Gastronomy
Six Senses Laamu hosts a trio of celebrity chefs for cxclusive culinary events in the Maldives
Maldives.net.mv – At a series of events during September and October 2013, Six Senses Laamu will be presenting a culinary coup, with three celebrity chefs introducing their respective unique cuisines. The dining events and learning experiences will be exclusively for guests of the resort.
Set in two periods, the first will be from 11th to 17th September and will feature the renowned TV chef and author Paul Merret, together with Anton Manganaro from London’s prestigious BAFTA 195 Piccadilly venue. They will create signature dinners at LEAF, and cooking classes at Zen.
The second sector of culinary events will be from 9th to 16th October 2013, and will feature Chef Joe Barza – innovative advocate of new Lebanese cuisine. He will also be presenting signature dinners at LEAF and a cooking class at Zen.
The venue for these memorable menus is LEAF restaurant, a symphony of rustic wood and palm-thatched roof perched above the resort’s organic garden. Maldivian fishermen and farmers are the source for many of the local ingredients. Guest participation at dinner is US$135++ per person.
Cooking classes will be held at Zen, on the upper deck of the unique overwater village, which also offers inspiring tropical vistas over the translucent lagoon waters. Class attendance is US$130 per person.
Special accommodation packages are offered, and for a minimum seven-night stay there is a savings of 15% off the best available rate, with breakfast included. An additional 10% savings applies to bookings made sixty days or more in advance of the arrival date. More details are available at http://www.sixsenses.com/
More about our Celebrity Chefs:
Chef Paul Merret has an impressive background in the restaurant world having worked with some of London’s top chefs, including Peter Kromberg and Gary Rhodes.
Paul’s media career began with a one off appearance on Channel 4’s Light Lunch. Since then Paul has been involved in many television projects including a ten-part BBC2 series named The Best, three series of Ever Wondered About Food on BBC1, Family Supercooks and most recently presenting Economy Gastronomy on prime time BBC2. Alongside this, Paul has been a regular contributor on Market Kitchen, ITV’s Sunday Feast, Perfect and Saturday Kitchen as well as appearing on both BBC Breakfast and GMTV.
Paul is also a keen author and his first book, Using The Plot was published in 2007. Economy Gastronomy followed, which has its foundation in the BBC Television series of the same name, which was hosted and written by Paul alongside Allegra McEvedy. Paul is currently writing his third book.
Paul now owns and runs The Victoria Public House – Dining Room and Hotel near Richmond Park in West London, which won Best London Gastro Pub 2011 in the Great Pub Awards.
Chef Anton Manganaro started his culinary career at the Royal Garden Hotel with David Nichols, formerly of the Ritz and now at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel. Since then he has worked with many of the well-known chefs of our time, including Gunther Schlender of Rue St Jacques, Paul Gayler of Inigo Jones and The Lanesborough, as well as Gary Rhodes and Anton Mosimann.
For five years he worked with Paul Merrett at Interlude and the Greenhouse achieving a Michelin star. He also travelled the world working in private households before he headed up the kitchen at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, where he has been head chef for the last 7 years.
Anton prides himself in using only the freshest, and most seasonal ingredients and supports many charities and organisations to promote wellbeing in farming and sustainability. Whilst he enjoys the exciting innovations of contemporary cuisine, he places great emphasis on his classical background.
After 21 years in the industry he is very keen to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of up-and-coming chefs. He works with students of West Thames College who train alongside his team in the BAFTA 195 Piccadilly kitchen.
Chef Joe Barza is an innovative advocate of new Lebanese cuisine. He earned his degree at the School of Hotel Management in Beirut, Lebanon and has become a Master Chef specialising in Lebanese cuisine. He has more than twenty-two years of professional cooking and kitchen management experience, leadership qualities and professionalism, backed by a consistent record of achievement.
Trained by Pierre Pomel, Marc Veyrat, Jean-Pierre Jacob, Pierre Marin and Chicho Sultano, Joe Barza has become a teaching instructor himself as well as a training and development specialist.He has worked alongside Paul Bocuse, Alain Ducasse, Pierre Gagnaire, Joel Robluchon and Alfons Schuhbeck. In 2008, Chef Barza was the head of the delegation at the Bocuse d’Or.
Chef Barza has become a name synonymous worldwide with progressive Lebanese Cuisine. Globally recognised, with a perfect balance of passion, wittiness and creativity he brings a mix of tradition and modernism, elegance and warmth to Laamu’s dining experiences. He combines simplicity and innovation where he uses alternative ingredients instead of usual ones, to create new recipes.
Milaidhoo Maldives will welcome Chef Laurence Tan, Head Chef of Michelin-starred JAG in Singapore, for two culinary experiences on the island in October.
Tan’s interest in cooking began at home, inspired by his parents and by preparing and sharing food with his family. After experimenting in the family kitchen, he went on to attend culinary school before joining The White Rabbit in Singapore in 2016, where he began developing his professional career.
He later worked at Tower Club before joining JAG in 2020. Working alongside Chef Jeremy Gillon, Tan developed an approach centred on precision, seasonality and the integrity of individual ingredients.
He progressed from Chef de Partie to Junior Sous Chef and later Sous Chef. When Gillon took on an international consultancy in Taiwan, Tan assumed leadership of the JAG kitchen.
He is now Head Chef of the restaurant, which retained its Michelin star in 2026, reflecting the consistency and quality of its cuisine under his direction.
During his visit to Milaidhoo, Tan will introduce guests to elements of JAG’s culinary philosophy while sharing some of the techniques and ideas that shape his cooking.
On 16 October, he will conduct an intimate cooking class, giving guests an opportunity to learn directly from him and explore his approach to ingredients, technique and flavour.
The following evening, on 17 October, Tan will host a five-course dinner limited to 16 guests.
The menu will begin with Hiramasa crudo with tomatoes and sea grapes, followed by Gambero Rosso with Jerusalem artichoke and cashew. Lobster ravioli with lobster bisque will precede Tajima Wagyu MB8 tenderloin with celeriac and black autumn truffle.
Dessert will feature a dark chocolate parfait with buckwheat ice cream and tonka bean. A preserved lemon sorbet will be served between courses, while the evening will open with a leek and potato croustade.
The collaboration reflects Milaidhoo’s culinary philosophy, which places emphasis on craftsmanship, curiosity, shared experiences and the role of dining in creating memorable moments.
The cooking class will take place on 16 October, followed by the five-course chef’s dinner on 17 October, with the latter limited to 16 guests.
V Villas Maldives at Mirihi – MGallery Collection will host Executive Chef Pisut ‘Nong’ Nahan and Lead Mixologist Mongkol ‘Lek’ Saengchud from V Villas Phuket – MGallery Collection for a Thai culinary pop-up on 10 and 11 October 2026.
Titled ‘From the Andaman to the Indian Ocean’, the collaboration will bring together the culinary identities of the two destinations through contemporary Thai cuisine, cocktails and island dining experiences.
Over two evenings, guests will be able to take part in Cocktail & Dine at Muraka and a Sundowner & Beach Dinner at AKOYA Sea Lounge.
Chef Nong will showcase his ‘Thai with a modern twist’ approach, combining regional Thai flavours, seasonal ingredients and traditional techniques with contemporary presentation. The menu has been designed as a culinary journey between Thailand and the Maldives, drawing inspiration from the Andaman Sea and the waters surrounding Mirihi.
Khun Lek will complement the dining experience with cocktails inspired by place, storytelling and balance. His ‘triangle’ method combines sweetness for relaxation, sourness for freshness and bitterness for depth, with each drink centred around an umami element.
The collaboration will feature dishes and cocktails developed specifically for the event. Menu concepts include Royal Massaman Croquette, Siam Betel Crab and Ocean Tuna Crudo, while featured drinks will include the Mirihi Martini, Muraka Whisper and Tropical Terroir.
The pop-up forms part of the shared approach of V Villas Maldives at Mirihi and V Villas Phuket, as well as MGallery Collection’s focus on experience-led hospitality and storytelling.
Further details on timings, menus and reservations will be announced by the resort. Availability for the two-night event will be limited.
Finolhu, a Seaside Collection Resort, will welcome the renowned Château Palmer to its island shores on 25 October 2026 for an exclusive wine dinner, bringing together exceptional Bordeaux wines, thoughtfully crafted cuisine and the relaxed elegance of the Maldives.
For this special evening, Finolhu will be joined by Monsieur Charles Sichel, representing a family whose connection with Château Palmer dates back to 1938. The Sichel family remains one of the families behind the celebrated Margaux estate today, continuing a relationship spanning generations.
Set within the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux, Château Palmer is recognised for a distinctive style shaped by its terroir. Its Grand Vin brings together Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a touch of Petit Verdot, producing wines characterised by finesse, elegance and an aromatic expression of flowers, fruit and spice. The estate’s wines are matured for more than 20 months before revealing their full expression.
The Château Palmer Wine Dinner at Finolhu will take guests on a journey through a curated selection of wines from the estate, each thoughtfully paired with a specially created menu from Finolhu’s culinary team. Throughout the evening, Monsieur Charles Sichel will share insights into the heritage, terroir and craftsmanship behind Château Palmer, offering guests a more personal perspective on the wines in their glasses.
The dinner forms part of Finolhu’s evolving calendar of culinary experiences, bringing distinctive producers and personalities from the international world of food and wine to Baa Atoll. From the wine selection to each accompanying dish, the evening will celebrate the relationship between cuisine and wine while retaining the relaxed, experiential character that defines dining at Finolhu.
The event follows Finolhu’s recent recognition as one of the Best Culinary Resorts at the Travel Trade Maldives (TTM) Awards 2026, an accolade celebrating the creativity and dedication behind the resort’s food and beverage experiences. Gastronomy is an integral part of the Finolhu experience, with thoughtfully developed menus, international influences and distinctive settings coming together to create memorable moments around the table.
The Château Palmer Wine Dinner continues this culinary story, following a series of wine-led experiences at the resort and further strengthening Finolhu’s focus on creating dining occasions that extend beyond the plate. Most recently, the resort welcomed Sato Wines from Central Otago for a series of intimate dinners, including an evening at the iconic Crab Shack.
Sunny Chuang, Director of Food & Beverage, said: “We are delighted to welcome Monsieur Charles Sichel and Château Palmer to Finolhu for what promises to be a very special evening. Our approach to dining has always been about creating experiences that bring together exceptional flavours, inspiring stories and memorable settings. To share the heritage and wines of Château Palmer with our guests in Baa Atoll is a wonderful continuation of that journey.”
Guests attending the dinner can look forward to an intimate evening of fine wine, considered pairings and conversation, bringing the character of Margaux to the shores of the Maldives.
For more information and reservations, visit finolhu.com.
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