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Lily Beach Resort to host exciting culinary highlights with Michelin-starred Chef Dominik Käppeler

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Lily Beach Resort and Spa has announced plans to host an exciting series of culinary highlights with Michelin-starred Chef Dominik Käppeler this March and April.

From March 27 to April 8, the 30-year-old chef from southern German town of Göppingen will join forces with Lily Beach’s Executive Chef Lionel Pean to present an exciting series of culinary highlights at the resort’s restaurants, including Lily Maa, Tamarind, Les Turquoise D’Aqua and Vibes Bar.

“Most discerning diners will get a taste of Chef Dominik Käppeler’s signature cuisine, which he describes as creative dishes inspired by tradition, and embalmed with distinction, refined flavours. This is truly unique and will set a new benchmark in the Maldives,” Michael Wieser, CEO of Lily Hotels & Resorts, was quoted in a statement, as saying.

The main highlight of this series is an exquisite five-course dinner at Les Turquoise D’Aqua, featuring artfully created dishes with bold flavours combined with culinary craftsmanship and wine expertise. The menu has been beautifully paired with quality wines curated by the resort’s head sommelier Joseph Christopher.

“We are very proud to be part of an innovative initiative of our team such as hosting of internationally awarded chefs. Welcoming creative talents like Chef Dominik Käppeler will contribute to enhance the all-encompassing dining experience of our valued guests,” Patrice Aira, General Manager at Lily Beach Resort and Spa, said.

Being the son of a restaurant owner, Chef Käppeler developed his passion for cooking during his early years. After his professional debut at Feinkost Käfer in Munich, he rose to the top league in 2003. In the following years, Käppeler developed his personal culinary vision in upscale gastronomy on Lake Tegernsee. Amongst his stops are the finest addresses in the valley, including the Parkhotel Egerner Höfe, Maiwert’s Fährhütte, the Bachmair am See and the Fährhütte am See.

Käppeler celebrated his breakthrough as head chef at Schweiger2, where he was personally awarded a Michelin star in 2015. Gault & Millau honoured his cooking art with 16 points in 2016, the gourmet with 3 of 5 F — an incentive that inspired his first own restaurant project. He owns a restaurant named Restaurant Showroom, which is defined as a haven for gourmet lovers in Munich.

“You think eel, banana, mustard and Stilton don’t go together? Oh, but they do – it’s all about aroma pairing. Let your palate decide whether it tastes good – not your head!” Chef Käppeler said.

Turbot, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Oil, Malt, Sorrel.

Scallops, Blue Curacao, Samphire, Pineapple.

Lily Beach’s Executive Chef Pean has garnered extensive experience in 14 different countries and worked with international hotel chain over the past 33 years. He has worked in three-star Michelin restaurants with world-renowned chefs, including Michel Guérard, Michel Troisgros, Gérald Passédat and Alain Senderens, which has allowed him to gain a rich level of confidence and perspective of the culinary world.

“With his visions and impressive menus, Käppeler has secured himself to be amongst the crème de la crème in the culinary world of his generation. The avant-garde and straight forward approach of his expressive and fully flavoured dishes is very distinctive and never seeking to dissemble,” Executive Chef Pean said.

The five-star Lily Beach Resort and Spa is located on the 600-metre-long and 110-metre-wide island of Huvahendhoo in South Ari Atoll.

With its “Platinum Plan”, which includes far more than the traditional package of cocktails, premium brands, champagne and international culinary delights, Lily Beach offers luxury all-inclusive holidays at the highest level. These include two excursions, which can be selected from a wide range of activities, including sunset fishing, snorkelling trips or a visit to a local island.

At your disposal are 125 luxurious villas in five categories. Add to this, the Tamara Spa, Prodivers Diving School, a specialty and main restaurant featuring fine dining, three bars, Turtles Kid’s Club, and one of South Ari Atoll’s best house reefs. Guests can also enjoy a diverse entertainment programme with live music and DJs, shisha lounge, traditional cultural performances, fish feeding and much more.

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Joos gets juicier: The Standard, Maldives unveils fresh new menu

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Joos Café at The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives is flipping the beach bite game with a sizzling menu makeover that is equal parts delicious, healthy and totally Joos’d up.

The new à la carte lineup serves fresh cravings like the Turkey Club House – a slow-roasted turkey sando stacked with crispy turkey bacon, ripe tomato, Swiss cheese and the signature maple mayo, wrapped in artisan schiacciata flatbread or a soft tortilla. It’s the classic clubhouse, but cooler. The new Kale & Quinoa Bowl, meanwhile, is a plant-based nutritional powerhouse – gluten-free, vegan and deeply satisfying. Massaged kale, fluffy quinoa, creamy avocado, crunchy edamame, seasonal berries and a zesty citrus dressing give it all a sparkle.

And because balance is everything, Joos Café is also throwing its burger-shaped hat in the ring: the new signature Butcher’s Burger is entering the Hard Rock Cafe’s Annual World Burger Competition in Malé. It is stacked high with a juicy Angus patty flame-grilled and lacquered in rich teriyaki sauce, crispy onion rings, homemade bilimbi hot sauce, fried egg, beef bacon and tangy pickles. Smoky, spicy, sweet, crispy, creamy, it’s giving everything and then some.

Nanda, Executive Chef at The Standard, Huruvalhi Maldives, said: “The new Joos Café menu is a love letter to feel-good food. We’ve taken familiar favorites and given them a bold island twist—big flavors, real ingredients, and that signature Joos energy. Whether it’s the Butcher’s Burger that’s making waves or the Kale & Quinoa Bowl that hits the reset button, every dish is crafted to nourish and excite. It’s food that fuels your vibe—whatever time of day you drop in.”

Slide into the all-day Joos café for coffee, pastries, wraps, salads and the kind of lazy breakfasts that spill into lunch. Everything comes tableside or poolside (your call).

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La Scolca’s Chiara Soldati to host winemaker dinner at Conrad Maldives

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Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has announced an exclusive Winemaker Dinner featuring Chiara Soldati, CEO of La Scolca and one of the most prominent figures in the Italian wine world. The event will take place on 10th August, 2025, at the resort’s iconic underground Wine Cellar, offering an unforgettable evening of heritage, flavor, and elegance.

Celebrating over a century of winemaking excellence, Chiara Soldati represents the fourth generation of the Soldati family to lead La Scolca, Italy’s esteemed wine estate in Gavi, Piedmont. Guests will be treated to a multi-course tasting menu curated to complement La Scolca’s finest vintages.

Dishes on the menu include refined creations such as pan-seared rainbow trout with saffron bisque, herbs-crusted beef tenderloin, and mulled wine poached pears, each paired with exceptional wines personally selected and presented by Chiara Soldati herself.

Held in the Maldives’ first and only underground wine cellar, this intimate dinner is an opportunity for wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs to engage with a legendary winemaker in an exclusive island setting.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is part of Hilton Honors®, the award-winning guest loyalty program for Hilton’s 24 world-class brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard WiFi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where Hilton Honors members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key.

For more information or to book your experience, please visit www.conradmaldives.com or email mlehi.experiences@conradhotels.com or contact +960 6680629.

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Huvafen Fushi to host iconic 17-course omakase by Japan’s Chef Setsuo Funahashi

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Huvafen Fushi, the iconic resort in the Maldives, is set to host an exclusive one-night culinary residency with the renowned two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Nikaku.

On Monday, 11 August 2025, Huvafen Fushi’s overwater restaurant RAW will welcome celebrated Chef Setsuo Funahashi for a 17-course omakase dinner – a traditional Japanese dining experience where the chef selects each dish. This special evening will offer a rare insight into the world of authentic Edomae sushi, a style developed during Japan’s Edo period in the 1700s. Originally created as a method to preserve fish caught in Tokyo Bay before the advent of refrigeration, Edomae sushi involves techniques such as curing with vinegar or salt, simmering, and marinating in sauces.

Chef Funahashi, a third-generation sushi master and the owner of Nikaku in Kitakyushu, is widely respected for his dedication to traditional Japanese methods. He sources the freshest fish from the Kanmon Straits, which separate the islands of Honshu and Kyushu. For this occasion at Huvafen Fushi, every ingredient will be flown in directly from Japan to guarantee the highest standards of quality and authenticity.

Nikaku, which translates as “a pair of cranes” – a symbol of lasting prosperity – stands as a tribute to the enduring craftsmanship of Japanese cuisine. Chef Funahashi continues a two-century legacy, employing techniques such as hontegaeshi for forming nigiri, and refining the anbai – the precise balance of salt and vinegar in sushi rice. Each course will be presented with meticulous attention to detail, offering guests an experience where each dish becomes a work of art.

The evening’s dining will be highly exclusive, with two intimate seatings limited to eight guests per session. A curated selection of premium champagne, fine white wines, and exceptional sake will be available to complement the nuanced flavours of the omakase menu.

This exceptional collaboration exemplifies Huvafen Fushi’s commitment to delivering sophisticated, world-class culinary experiences. It is a celebration of two refined traditions – the serene luxury of the Maldives and the disciplined precision of Japanese cuisine – coming together for an unforgettable night of gastronomic artistry.

Dining at Huvafen Fushi has long been regarded as an elevated affair, with each venue offering distinctive culinary expressions against a backdrop of unspoiled natural beauty. Among them, SALT is considered one of the finest restaurants in the Maldives, blending elegant Japanese flavours with Latin flair in a relaxed Izakaya-style setting poised above the ocean. Designed for sharing and pairing with drinks, its offerings are best enjoyed as the sun sets over the water.

For a more health-conscious alternative, RAW presents a 100% organic, raw food menu in a bistro-inspired format, featuring fresh ingredients sourced from the chef’s own garden and served alongside energising juices. With panoramic views of the sea, RAW offers a tranquil yet refined setting – making it the perfect stage for Chef Funahashi’s rare residency.

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