Gastronomy
Year-round Epicurean Delights: JOALI Maldives announces series of visiting culinary experts

JOALI Maldives is partnering with the finest culinary experts from around the world to create unparalleled gastronomical experiences. Over the course of the coming months, the resort promises a range of events curated to elevate the stay at the property.
The resort is well-known for its diverse range of dining options to choose from; throughout the year guests can savour Japanese-Peruvian cuisine, Italian cuisine, and Levantine cuisine. In addition to this, the resort also has noteworthy seasonal experiences, such as the recent pop-up of Le Petit Chef, an immersive theatrical dining experience.
JOALI Maldives strongly believes in the important role gastronomy plays in making a luxurious stay and is dedicated to continuously bring new experiences for their guests. This exclusive series of collaborations aims to bring exceptional flavours to the discerning palates of the resort’s esteemed patrons and explore the joys of gastronomy.
This series will feature a rotation of acclaimed chefs and culinary connoisseurs, each bringing their expertise, unique styles, and creations.
11 August 2023 – La Scolca Wine Dinner
JOALI Maldives hosts an exclusive wine dinner with Wine Maker and CEO Chiara Soldati, featuring a meticulously curated wine selection from La Scolca.
The premium wines from La Scolca paired with a menu crafted specially for the dinner by the world-class chefs of JOALI Maldives is guaranteed to elevate the dining experience.

14 October – Sake Dinner
Partnering with renowned Japanese Sake breweries such as Shirataki, Tochikura and Ginrei Gassan, JOALI Maldives invites guests for a special sake dinner. The breweries are selected based on their craftsmanship and innovation, and brewing techniques. Set in the Japanese-Peruvian restaurant of the resort – Saoke – the dinner is sure to transport guests through a nostalgic journey of Japanese heritage on Maldivian shores.
15 to 22 October 2023 – Ekaterina Alehina
Ekaterina Alehina is the founder-chef of Biologie in Moscow and the first female chef in Russia to be awarded a Michelin star. Based on the concept of “circular gastronomy”, Biologie serves mindful recipes with a strong accent on sustainability.
Chef Alehina will be at JOALI Maldives from 15 to 22 October 2023, and guests can enjoy a specially curated experience with her during this period.

15 to 22 November 2023 – Theodor Falser
Multi award-winning Michelin star recipient Chef Theodor Falser has worked closely with JOALI Maldives, having been the culinary consultant for the resort’s Italian restaurant – Bellinis. Chef Theodor is passionate about wild herbs and regional products, and throughout his remarkable career, he has discovered different tastes from a variety of cultures.
JOALI Maldives is delighted to welcome back Chef Theodor from 15 to 22 November 2023 and March 2024, allowing our guests to indulge in his exquisite creations once again.

18 to 25 December 2023 – Nina Tarasova
With over 10 years of experience in the culinary sphere, Chef Nina Tarasova is a well-known for her confectionary skills. She trained in France but works in Russia and frequently represents the country in different international festivals and forums. Chef Nina also conducts training and masterclasses both in Russia and abroad.
From 18 to 25 December 2023, Chef Nina joins JOALI Maldives to celebrate the festive season in style. Her dedication and culinary mastery is sure to leave an indelible impression for the guests.

10 to 17 January 2024 – Alex Webb
After impressing the world with his showstopping dishes on BBC’s ‘MasterChef: The Professionals’, trailblazing Chef Alex Webb ultimately won the show in 2020. His main mantra is “food should be an experience”, and his dishes are well-known for its creative flair and presentation.
From 10 to 17 January 2024, embark on an extraordinary culinary journey with Chef Webb as he draws inspiration from travels and the nostalgic flavours of his childhood. A unique culinary experience awaits all guests at JOALI Maldives.

20 to 27 February 2024 – Hidemasa Yamamoto
Hailing from Japan and trained in France and Italy, Chef Yamamoto has garnered multiple culinary accolades during his illustrious career including multiple Michelin-star ratings. His dishes are well known for their exquisite flavours and meticulous attention to detail. Chef Yamamoto has worked closely with JOALI Maldives, curating the menu at Saoke, the resort’s acclaimed Japanese-Peruvian Restaurant.
JOALI Maldives is excited to welcome Chef Yamamoto back from 20 to 27 February 2024, a visit that promises exceptional and innovative fusion of flavours to guests.

The line-up of experts spanning the following months promises an unparalleled celebration of culinary excellence. Each expert brings in a range from contemporary interpretation to traditional classics, promising gustatory delights that is sure to elevate your stay in JOALI Maldives.
For further details and booking, please visit joali.com
Drink
Dare to taste with W Maldives at Island Alchemy Ft. Beckaly Franks

This July, W Maldives—The Original Wavemaker—dials up the flavor and the flair as award-winning mixologist, Beckaly Franks touches down in the Maldives for a one-of-a-kind takeover. As part of the resort’s Island Alchemy series—a bold celebration of global mixology talent— Franks brings her trailblazing energy, genre-defying cocktails, and unapologetically original spirit to heart of the Indian Ocean for an experience that’s equal parts spectacle and substance.
Known for turning heads and rewriting the rules, Beckaly Franks is no stranger to shaking things up. From co-founding the iconic The Pontiac in Hong Kong—featured on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for seven straight years—to launching the Hungry Ghost group and buzzy venues like Call Me AL and ARTIFACT, Franks has long been a driving force behind Asia’s cocktail renaissance. In 2023, she became the second woman to win the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award, a recognition for her fearless creativity, inclusive ethos, and magnetic presence behind the bar.
“At the heart of every great cocktail is a story—and this one’s set on a postcard-perfect island,” said Franks. “W Maldives has this incredible energy that mirrors what I love about mixology: it’s immersive, unexpected, and made for people who want to feel something. I can’t wait to have my world collide with the destination.”
At W Maldives, she is bringing it all. The collaboration kicks off with two exclusive guest shifts at SIP on 24 and 25 July, where Franks will serve up a mix of her iconic signature and bespoke creations crafted just for the island. Think sun-drenched flavors, unexpected textures and bold spirits made to match the lagoon views. On 27 July, the experience moves to the resort’s noon-to-moon social hub, WET Deck, for an elevated daytime poolside revelry—an atmospheric day of sensory storytelling, boundary-pushing cocktails, and barefoot glamor under the vibrant Maldivian sky.

“This is more than a bar takeover—it’s a meeting of minds, a celebration of mastery, and a moment to connect with the spirit of W Maldives,” said Amila Handunwala, General Manager of W Maldives. “We are proud to welcome Beckaly as part of our Island Alchemy series and continue offering our guests experiences that are anything but ordinary.”
Part island escape, part liquid installation, this collaboration is more than a moment—it is a statement. Island Alchemy is W Maldives signature mixology program designed to spotlight innovators, connectors, and tastemakers who bring something original to the table. With Beckaly Franks at the helm, this edition serves as both a toast to women redefining the global bar scene and a bold glimpse into the future of mixology—where craft and character collide in all the right ways.
Guests looking to stir things up in paradise can book the Stay, Dine, and Fly package, which includes daily breakfast spread and three-course dinner as well as return seaplane transfer from Male, and get exclusive benefits. Book your stay now and raise the bar on your next escape via this link or contact reservations.wmaldives@whotels.com.
Cooking
Jumeirah Olhahali Island welcomes Shimmers’ Chef Emanuele for exclusive culinary residency this July

Jumeirah Olhahali Island has announced a culinary residency in collaboration with Chef Emanuele De Leo, Head Chef of the award-winning Shimmers at Jumeirah Mina Al Salam in Dubai. Taking place from 7 to 10 July 2025, this exclusive experience will bring the vibrant flavours of the Mediterranean to the Maldives through a specially curated tasting-style menu.
Following a stint as Sous Chef at L’Olivo at Al Mahara, the two Michelin-starred restaurant at Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, Chef Emanuele took up his position as Head Chef at Shimmers in 2023. There, he leads the kitchen, where his menu pays homage to his Sicilian heritage, while embracing bold, contemporary interpretations of classic Mediterranean cuisine. Under his direction, Shimmers has earned recognition from Gault&Millau UAE in 2025, a testament of the restaurant’s elevated dining experience and Chef Emanuele’s distinctive culinary vision. With a strong focus on seasonality, he draws inspiration from the freshest market produce, transforming each ingredient into flavour-driven, elegantly presented creations.

For his residency at Jumeirah Olhahali Island, Chef Emanuele has crafted a bespoke menu that fuses Greek influences with his Sicilian roots, showcasing refined coastal flavours and thoughtfully sourced seasonal ingredients. In true Shimmers fashion, the evening will be presented as a series of small, shareable plates, designed to bring guests together around the table. Highlights include a fresh cauliflower salad, zingy tuna tartare, and grilled octopus with Santorini fava. These are followed by indulgent mains such as slow-braised beef cheek paired with celery purée and red wine jus, alongside orzo with red prawns, lemon, and caviar. The experience concludes, with a duo of desserts: Greek yoghurt ice cream and orange crème brûlée, offering a refreshing and indulgent finale.
The exclusive dinner experience with Chef Emanuele is priced at USD 195 plus taxes per person. For more information or to reserve, visit the Jumeirah Olhahali Island website here.
Drink
Cellar of quiet distinction: Vakkaru Reserve wins fifth Wine Spectator Award

At Vakkaru Maldives, wine isn’t merely served — it is curated, conversed with, and quietly revered. This has led to the resort’s European wine cellar, Vakkaru Reserve, being awarded Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence for the fifth year — the only resort in the Maldives to have done so.
Vakkaru Reserve, an intimate, striking space at the heart of the island, houses 620 labels selected with care by Head Sommelier Retheesh Kakkareth Mohanan and Assistant Sommelier Vasantha Kumar Nadarajah. Some stars in the collection favour narrative as much as provenance: a Château Cheval Blanc Premier Grand Cru Classé A trio from 1983, 1985 and 1990; Château Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 2009; Krug Clos du Mesnil Blanc de Blanc Brut 2002 and Château Pavie 1982, each one a vignette of a time and place, waiting to be uncorked.
“Our intention with Vakkaru Reserve has never been to impress with excess,” says Teddy Susanto Wiryawan, General Manager of Vakkaru Maldives. “Instead, it’s about assembling a collection that invites reflection, wines that linger in the mind as much as on the palate. This fifth award is not a milestone, but a reminder to keep listening to winemakers, regions, and the guests who come here seeking something they can’t find elsewhere.”
In a setting where time is allowed to stretch and the pace remains unhurried, the wine experience is naturally immersive. Vakkaru’s cellar hosts guided tastings, bespoke pairings, and a distinctive offering — a Wine & Chocolate Pairing Experience, where artisanal chocolates crafted in-house are paired with wine labels in unexpected harmony. Think Yuzu and Matcha Bonbon with Sauvignon Blanc, or an Espresso Bonbon set against a Tawny Port, delicious, deliberate acts of indulgence.
Vakkaru Reserve remains a quiet benchmark for those who appreciate depth over display. In this place of timelessness, let your wine journey stand less on ceremony, and more on memory and discovery.
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