Connect with us

Featured

Flying sauces featuring Odette’s Julien Royer brings terroir to table at Soneva Fushi

Published

on

Award-winning luxury resorts operator Soneva has partnered with Chef Julien Royer to bring Singapore’s acclaimed three Michelin-starred Odette restaurant to the Maldives. The modern French restaurant is guided by Royer’s lifelong respect for seasonality, terroir and artisanal produce. While underpinned by the principles of French cuisine, his years in Asia have infused his approach with a sense of place.

The exclusive 10-week residency at Soneva Fushi’s Flying Sauces will take place from now until April 15, 2022. Flying Sauces was launched in late  2021 and is the only fine dining zipline experience in the world where the evolving multi-course menu is enjoyed from an open treetop kitchen 12 metres above the ground, which boasts exceptional views of the island’s lush jungle and sparkling turquoise ocean.

Flying Sauces featuring Odette’s Chef Julien Royer will showcase produce at its seasonal peak reflective of the Odette experience, with an emphasis on native ingredients – without culinary pretence and handled with an astute, restrained touch.

Taking the helm for the 10-week residency is Odette’s Singaporean Chef de Cuisine, Naka Xiong, who brings his reverence for nature and affinity with seafood to realise a gastronomic experience infused with vibrant tropical flavours and an ingenious Southeast Asian identity, befitting of Soneva Fushi’s idyllic island setting.

The concept will offer both a pescatarian and a vegetarian menu to Soneva Fushi’s guests. Highlights include: the Soneva Garden Salad, featuring foraged or farmed ingredients from Soneva’s own organic gardens or the Maldives; Basmati Donabe, celebrating the importance of the humble grain across Southeast Asia, with herbs sourced from the island, accentuated with pomelo, sakura ebi, shallots and puffed wild rice; and Tuna Flower, with sustainably caught local tuna given a citrus kick from the yuzu kosho, tempered by a refreshing green grape and almond nage.

“We are honoured to welcome Chef Julien Royer and the Odette team to Soneva Fushi,” says Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Co-founder of Soneva. “Chef Royer’s own culinary philosophy is the perfect complement to Soneva’s Slow Life ethos, which emphasises exquisite yet healthy cuisine, using the highest quality ingredients that are organic, sustainable and as local as possible. Alongside our world-class dining destinations and ongoing Soneva Stars calendar of renowned guest chefs, this new residency by Odette further underlines Soneva Fushi’s status as a gastronomic destination in its own right.”

 “It is Odette’s greatest pleasure to share our experience with our friends at Soneva,” adds Julien Royer, Chef-Owner of Odette. “We’re delighted to take the heart of Maldives’ terroir to greater heights, with the show-stopping creativity of our Chef de Cuisine, Xiong.”

Naka Xiong Chef de Cuisine, Odette said “This menu will showcase the nostalgic Southeast Asian flavours that I’m familiar with. Surrounded by fresh produce from Maldivian waters and cooking among the lush treetops of Soneva is a dream come true for me.”

Founded in 1995, Soneva is an award-winning sustainable luxury resorts operator. At Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva in Aqua in the Maldives, and Soneva Kiri in Thailand, true ‘luxury’ is defined by peace, time and space. Each day, guests are encouraged to discover the Slow Life, reconnecting with themselves and the natural world through rare, unforgettable experiences that inspire and enthral.

Soneva is a pioneer for responsible tourism, combining a conscientious, proactive approach to sustainability with exquisite luxury and intuitive personalised service. Carbon neutral since 2012, Soneva launched its Total Impact Assessment in 2016, a first for the hospitality industry, measuring its social and environmental impacts. A mandatory 2% environmental levy is added to every Soneva stay, with proceeds going towards the not-for-profit Soneva Foundation to offset both direct and indirect carbon emissions from resort activities and guest flights. The Foundation funds a range of global projects that have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.

Action

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa to stage 14th edition of Surfing Champions Trophy

Published

on

The Indian Ocean provides consistent surf conditions throughout the year, but each September, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts the Surfing Champions Trophy at the Sultans break. The event is scheduled to return from 4 to 11 September 2026, bringing together professional surfers, guests and spectators.

Now in its 14th edition, the Surfing Champions Trophy is an invitation-only event featuring professional surfers competing across three board disciplines: single fin, twin fin and thruster. The competition takes place at Sultans, a reef break in North Malé Atoll, with Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa serving as the base for participants, officials and attending guests.

The line-up for the 2026 edition will be announced in stages in the coming months.

The event was first held in 2011, with Mark Occhilupo winning all three divisions and the Grand Champions Final. Since then, previous winners have included Damien Hardman (2012), Taylor Knox (2013), Dave Rastovich (2014), Shane Dorian (2015), Taj Burrow (2016, 2017 and 2024), Josh Kerr (2018 and 2019), Kelly Slater (2022), and Joel Parkinson (2023).

Over the years, the competition has also featured a range of international surfers, including Carissa Moore, Maya Gabeira, Tom Curren, Rob Machado, Layne Beachley, Bethany Hamilton, Mikey February, Jeremy Flores and Jadson Andre.

The 2025 edition saw Tahitian surfer Michel Bourez secure victory despite sustaining a hamstring injury during the event. He won both the thruster division and the Grand Champions Final, achieving the only perfect score of the competition in the closing moments of the final. Other participants included Owen Wright, Jesse Mendes, Craig Anderson and Maldivian wildcard Ismail Rasheed.

In parallel with the event, the resort offers the “Surf’s Up” package, which includes coaching sessions with Tropicsurf professionals, guided surf trips, daily yoga sessions, spa treatments, and accommodation with transfers. The package is available to guests seeking to participate in surf-related activities during the event period.

Updates on the 2026 competition, including participant announcements, will be released through official channels of the Surfing Champions Trophy and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.

Continue Reading

Action

JOALI brings England football legend Fara Williams to Maldives

Published

on

JOALI has announced a partnership with retired footballer Fara Williams, who will visit JOALI Maldives and JOALI BEING this April to lead a series of football-related activities for guests and the local community.

Fara Williams is among the most capped players in English football history, with 172 international appearances for the England women’s national team. Over the course of her career, she represented clubs including Chelsea and Charlton Athletic, and captained Everton to victory in the Premier League Cup in 2008 and the FA Women’s Cup in 2010.

As part of the initiative, Williams will host a football workshop for girls from Dhuvaafaru Island on 11 April 2026. The session is intended to support the development of women’s football in the Maldives and reflects JOALI’s engagement with communities in Raa Atoll.

In addition, family-focused football sessions will be held for resort guests on 13 April at JOALI Maldives and on 17 April at JOALI BEING. These sessions will provide children and families with the opportunity to participate in football activities guided by Williams.

JOALI Maldives offers villas starting from USD 3,256 per night for two guests sharing a Water Villa with Pool on a bed and breakfast basis. At JOALI BEING, villas start from USD 3,162 per night for two guests sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a bed and breakfast basis.

Continue Reading

Featured

Grand Park Kodhipparu to host lunar-themed experiences in May

Published

on

Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives has unveiled Moon Over Kodhipparu, a month-long programme of curated lunar-inspired experiences scheduled to take place throughout May 2026. Drawing on the natural rhythm of the moon, the resort invites guests to experience the Maldives through a series of immersive activities designed to foster connection to self, others, and the surrounding island environment.

Set against the Indian Ocean, the programme structures each significant lunar phase as a distinct experiential segment. The Flower Full Moon at the beginning of the month introduces a theme of renewal, with activities including guided sound healing sessions, sunset cruises that extend into moonlit lagoon journeys, and oceanfront dining experiences.

Midway through the month, the Super New Moon presents a contrasting focus on stillness and reflection. Guests are invited to participate in beachside wellness sessions, starlit cruises under dark skies, and night fishing experiences guided by the natural rhythm of the sea.

The programme concludes with the Blue Moon on 31 May, marked by a series of experiences centred on celebration and connection, including couples’ spa treatments, lagoon cruises, and curated dining experiences under moonlight.

In addition to these key lunar events, the programme runs throughout May with a range of experiences integrated into the resort offering. Evening options include private beach lounge settings illuminated by lanterns, alongside a selection of botanical cocktails reflecting the changing tones of the night sky. The resort also offers tailored private dining and proposal arrangements, as well as a Mother’s Day concept that enables guests to arrange personalised experiences for travelling family members.

The programme reflects a broader trend in luxury travel towards experience-led stays. At Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives, this is reflected through the integration of wellness, dining, and ocean-based activities into a structured programme designed to create continuity across the guest experience.

Guests are able to access the programme through the resort’s “Night on Us” offer, available for bookings made until 30 April 2026. The offer includes two complimentary nights on a six-night stay, allowing guests additional time to engage with multiple phases of the programme. It is valid for stays through 31 October 2026.

Located approximately 20 minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives offers overwater villas, a house reef, and a range of curated experiences that reflect the natural and cultural setting of the Maldives.

Through Moon Over Kodhipparu, the resort continues to expand its experience offering by aligning guest activities with natural cycles and structured programming.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright all rights reserved by Maldives Promotion House 2023.