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St. Regis Maldives launches exciting new guest chef series
Luxury resorts in the Maldives come a dime a dozen, where dazzling turquoise lagoons, plush overwater villas, and first-rate hospitality are baseline expectations. Where these five-star escapes differ, though, is the food. Since its 2016 opening, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort set itself apart as a culinary tour de force with its selection of six gourmet, globally inspired restaurants and splashy wine cellar degustation menus. Now with a new guest chef series, foodie travelers have another delicious reason to book their next Maldivian getaway.
The resort’s rotating guest chef series rolled out in late 2021 and will continue through 2022, attracting a global roster of exceptional chefs to the five-star getaway two days per month. Early December, for instance, saw acclaimed chef Prateek Sadhu transfer his brilliant cooking techniques from his lauded Mumbai restaurant Masque to the Maldivian coastline with special dinners and intimate cooking classes. Previous headliners include chef Dharshan Munidasa, the maestro behind Sri Lanka’s world-famous Ministry of Crab, and Valencian-based chef Eduaro Torres of Molino Roca, with the 2022 line-up soon to be announced. Even if you miss out on the special guest chef dates, the resort’s bevy of restaurants and special dining experiences will still sate your gourmet appetite.
The St. Regis Maldives’ centrepiece restaurant is Alba, where a decadent buffet breakfast is served (if you’re not having breakfast in your own swish pool villa) as well as international choices for lunch and Italian for dinner. On an agreeable morning, guests enter the elegant, airy space to choose from a lavish buffet spread — from fresh dim sum and South Asian delicacies to continental bits — before settling onto beachfront tables on the sand. The breakfast à la carte menu is excellent, too, featuring sweet and savoury favourite waffle and duck leg confit and Maldivian-inspired omelets.
Tucked underneath Alba is the resort’s gastro magnum opus: Decanter, a subterranean wine cellar hosting multi-course degustations with wine pairings to a lucky few. It’s the experience to book well in advance for the chance to have executive chef Pedro Samper and Maldivian wine sommelier Ahmed Athif personally guide you through a memorable evening of food (think caviar-topped reef lobster poached in butter) and wine (a selection of vintages sourced from the resort’s 2,000-plus bottle collection).
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Crust & Craft, the designated “beach shack” pizzeria, the resort’s most casual and cost-friendly restaurant. Fresh-from-the-oven pizzas with toppings ranging from parma ham and organic basil to Maldivian smoked tuna are served here, as well as tacos, assorted bruschetta, and burgers (including the must-try Maldivian lobster burger).
Orientale, the resort’s dinner-only Asian dining space, recently removed Indian cuisine from the menu to focus on Chinese and Japanese flavors. Under its sleek open-air terrace, you’ll now find delectable sushi rolls, Wagyu beef dishes, and other souped-up classics on the Japanese list, while the Chinese menu features dim sum (some topped with caviar) and wok-fried varieties such as lobster and fiery Sichuan chicken. The special beachside Orientale Express offering takes things up a notch with an exclusive five-course Chinese omakase dinner.
For the cocktail lovers, there are few more striking places in the Maldives to enjoy a sundowner than at Whale Bar. The aptly named overwater lounge resembles a curvaceous whale shark; a pyrographic mural by artist Maya Burman depicting coral and sea life adorns the “belly” (ceiling) of the space. It’s a plum spot to try St. Regis Maldives’s flagship cocktail, the Island Mary — a localised answer to the Bloody Mary — prepared tableside and served inside a seashell.
Cargo provides a marked change of scenery from the beachfront restaurants, plopped within the island’s jungle landscape and perfect for starry nights. The shipping-container-turned-food-kiosk serves Middle Eastern staples such as hummus (their signature), falafel, and mouth-watering lamb dishes.
With its bevy of restaurants, cracking wine collection, new guest chef series, and a lengthy list of private dining experiences in special locations (from sandbank picnics to jungle cinema screenings for two), The St. Regis Maldives is your gourmet fix in the middle of the Indian Ocean — be sure to pack your appetite.
Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Maldives has won three awards at the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2026, with Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives and Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives receiving recognition across three categories.
Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives secured Gold in the Leading Surf Resort category for the eighth time and fourth consecutive year, while Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives retained Gold in the Leading Beach Resort category for the second consecutive year. Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives also received Silver in the Nishan Seneviratne Best CSR Programme category.
The 10th edition of SATA was held at Barceló Nasandhura Malé on 8 October 2026, recognising achievements across South Asia’s tourism and hospitality industry, including guest experiences, industry leadership and responsible tourism.
Located in North Malé Atoll, Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives is home to the Pasta Point surf break, which attracts surfers from around the world. The resort’s eighth Gold award in the Leading Surf Resort category reflects its position among the Maldives’ surfing destinations. In addition to surfing, the resort offers water sports, wellness activities and other guest experiences.
“We remain committed to delivering memorable surf experiences and holidays in the Maldives,” said Marlon Robert, General Manager of Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives.
Robert also acknowledged the continued support of guests, the international surfing community and the resort team in securing the recognition.
Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives received its second consecutive Gold award as Leading Beach Resort in recognition of its island setting, which features sandy beaches, a lagoon and a selection of beachfront and overwater accommodation. The resort also offers dining, wellness and recreational activities, providing guests with opportunities to explore the surrounding marine environment.
The resort’s Silver award in the Nishan Seneviratne Best CSR Programme category recognised its efforts to provide dive education and career development opportunities for young people from neighbouring island communities.
Implemented in partnership with Dive & Sail, the resort’s PADI-certified dive centre, the six-day programme enabled nine students aged between 16 and 18 from schools in Keyodhoo and Felidhoo to obtain PADI Open Water Diver certification.
The programme combined theoretical lessons, practical training and supervised dives to promote safe diving practices and reef conservation. It also introduced participants to potential career opportunities in marine tourism.
“These accolades reflect the dedication of our teams and the continued support of our guests, whose trust inspires us to keep raising the standard of our experiences,” said Sanjeeva Perera, Area General Manager, Cinnamon Maldives Resorts.
The three awards recognise the tourism experiences offered by Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives and Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives, as well as Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ initiatives in environmental awareness and community engagement across its Maldives properties.
ELE|NA has been named Leading Wellness and Spa Brand at the South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) 2026, recognising the Maldives-based wellness brand’s contributions to the hospitality and wellness industry across the region.
The recognition comes as wellness continues to become an integral part of luxury hospitality, with ELE|NA working alongside resort partners to develop and operate wellness facilities that combine therapeutic experiences, trained professionals and operational expertise.
Guided by its Wellness Your Way™ philosophy, ELE|NA incorporates wellness into different aspects of the guest experience. Its six Pillars of Vitality – TouchFlow, ReFine, BodyFit, SoulVibe, SleepSync and FoodDelight – encompass therapeutic treatments, physical activity, emotional wellbeing, restorative sleep and nutrition. The framework allows individual resorts to develop wellness programmes tailored to their locations and guest preferences.
In addition to providing wellness experiences, ELE|NA works with hospitality partners on concept development, spa operations, therapist training and service delivery. Its operational model combines the individual characteristics of each resort with standardised systems and procedures aimed at maintaining service consistency across its properties.
Sustainability also forms part of the brand’s operations. All ELE|NA properties in the Maldives have received Platinum Sustainable Wellness Accreditation, recognising their approach to responsible spa operations, environmental management and community wellbeing.
The brand also invests in professional development through the ELE|NA Wellness Academy, which provides training programmes for therapists and wellness professionals. The academy combines traditional therapeutic practices, practical training and contemporary wellness knowledge to support professional development and strengthen service standards across the industry.
The recognition at SATA 2026 comes as ELE|NA continues to expand its operations beyond the Maldives, extending its wellness concepts and services into India, Nepal and other emerging hospitality destinations.
With wellness increasingly influencing travellers’ accommodation choices and holiday experiences, ELE|NA continues to focus on integrating wellness services into resort operations while supporting the development of trained professionals and sustainable practices within the hospitality sector.
Milaidhoo Maldives is set to welcome award-winning chef James Knight-Paccheco, widely known as Chef JKP, on 11 and 12 December 2026 for two culinary events focusing on cooking techniques, culinary experiences and the exploration of new flavours.
On 11 December, Chef JKP will conduct a culinary workshop, offering guests the opportunity to cook alongside him, learn professional techniques and exchange ideas in the kitchen. The following evening, he will host a wine-pairing dinner featuring dishes prepared in his signature style, accompanied by wines selected by the resort’s resident sommelier to complement each course.
With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Chef JKP has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury hotels and restaurant projects across the UK and the Middle East. Throughout his career, he has worked alongside renowned chefs including Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay and Michael Caines. He is also the creator and host of The Chef JKP Podcast, which has recorded more than 6.5 million downloads.
At Milaidhoo Maldives, the culinary experience draws inspiration from the island’s surroundings, Maldivian flavours and traditional cooking methods, combined with international influences introduced by the resort’s team of chefs. This approach encourages the exchange of culinary knowledge and techniques, allowing guests to explore local dishes, learn new cooking methods and engage with the chefs responsible for their dining experiences.
Located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Milaidhoo offers a setting where dining experiences focus on personalised service and interaction between guests and culinary professionals. Chef JKP’s visit is intended to provide guests with opportunities to engage directly with the visiting chef, gain insights into his approach to cooking and experience his culinary creations.
The culinary workshop will take place on 11 December 2026, followed by the wine-pairing dinner on 12 December 2026.
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