Connect with us

Cooking

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives to offers rich culinary landscape of global flavours

Published

on

The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands opens on 1 June with seven incredible restaurants and two bars for guests to explore, including options at Fari Marina Village.

Diners can enjoy a rich culinary landscape and travel the world on their palates, whilst feeling confident that every effort has been taken to ensure a focus on the highest-quality, seasonal ingredients and with the environment front of mind.

Experience the joy of a robust Italian espresso, share conversation over Cantonese tapas, toast to the sunset with a chilled glass of rosé or enjoy a local version of traditional Afternoon Tea.

Here is a taste of the global flavours that awaits guests.

La Locanda

A celebration of Southern Italy’s cuisine and customs!

La Locanda will be the ‘living room’ of the resort, where the spirit of Southern Italy will come alive.

It is a place to enjoy relaxed dining and delicious Southern Italian cuisine such as homemade pastas, a world-class espresso or a sunset aperitivo either indoors, or overwater, as well as sampling rare Proseccos, Italian wines, cannolis or boutique olive oils.

The Chef’s Table is available for bespoke tasting menus and Italian cooking classes, and there is also a private dining room for up to ten guests.

Design is light and fresh with floor to ceiling windows opening onto the Indian Ocean, beautiful terrazzo tabletops, Narumi bone china tableware and exclusive Kevala encircled by the carefully curated Italian library covering culture, fashion, food and art.

Summer Pavilion

An overwater restaurant showcasing Cantonese specialities!

Floating over the starlit Maldivian lagoon, the Summer Pavilion offers an intimate place to savour the finest Cantonese cuisine. Inspired by Michelin starred Summer Pavilion in Singapore, a menu of mouth-watering small plates has been curated.

This restaurant has the feel of being hidden within a Chinese garden filled with delicate plants and lanterns, enclosed by beautiful latticework.

It holds prime position next to the resort’s wine cellar, which stocks over 600 rare and high-end labels and also specialises in traditional Chinese tea rituals.

The cocktails, infused with Asian flavours such as lychee, ginger, Asian pear and mandarin, will be inspired by the speakeasy era, served in semi-private areas of the restaurant and made at the table to encourage that sense of conspiracy.

IWAU

Japanese flavours in an open-air setting!

The Japanese translation of ‘to celebrate’ IWAU is exactly that – an honouring of Japanese flavours.

Open to the night sky and a fantastic sunset spot, the restaurant has two nine-seat teppanyaki grills where guests can watch chefs prepare seafood and meat dishes.

Sushi and sashimi are offered at romantic tables for two set within the pool itself.

The pre-dinner Izakaya cocktails, using plum wine, yuzu, shochu, wasabi, miso, umeboshi will be mirrored by a wide menu of the finest sakes, Japanese whiskeys and teas.

Eau Bar

Beachfront dining that pairs elegance and wellness!

The adjacent Eau Bar is a chic setting, sweeping in a half moon shape around the iconic circular infinity pool, that speaks to health-conscious diners in an environment focused on wellbeing and relaxation.

The balanced menu features a selection of fresh oysters and caviar, while sipping on a table-side cocktail crafted from organic fresh ingredients.

Eau Bar will also offer a twist on the traditional afternoon tea, inspired by the Maldivian custom of hedhika.

The evening brings a moodier affair, offering a range of cocktails made at each table, inspired by Maldivian local spices as well as a selection of top shelf Champagnes and sakes.

Beach Shack

The Mediterranean meets the Maldives!

With sand underfoot and the sea just steps away, the family-friendly Beach Shack embraces the Mediterranean with its carefree, bohemian spirit.

Signature Mediterranean dishes include sharing platters such as burrata, heritage tomatoes and artichoke, seafood ceviche, paella, grilled fish, grilled tomahawk steaks and Sri Lankan mud crab all to be washed down with Provençal rose, many in magnum size, low-alcohol cocktails or delicious sangrias.

The open-air dining and live kitchen, close to Ritz Kids, is the perfect place to laze away the day, listening to chilled out music and the sound of popping corks, over a long lunch with family and friends.

Resident and visiting DJs spin throughout the day with kids’ story time offered fireside, as well as a starlit cinema and themed evenings.

Beach Shack also has its own gelato shop serving a range of ice creams, healthy sorbets, sundaes and milkshakes, including flavours such a Maldivian coconut and Valrhona chocolate.

Thanks to a strong connection to the dive centre, guests can also enjoy Jean-Michel Cousteau Naturalist sessions, bringing the surrounding marine environment to life.

Arabesque, Tum Tum at Fari Marina Village

The culinary landscape does not end at the resort, as the Fari Marina Village offers two additional restaurants.

Arabesque is a Lebanese inspired restaurant, with a tandoor oven, serving classic mezzes and north Indian cuisine. Cocktails will be refreshing and perfect for the sober curious, alongside Turkish coffee, Moroccan tea and Nebu Shisha.

The restaurant has been designed in the style of a Bedouin tent, with tactile textures, terracotta hues and shapes reflective of its Middle Eastern inspiration, as well as sunken tables perfect for ordering a smoking shisha cocktail and whiling away the hours.

In contrast, Tum Tum is a South East Asian food truck serving wonderful street food using wok and steam, including its six signature bao buns. This is a pit stop while enjoying a day of shopping and culture at Fari Marina Village.

Dishes include fresh, crisp Asian salads, delicious noodle and dumpling soups and steamed dumplings.

Dine by Design experiences

Integral to the culinary experiences at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is its Dine by Design concept, which allows guests to choose from a number of exclusive, private locations to dine in.

Imagine a sunset sandbank BBQ with a private chef, dinner with a private chef in a secluded cove or within the Wine Cellar, surrounded by rare labels with a specialist menu highlighting wines of the guest’s choice.

Other exceptional experiences include the Omasake Experience at IWAU where guests can enjoy a bespoke Japanese menu in the infinity pool itself, or a sunrise yoga breakfast to welcome the day in together.

These destinations have been hand-picked by the resort Ladies & Gentlemen as the most iconic spots for making those magical memories, such as private diners, proposals, beach weddings, family gatherings or memorable beach picnics.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands has a 100 per cent no single use plastic policy, which extends to no single use napkins, coasters, condiments or menus.

When designing the supply chain, the team has ensured there that no excessive packaging is used, that they order locally and that and excess food is donated to a local food bank.

A strong recycling programme has already been established, as well as a rubbish compactor, and all outlets will use the resort’s composting system for vegetable waste, or re-use scraps in other forms. All cooking oil will be collected and turned into bio-diesel.

Other efforts include training on cooking smartly to reduce unnecessary energy and water usage.

The menus at each restaurant will offer plant-based options to encourage guests to explore a vegan diet, but all meats, where served, organically produced and 100 per cent grass fed.

The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Island is ideally located at Fari Islands, in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives, which is a 45-minute journey by speedboat or a 10-minute seaplane flight from Velana International Airport.

The resort features white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons and coral reefs with marine life.

Shaped by the Maldivian sun and shored by the Indian Ocean, guest villas at The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Island are expected to range in size from one to three bedrooms, featuring the refined elegance and legendary service that define The Ritz-Carlton brand.

The property is also expected to offer a choice of outstanding culinary venues serving an array of international and local cuisines, in addition to a full suite of fitness and recreational facilities including a signature Ritz-Carlton Spa.

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is part of Fari Islands, an archipelago that features three world-class hospitality brands inclusive of The Ritz-Carlton.

The guests are expected to have access to a picturesque Fari Marina – the archipelago’s communal beating heart. Built around a vibrant Beach Club, Fari Marina features charming boutiques and a handpicked selection of dining options.

Spaces have been designed by the renowned Kerry Hill Architects, to bring about a delicate balance of serene and social.

Cooking

New year of culinary excellence at Coco Bodu Hithi

Published

on

Coco Collection, one of the highly recognised Maldivian-owned hospitality brands, is set to kick off 2025 by welcoming the globally celebrated Pâtissier, Chef Joanna Artieda, from 27 to 29 January, and Whole Hog BBQ’er, Chef Jord Althuizen, from 24 to 26 February, to Coco Bodu Hithi in North Malé Atoll.

Chef Joanna, a culinary virtuoso with years of expertise, has earned acclaim for her remarkable achievements and artistry. This includes receiving the first woman title of Best Spanish Chef in 2016, Madrid Fusion honour for two consecutive years, and to be titled as 1 of the 10 desserts that set trends in the World in Pastry Revolution Magazine in 2019. Further she acquired her last two honours, the 2022 Navarra Award for Gastronomy and the 2022 Best Pastry Chef Award.

At the end of 2019, she published her first book, “Sweet 12” (the world’s first digital book dedicated to seasonal products), a true creative tool with high hopes of innovating the traditions of sweet cuisine creation.

This collaboration ensures to feature the captivating fresh flavours of the island while artfully crafting an array of delectable sweets and mouthwatering small bites complemented with different flavours for guests of all ages – an exciting way to welcome the auspicious Year of the Dragon!

While Coco Bodu Hithi is known for its stunning barbecues under the stars, Coco Collection is honoured to welcome Chef Jord during the most romantic time of the year. Notable for his Whole Hog BBQ’er title in 2014, Chef Jord has won multiple awards for authoring four best-selling BBQ cookbooks (of the year award 2016 and 2017). Guests are invited for exquisite dining experiences at the resort as he puts forth a master of the grill and backed with his skill of perfection with an unforgettable dining experience, especially for the couples.

Recognised with multiple honours recently, Coco Collection aims to provide a unique culinary experience each day with incredible varieties. With Michelin Star chefs regularly visiting to create exquisite dining experiences for its guests, complementing the work Group Culinary Director and Michelin Star awarded chef, Martin Cahill, reflecting the resorts commitment to service and highly regarded gastronomic offerings.

Inspired to explore and indulge at Coco Bodu Hithi soon? Get ready to take advantage of the Discover Coco deals, which offer up to 40% savings on the spacious and comfortable villas.  To reserve, contact reservations@cococollection.com and secure your extraordinary getaway.

Continue Reading

Cooking

Jumeirah Olhahali Island partners with L’Olivo for Mediterranean gastronomic journey

Published

on

From December 29, 2024, to January 2, 2025, Jumeirah Olhahali Island will host an exclusive chef pop-up at Shimmers, its all-day Greek and Mediterranean beachside restaurant. Presented in collaboration with Jumeirah Capri Palace’s renowned two-Michelin-starred restaurant, L’Olivo, this limited-time event will feature the vibrant flavours of Italy, set against the stunning backdrop of the Maldives.

The event will welcome Chef Salvatore Elefante, Executive Chef of Jumeirah Capri Palace, to lead this culinary experience. Hailing from Gragnano, Naples—a region famous for its pasta—Chef Elefante brings a modern and innovative approach to Mediterranean cuisine, blending authentic flavours with a contemporary flair. With an impressive career that includes roles at prestigious establishments such as De Russie in Rome and Hotel Rome in Berlin, Chef Elefante has been an integral part of Capri Palace’s culinary excellence since 2007. As the leader of the two-Michelin-starred L’Olivo, under the direction of Executive Culinary Chef Andrea Migliaccio, he also oversees Jumeirah Capri Palace’s other celebrated dining venues, Il Riccio and a-Ma-Re Capri.

“This collaboration allows us to extend our passion for Mediterranean cuisine to the stunning setting of Jumeirah Olhahali Island,” remarked Chef Andrea Migliaccio.

Chef Nonky Tri Wahyuni, Executive Chef at Jumeirah Olhahali Island, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to partner with Chef Salvatore for this unique celebration of flavours. His ability to combine heritage and creativity aligns beautifully with our vision to deliver exceptional dining experiences for our guests.”

The exclusive menu will offer a culinary journey beginning with a starter of delicate scampi, accompanied by zucchini, Colonnata lard, currants, and citrus fruits. This will be followed by tagliolini with red prawns, burrata cheese, sea asparagus, and oyster leaf. The main course will feature a signature lobster prepared ‘Caprese style,’ with tomatoes, marinated spring onions, rocket, and lemon-scented mayonnaise. The meal will conclude with a decadent dessert of wild berries, rice, cherries, raspberry confit, and almond cream. The experience is priced at USD 275 per guest or USD 400 with wine pairings, offering a luxurious festive indulgence.

This Michelin-starred pop-up is part of Jumeirah Olhahali Island’s broader festive program, which includes a curated three-week series of events designed to capture the island’s spirit and the warmth of the holiday season. Activities range from tree lighting ceremonies to bespoke gala dinners, aiming to enhance and elevate each guest’s holiday experience.

Continue Reading

Cooking

Dusit Thani Maldives launches SALA, plant-powered dining experience

Published

on

Dusit Thani Maldives is enhancing its culinary offerings with the launch of SALA, a plant-based restaurant that showcases nutrient-rich dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients and produce grown in the resort’s organic gardens.

SALA is led by Executive Chef Jan Van de Voorde, whose career spans Michelin-starred establishments in Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as boutique health retreats in Ibiza. The restaurant offers a refined ‘plant-powered’ dining experience inspired by Chef Jan’s passion for organic, healthy cuisine and his expertise in blending European and Asian flavours with a focus on holistic well-being.

Chef Jan credits his time in Ibiza from 2020 to 2022 as the inspiration for SALA. During that period, he embraced plant-based cuisine and experienced its transformative impact on his health. According to Chef Jan, this way of cooking and eating revitalised his mind and body, leaving him feeling stronger, healthier, and more energised. He is now bringing this philosophy to Dusit Thani Maldives, offering guests flavourful dishes designed to nourish both the body and soul.

Aligned with Dusit’s Tree of Life sustainability program, which prioritises environmental preservation and community well-being, SALA adopts a ‘seed-to-plate’ approach. This philosophy underscores the resort’s commitment to achieving harmony between luxury and sustainability.

The menu at SALA features standout dishes such as Grilled King Oyster Mushroom served with pea puree and Creamy Mushroom Soup enhanced with white truffle oil. For a refreshing dessert, the Coconut Sorbet—crafted with locally sourced coconuts and seasonal berries—provides a health-conscious indulgence. Complementing the food are innovative beverages like the Kombucha Mojito and the Pineapple & Ginger Kefir, offering guests wellness-focused refreshment with probiotic and nutrient-rich ingredients.

Jean-Louis Ripoche, General Manager of Dusit Thani Maldives, emphasised the significance of SALA as part of the resort’s commitment to promoting sustainable, healthy living while delivering a world-class dining experience. Ripoche expressed confidence that the restaurant’s thoughtful menu and picturesque location would resonate with health-conscious travellers seeking transformative culinary experiences.

Located on the second floor of a Thai-style pavilion overlooking the turquoise waters of Baa Atoll, SALA combines Dusit’s renowned hospitality with an idyllic setting, creating the perfect environment for mindful dining, whether during a relaxed afternoon or an enchanting evening.

In celebration of SALA’s opening, Dusit Thani Maldives is offering the ‘Plant and Pamper Retreat’, a curated wellness experience that blends gastronomy, relaxation, and mindful living.

Available for direct bookings until March 31, 2025, with stays extending to October 31, 2025, the retreat includes daily breakfast at The Market Restaurant, lunch and dinner at SALA, a private yoga session, a 60-minute massage for two, and additional exclusive benefits.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright all rights reserved by Maldives Promotion House 2023.