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JOALI Maldives welcomes award-winning Chef Eunji Lee from Lyseé

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JOALI Maldives, the first and only art-immersive resort in the Maldives, welcomes pastry chef Eunji Lee to the island, sharing her edible art with guests from 3rd to 7th September 2024. Bringing a taste of her New York City dessert gallery Lyseé to the Maldives, Chef Eunji will elevate the culinary experience at JOALI Maldives with an intimate pastry workshop as well as a custom dessert menu for guests to enjoy.

Born in South Korea, Chef Eunji fulfilled a lifelong dream of studying pastry arts when she moved to France in 2006. Following pastry school, she spent three years in Ze Kitchen Galerie and then trained under Alain Ducasse and Cedric Grolet at Le Meurice for four years. In 2016, she became the Executive Pastry Chef of Jungsik, the two Michelin-star Korean restaurant in New York City, before opening her own pastry boutique, Lysée in 2022 in the Flatiron District of New York City. Inspired by her love of pastry as edible art, Lysée is named for chef Lee’s sweet museum, derived from the French word Musée. Chef Eunji was named one of La Liste’s Pastry Talents of 2023, Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs of 2023 and a 2024 James Beard Award Semi-finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef.

While visiting, Chef Eunji will share her edible art with guests through an intimate workshop in JOALI Maldives ‘Her Kitchen’ on 7th September, sharing how to make the iconic French dessert: the éclair. Inspired by the islands, guests will learn to make a local fruit compote and vanilla cream as well as the fine art of piping which makes each éclair unique. Providing a luxurious professional kitchen setting, Her Kitchen allows guests to discover the joys of cooking and creating alongside the world’s most talented chefs. During her week as visiting chef, Chef Eunji will bring her love of art in the form of desserts to the art-immersive island with a menu of three desserts for guests to enjoy in the evenings. The menu will include Lysée cake, mango tart, and a local fruit cake.

Providing travellers with exceptional culinary experiences throughout the year, JOALI Maldives works with gastronomy experts from all over the world to host a rotation of renowned chefs and culinary experts, each sharing their own special expertise, creations and styles. In addition to Her Kitchen, JOAI Maldives features five thoughtfully curated culinary outlets; Vandhoo, Saoke, Bellinis, TUH’U, and Mura Bar; offering a wide selection of flavours to suit every palate from exotic Japanese-Peruvian cuisine to delightful Italian spreads. Furthermore, the island offers destination dining in unique, joyful spaces such as the Manta Ray Treehouse, Chef’s Garden, or a private sandbank, for a memorable meal with a tailor-made menu.

While delighting in the culinary excellence of Chef Eunji at JOALI Maldives, guests will enjoy the luxuries of the 73-villa island, surrounded by spectacular sea life, inspiring artwork, destination programming, and more. With a selection of beach or overwater villas offering one, two, three and four-bedroom options, guests will have private pools, indulgent amenities, bicycles for each guest, dedicated butlers known as “Jadugars” (the Maldivian word for “magician”), and more.

JOALI Maldives has villas from $2,928 per night based on two persons sharing a Water Villa with Pool on B&B basis. For further details and booking, please visit joali.com.

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W Maldives welcomes acclaimed ‘Dessert King’ Reynold Poernomo for Flavours Unscripted culinary takeover

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W Maldives is turning up the flavor dial this August with a high-profile culinary collaboration that is equal parts bold, artful, and wildly indulgent. As part of the resort’s Dare To Taste programming under the Flavors Unscripted series, W Maldives will welcome acclaimed chef and culinary creative Reynold Poernomo for a two-part takeover on August 10 and 12, 2025. This exclusive collaboration is set to redefine island dining—one plate at a time.

Born in Indonesia and raised in Sydney, Chef Reynold is no stranger to pushing culinary boundaries. A self-taught prodigy who rose to fame as a finalist on MasterChef Australia, he quickly became known as the nation’s “Dessert King” for his intricate, art-driven creations. In 2016, he co-founded KOI Dessert Bar with his family, which has since become one of Sydney’s most iconic culinary destinations with a cult following. The brand expanded in 2017 with KOI Dessert Kitchen, a production space that also hosts exclusive masterclasses and guest chef collaborations. Reynold’s approach to food is anything but ordinary—his plates are immersive, imaginative, and unapologetically bold. This August, he brings that same creative fire to W Maldives.

The main event unfolds on August 12, when guests will have the rare opportunity to experience Chef Reynold’s culinary artistry firsthand at FISH, the resort’s signature overwater venue renowned for its sustainable ocean-to-table fine dining. For one night only, Chef Reynold will present a specially curated three-course dinner inspired by island ingredients, global technique, and his unmistakable visual flair. Guests can expect bold plating, layered flavors, and a few unexpected turns—this is Reynold unleashed, Maldives-style.

As part of this exclusive collaboration, W Maldives presents Marriott Bonvoy Moments–a once-in-a-lifetime experience for members to bid on a Private Castaway Dining Experience with Chef Reynold, paired with a luxurious four-night villa stay in a Premier Overwater One-Bedroom Villa from August 9 to 13, 2025. The package includes roundtrip shared seaplane transfers from Velana International Airport, daily breakfast, and a one-time signature treatment at AWAY Spa for the bid winner and their guest.

The highlight of the stay begins on August 10, with an intimate starlit dinner on Gaathafushi, W Maldives’ private castaway island, where Chef Reynold will personally host and curate a bespoke tasting menu. On August 12, the duo will receive front-row seats to his culinary showcase at FISH. With only one package available, anticipation is high and competition will be fierce.

To mark the collaboration, Chef Reynold will also unveil an exclusive signature dessert, created just for W Maldives and available on the menu for six months following his visit. Daring, decadent, and destined to be the most photographed dish on the island, it is a lasting tribute to this unforgettable partnership.

“There’s something electric about the Maldives—its textures, its moods, its light,” said Chef Reynold Poernomo. “This menu is my response to that. A dreamscape of flavor brought to life through technique, imagination, and a little island heat.”

Amila Handunwala, General Manager of W Maldives, added, “At W Maldives, we’re all about pushing boundaries—on the plate, behind the bar, and in the guest experience. Reynold brings a daring, creative energy that aligns perfectly with our vision. This isn’t just a dinner; it’s a story told in flavor.”

This collaboration is part of Flavors Unscripted, W Maldives’ platform for culinary expression where global tastemakers meet untamed island creativity and nothing is ever scripted. It is food without rules. Flavor without borders.

Tucked away in the heart of the North Ari Atoll and a 25-minute scenic seaplane journey from Velana International Airport, W Maldives is a bold luxury escape featuring 77 private villas—each with a plunge pool and unobstructed access to the Indian Ocean. Following a recent design refresh, the resort seamlessly blends contemporary luxury with the island’s raw natural beauty.

Members can now bid for a Private Castaway Dining Experience with Chef Reynold Poernomo and a four-night stay at W Maldives until July 21, 2025 through Marriott Bonvoy Moments.

Guests looking to stir things up in paradise can book the Stay, Dine, and Fly package, which includes daily breakfast, a three-course dinner, and roundtrip seaplane transfers. For more information, visit www.wmaldives.com or contact reservations.wmaldives@whotels.com.

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Barceló Nasandhura celebrates World Chocolate Day with sweet surprises in Malé

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This July, Barceló Nasandhura is offering guests a taste of the sweeter side of life through a series of limited-time dessert experiences in the heart of Malé.

In celebration of World Chocolate Day, the hotel hosted a Chocolate Indulgence Station in the Nasandhura Lobby on 7th July. Held from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the event featured handcrafted chocolate desserts and tastings led by Head Pastry Chef Mohammed, a certified Continental Judge in Pastry Arts. The occasion attracted a delightful mix of in-house guests and walk-in visitors, who also enjoyed a specially curated photo setup and the opportunity to purchase exclusive, limited-edition treats.

Additionally, from 4th to 7th July, a dedicated Chocolate Dessert Station was presented at the Oivaru dinner buffet, located on the hotel’s third floor, offering a decadent addition to the evening dining experience.

To conclude the month’s celebrations, guests will be able to enjoy a 10% discount on all ice creams at Alimas Coffee Lounge from 20th to 26th July. Featuring house-made flavours, this offering provides the ideal way to cool off and indulge during the warm island afternoons.

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From garden to gourmet: Dusit Thani Maldives celebrates local, responsible cuisine

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Widely recognised as a premier luxury resort in the Maldives, Dusit Thani Maldives is redefining the concept of sustainable dining. Central to the resort’s culinary ethos is a strong commitment to sourcing ingredients locally and responsibly, crafting exceptional, globally inspired dishes that reflect the natural abundance of the Maldivian archipelago.

Located just a short stroll from the resort’s kitchens, the organic Chef’s Garden thrives with fragrant herbs, edible flowers, vegetables, and fruits. Ingredients such as lemongrass, basil, papaya, and chillies are carefully hand-harvested at peak ripeness, ensuring that vibrant flavour and freshness are brought directly to the plate.

All fish featured on the resort’s menus is sustainably sourced from within the Maldives, provided by local fishermen who utilise traditional, low-impact fishing techniques. Wherever possible, produce is also procured from Maldivian farmers—an approach that supports island communities, reduces carbon emissions, and celebrates the rich biodiversity of the atolls.

“Our approach is rooted in a respect for the land and sea,” explains Executive Chef Olivier Portret. “Every dish reflects the story of the Maldives—not just its flavours, but its culture and its people. We want guests to experience something truly meaningful with every bite.”

Guests can enjoy these thoughtfully sourced ingredients across a variety of dining experiences, from fine Thai cuisine at Benjarong, to freshly grilled seafood served al fresco at Sea Grill, or even through interactive cooking classes led by the resort’s culinary team.

Through this garden-to-table philosophy, Dusit Thani Maldives offers more than exceptional cuisine—it fosters a deeper connection to place, purpose, and the planet. This commitment not only sets the resort apart as one of the finest in the Maldives, but also as a destination where sustainability and luxury exist in perfect harmony.

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