At Eri Maldives, becoming begins with experiences that invite guests to see the island differently, and art has always offered one of the most powerful ways in.

The resort welcomed Maldivian artist Ismail Maaish for a collaboration that turned a beloved island landmark into something new: Beach Shack, a humble beach bar set beside one of the island’s favourite stretches of reef, became a living canvas for the first time.

Sharing his creative process with guests as he worked, Ismail curated an original mural at Beach Shack over the weekend, inspired by the underwater world surrounding the island — a bow-tied, sunglasses-wearing octopus mixing cocktails amid schools of fish, echoing the plush octopus character that greets guests in their villas on arrival, and weaving local craft and cultural storytelling into the everyday rhythm of island life.

“At Beach Shack, I wanted to bring the energy of the house reef above the water and create something playful, distinctly Maldivian and connected to its surroundings,” said Ismail. “The ocean is part of everyday life here, and this mural celebrates the colour, movement and marine characters found just beyond the shore.”

With a background in architecture, Maaish works across ink, watercolour, acrylic and large-scale murals. His art balances structure with spontaneity, using bold colours and expressive characters to explore Maldivian folklore, island life, culture and identity.

“Through the Beach Shack Artist Takeover, we bring the essence of Eri as The Island of Becoming to life—a place where nature inspires creativity and every experience opens the way for discovery and connection,” said Haroon Mohamed, General Manager of Eri Maldives. “Together with Ismail Maaish and the KULA Initiative, we are proud to provide Maldivian talent with a meaningful platform while inviting guests to experience our house reef and island culture from a fresh perspective.”

The project was presented under Pulse Resorts’ KULA Initiative, which gives local artists a platform to share their work and cultural perspectives with a wider audience, keeping Maldivian creativity and heritage visible within contemporary island life.

It’s the first of the Beach Shack Takeovers, an evolving platform inviting artists and creative talent to reinterpret the venue through their own craft.

Sun Siyam Olhuveli Maldives will welcome award-winning food creator Kabita Singh, the personality behind Kabita’s Kitchen, for a special culinary residency in October to mark International Chefs’ Day on 20 October 2026.

Known for making everyday Indian cooking accessible to a wide audience, Singh will move from her digital kitchen to the Maldives, joining the resort’s culinary team for a live cooking experience created for guests.

The collaboration will bring together Singh’s approach to Indian cuisine — centred on familiar flavours, accessible recipes and an increasing focus on wholesome cooking — with Sun Siyam’s Plant Based Bliss philosophy, which promotes the nutritional and holistic benefits of plant-forward dining.

As part of the International Chefs’ Day celebrations, Singh will cook alongside Sun Siyam Olhuveli’s culinary team during a live session in front of resort guests. The experience will feature a specially curated selection of vegetarian, vegan and health-conscious dishes developed in collaboration with the resort’s chefs and inspired by Singh’s own cooking philosophy.

Guests will have the opportunity to watch Singh prepare the dishes, learn about the techniques and stories behind them, and sample her interpretation of plant-forward Indian cuisine in a Maldivian island setting.

Kabita’s Kitchen has grown from a home-cooking channel into one of India’s most widely followed food platforms, with approximately 14.6 million subscribers on YouTube alone. Singh has built her audience through content ranging from regional favourites and vegetarian staples to festive dishes, street-food classics and everyday family recipes.

Her influence within India’s food and digital content sector was recognised at the inaugural National Creators Award in 2024, where she received the Best Creator in Food Category award, presented by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We are really excited to welcome Kabita to Olhuveli and bring a taste of Kabita’s Kitchen to the Maldives,” said Hassan Adil, General Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli.

“Food is such an important part of the way people connect, and this is about bringing our guests closer to the experience, watching Kabita cook, discovering the flavours and stories behind her dishes, and of course tasting them together. Her fresh, approachable style is a great match for our Plant Based Bliss philosophy, and celebrating International Chefs’ Day together with our own culinary team makes it even more special. We want dining at Olhuveli to be fun, social and full of moments that guests remember long after they leave the island.”

Located in South Malé Atoll, Sun Siyam Olhuveli is part of Sun Siyam’s Lifestyle Collection. The resort combines beach experiences, dining, entertainment, wellness and other activities within its broader island offering.

The best way to secure the future is to create it.

Creating that future through specific, purposeful initiatives is what drives people of purpose—and, in turn, moves us all closer to the future we desire.

The Maldives is a compelling case study of a tourism-driven economy. Look around and ask why an event is being staged, what someone is working on, or where a new initiative is leading, and the answer will often point to the hospitality sector. Securing the future, therefore, is inextricably linked to strengthening and advancing that sector.

Here, “strengthening” means making the sector’s contribution more sustainable; ensuring that a greater share of its growth benefits the community; continuing to offer a compelling value proposition to the discerning global traveller; and ensuring that visitor experiences continue to generate an unparalleled reputation and valuable referrals.

To achieve these outcomes in the future, it is essential that current and future generations of the local community engage actively with the industry. Making hospitality appealing and aspirational, enhancing the quality of delivery and service, and building a pipeline of skills and talent into the sector are areas in which initiatives, inspiration, infrastructure and investment should be concentrated.

It is firmly in this context that Mr Ismail Hilmy, Chairman and Managing Director of BBM, initiated the establishment of a modern, exceptionally well-equipped and thoughtfully designed model kitchen, aptly named the Studio of Culinary Excellence. By donating the Studio to MNU, under whose auspices it will serve the Maldivian culinary community, Mr Hilmy is responding directly to the need for deeper community engagement. At the heart of BBM’s framework for industry-outreach initiatives— “Because tomorrows start today”—is Mr Hilmy’s ethos of fostering engagement and vibrancy in the industry.

“For our students, the gap between the classroom and a working resort kitchen has always been the hardest one to close,” said Dr Shehenaaz Adam, Vice Chancellor of the Maldives National University. “The Studio of Culinary Excellence closes that gap. Students can now train on the same equipment and to the same standards they will encounter on their first day in the industry. We are grateful to BBM for a partnership that goes well beyond a donation, and we look forward to the Studio becoming a place where the university and the industry learn from one another.”

The Studio therefore creates an opportunity to develop a pipeline of skills and talent in service of the industry.

“Embedding purpose in our work has been an ongoing endeavour at BBM. It keeps us connected to our stakeholders and builds insight, understanding and trust. Being a meaningful partner to academia as we move into the future gives us a great sense of fulfilment and guides our initiatives under the banner, ‘Because tomorrows start today,’” said AVS Subrahmanyam, Chief Operating Officer of BBM.

But what is the value of physical infrastructure without the corresponding spark of aspiration and ambition?

As Ali Afrah Hassan, Executive Representative at Chairman’s Office – BBM, aptly observed: “The Studio offers students and members of the community hands-on experience with world-class equipment, together with knowledge-sharing masterclasses. Who knows—in the not-too-distant future, a Michelin-starred Maldivian chef may fondly credit some of their inspiration to time spent at the Studio!”

Now that is the mind and heart in sync—working towards a future that is aspirational, ambitious and entirely attainable.