Velaa Private Island Maldives’ culinary team has won multiple awards at the prestigious Culinary Olympics.

A culinary team from Velaa Private Island took part in the IKA/Culinary Olympics 2020, held in the German city of Stuttgart from February 14-19.

The team, comprising Executive Chef Gaushan De Silva, Chef Chinthaka Perera, Chef Manoj Primal and Chef Nalaka Gayan won two Golds and eight Silvers at the largest, oldest and most colourful international exhibition of culinary arts.

Organised by the German Chefs Association (VKD), the Culinary Olympics demonstrate the whole spectrum of culinary arts, from Chef’s Table and Restaurant of Nations to Live Carving. The participants are faced with a genuine acid test: they show how concentration, precision and dedication produce creative compositions, every one a work of art in itself.

In order to keep a cool head during the competition, the chefs train intensively – and do so two years before the actual competition. Until finally every movement is perfect and the team members understand each other implicitly.

This year, over 2,000 chefs and patissiers from more than 59 countries faced off in the global culinary competition. At 22 professionally equipped kitchens built especially for the Culinary Olympics, the chefs cooked around 8,000 meals for the visitors over the four days of the competition – setting culinary trends.

Tucked away within the collection of islands that form the northern Noonu atoll, Velaa Private Island is elegantly positioned to overlook enchanting vistas of a cerulean ocean. Its name derived from generations of sea turtles that flock there to nest and hatch; it is comprised of 47 private villas, houses and exclusive residences. The resort also includes a Romantic Pool Residence which can only be reached by boat.

At Velaa Private Island, all details have been considered: each villa comes with a personal butler, all services offered can be tailored to personal specifications. Attention to detail everywhere is also impeccable: stone pavements from the desert in Jordan, Indonesian flowerpots, luxury wood panelling from Borneo, and glimmering Italian marble.

Velaa Private Island offers endless exclusive opportunities. These unique offerings include the Maldives’ first and only snow room, the largest and most extensive wine collection in the region, one of the few Maldivian resorts with a private submarine, an extraordinary kids’ club conceptualised as the world’s ideal kids’ club by the owner’s seven-year-old daughter, and the only resort in Asia with a My Blend by Clarins spa.

Personalising and tailoring the entirety of the island depending on specific requirements, there is no limit to ensure the ultimate experience. Guests can sit back in the knowledge that the island’s highly trained and dedicated butlers will cater to each and every whim. Whether it is watching a spectacular fireworks display within the Maldivian night sky, dancing into the early hours with an Al fresco live music event, stepping aboard the island’s private yacht for a glamorous sunset cruise or enjoying a private, open air cinema night, anything is possible. Other interactive activities perfect for private groups include gourmet cooking classes with one of the resort’s chefs or wine tasting within the Maldives’ largest wine cellar.

For those looking to get involved in some Indian Ocean adventure, Velaa’s high-tech water toys, including the hover board, jetpack and fly board serve as the definitive adrenaline rush. While discovering the wonders beneath the island’s welcoming waters, guests can learn to dive or simply snorkel the coral rainbow.