explore the vibrant marine ecosystem through snorkelling, diving, and various water sports or embark on an exclusive yacht excursion aboard Norma. The resort also demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability by leading coral restoration programs under the guidance of its dedicated Marine Biologist.

Known for its signature St. Regis Butler Service and award-winning hospitality, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort seamlessly blends luxury, adventure, and tranquility, ensuring an unforgettable experience in the heart of the Maldives.

Dassai has long been recognised for its dedication to innovation and precision in sake production. Celebrated for its meticulous craftsmanship and unwavering commitment to quality, the brand has earned international acclaim for producing some of the world’s finest sakes. In a groundbreaking initiative, Dassai has announced an ambitious plan to craft sake in space for the first time in history. Scheduled to launch in the latter half of 2025, this pioneering project will involve sending sake rice and water into space aboard a rocket, where fermentation will take place on the International Space Station. This unprecedented endeavour exemplifies Dassai’s relentless pursuit of excellence and its mission to redefine the boundaries of sake craftsmanship.

Atmosphere Core, a leading figure in the hospitality industry, has announced a unique collaboration with award-winning Italian lifestyle winery Bottega SpA. A 4th generation family estate which first started producing grappa in the 17th century, Bottega presents an enviable portfolio of wines and liqueurs, made world-famous by its iconic GOLD Prosecco DOC.

Driven by shared core values of quality, authenticity, distinctive design, and all-encompassing service styles, this innovative partnership is set to inspire a new wave of wine hospitality in the Maldives. On top of direct product shipments from the Bottega estates for the supply of wines solely to its 9 private-island resorts, Atmosphere Core will also introduce South Asia’s first Bottega Prosecco Bar, a concept created by Sandro Bottega himself to enhance and share Italy’s great wine, genuine food and convivial lifestyle, offering travellers from around the globe a taste of true Italian sparkling life in highly fashionable environments.

Testimony to the quality and popularity of Bottega labels, the family’s estates have won more than 450 awards and accolades with their products now available in over 160 countries worldwide. In 2022, IWRS reported Bottega’s GOLD Prosecco DOC as the top-selling sparkling wine in the Duty-Free channel world-wide.

Commenting on the new collaboration with Bottega, Atmosphere Core Group Managing Director, Salil Panigrahi, stated, “We are committed to providing the best possible guest experiences, and meticulously curate the culinary journeys within our resorts to offer the highest quality of authentic food and beverage concepts, so our guests can return home with life-long memories. We can only achieve this by collaborating with the most dynamic wine producers in the world, and our announcement to partner with Bottega SpA in 2025 is a landmark moment for our company. I wish to personally thank Mr Sandro Bottega for granting Atmosphere Core this opportunity which goes beyond the presence of his labels in our resorts, but also provides us with an exciting platform to explore new immersive lifestyle hospitality concepts”.

With the intent set firmly on growing wine culture, Atmosphere Core regularly hosts partner winemakers and winery owners at its Maldives resorts to lead exclusive and immersive masterclasses for guests, while reciprocating this exchange with wine partners sponsoring resort colleagues to travel and visit their vineyards across the world.

Sandro Bottega, President and CEO of Bottega SpA, comments, “I’m proud to start a partnership with such a prestigious hospitality group as Atmosphere Core. Our main aim is to bring the Italian oenological culture to South Asia. Maldives is a luxury destination, that embraces the same values of quality and elegance of our flagship product: Bottega GOLD Prosecco DOC. Furthermore, we hope to also introduce our Bottega 0 Rosé and White, both without alcohol, they offer the same consumption rituality of the sparkling wines, respecting teetotallers and all those who, for any reason, choose to be cautious in their consumption of alcohol. I’m also excited of the opportunity to open a branded Bottega Prosecco Bar, that will represent an ambassador for Italian cuisine in the islands”.

Wine enthusiasts, global travellers, and valued partners can look forward to a year-round calendar of enriching and immersive wine-focused experiences that embody Atmosphere Core’s commitment to exceptional hospitality and authentic storytelling, fostering genuine connections between guests and partner wineries from 1er Cru Champagne, Stellenbosch, Galicia, the Canary Islands and now Italy.

One&Only Reethi Rah introduces the newest gem to its collection of eight distinctive culinary experiences with the debut of Tapasake in the Maldives. The new concept offers Japanese cuisine with Mediterranean influences – a fresh take on culinary excellence. With breathtaking views of the crystal-clear Indian Ocean and the venue’s unique style, the new experiential gastronomic destination delivers a truly unforgettable experience to its One&Only clientele.

Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy from Denniston International, Tapasake is a 3665m2 venue suspended over the Indian Ocean’s sapphire surface. Expressive interiors draw the eye in every direction: up to the furthest reaches of the soaring see-through wine cellar; down beneath glass-bottomed floor panels in the sunken lounge to glimpse reef sharks darting across the shallows; left to take in wall-high artworks, intricate panelling and ephemera from the natural world. Playfully composed, Tapasake’s atmospheric surroundings encourage unbridled exploration. Light meets dark. Soft tones meet striking textures. Monochrome elements reflect Japanese design sensibility, while Mediterranean accents are captured in bright splashes of red, orange and yellow. Sweeps of wood, granite and stone ground the space in the essence of the Earth. Water is central to the flow of the design, glimmering in the reflection pool above the sway of the rolling tides. The wind blows a soft sea breeze, energising each new breath, while the fire lights up cigars sourced from the world’s best tobacco regions. This is a setting to savour with every sense.

Golden Hour was made for gathering on the Grand Terrace to toast another remarkable day amid the lush landscape. Here, the inventive cocktail menu mirrors the bold pigments that cloak the coastline at sunset with fragrant violet liqueur, passionfruit and pineapple setting a tropical mood.

A signature One&Only dining experience, Tapasake takes its name from the Spanish “tapas” and Japanese “sake,” with distinctive Mediterranean influences. Guests are invited to indulge in a concept that celebrates the art of sharing, featuring dishes that combine flavours from Japan and the Mediterranean for a truly unique culinary journey.

The sushi area, and teppanyaki grill stations beckon for intimate meals, grand gatherings and everything in between. Tender Wagyu beef meets the heat of the grill in a spectacle of sizzle before your eyes, while uni (sea urchin), otoro (bluefin tuna belly) and tai (sea bream) provide a flavour of the delicacies sourced from a tapestry of celebrated Japanese culinary provinces. Elsewhere, Mediterranean-inspired seafood fresh from local waters sits beside gyoza, Tokyo-style ramen, and traditional tapas, inviting you to mix and match flavours on your own epicurean adventure.

In the evening, Tapasake transforms into a vibrant hub, enhanced by DJs and live music to elevate the energy after dark. Enjoy multi-national cigars and signature whiskey cocktails in Sombra Lounge, or sip limited-edition sake inspired by the location, produced in collaboration with Yumegokoro Sake Brewery in Kitakata City, Fukushima Prefecture, this clean, light and fragrant Naraman Junmai Daiginjo has a Champagne-like profile shaped for celebrations.

Satisfy your wildest whims with bespoke events or delve deeper into your passions with a mixology class, tea ceremony or sake-tasting session. Celebrate milestones in style in private dining rooms that accommodate up to 12 guests, allowing for ultimate seclusion while basking in the natural beauty that surrounds you. Three spectacular spaces infused with distinctive character bring something extra special to your stay. Yuugen, meaning the mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe, provides a private portal to the mesmerising marine life beneath the ocean’s symphony of blues, with a glass floor to draw your gaze while you dine. Tenkei, meaning heavenly scene, positions you for awe-inspiring views of the horizon to backdrop your experience with the magic of the Maldivian sunset. Mesa Secreta translates as Secret Table and invites you into a world of wonder, tucked away to transform your evening into one that won’t be forgotten.

“Tapasake is a fantastic addition to One&Only Reethi Rah’s impressive selection of eight specialty dining venues. This beautiful setting, paired with the restaurant’s elevated food-sharing concept, makes Tapasake the Maldives’ premier experiential gastronomic destination, promising to delight the senses of luxury leisure seekers from around the globe,” said Jan B. Tibaldi, General Manager of One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives.