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.
Drink
German winemaker Patrick Jacklin to host exclusive tasting at Constance Moofushi
Constance Moofushi Maldives is set to welcome Patrick Jacklin of Weingut Heitlinger, Germany, for an exclusive wine tasting experience on 9th March from 06:00pm to 07:30pm. Set on a sunset sandbank, this unique experience will feature a curated selection of biodynamic wines, paired with refined canapés in an unforgettable Indian Ocean setting. During his visit, Patrick Jacklin will also conduct a dedicated masterclass with the resort’s sommeliers, offering an opportunity to further expand their knowledge and understanding of biodynamic wines and viticulture.
At Constance Hotels & Resorts, wine is an integral part of the guest experience, shaped by passionate sommeliers and a long-standing culture of discovery. At Constance Moofushi, this dedication is reflected in Alizée Restaurant being recognized by The World of Fine Wine for its Best All-Inclusive Wine List, highlighting the resort’s carefully curated selection and pairing philosophy. This intimate tasting continues that spirit, celebrating terroir, craftsmanship, and meaningful encounters between guests and winemakers.
Raised in the Kraichgau region of Baden, Patrick Jacklin comes from a family deeply rooted in winemaking. Alongside his brother Philip, he represents the next generation of the Weingut Heitlinger bringing fresh energy and vision to the estate.

Passionate about biodynamic viticulture Patrick plays an active role in shaping the estate’s style and guiding its evolution in both cellar and vineyard.
Located in Östringen‑Tiefenbach, Weingut Heitlinger, is recognised among Germany’s leading organic and biodynamic estates. The winery is also part of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) Since 2012, Germany’s most respected association of top-quality wine estates — a distinction that reflects a shared commitment to origin, craft, and rigorous standards.
“This evening with Patrick Jacklin is a celebration of what we love most – exceptional wines, generous sharing, and the magic of a Maldivian sunset. We look forward to welcoming our guests for this intimate moment of discovery,” says Mevin Ramasamy, General Manager of Constance Moofushi.
Cooking
TAPASAKE Maldives hosts Chef Norimasa Kosaka for four-hands dining collaboration
TAPASAKE Maldives, the destination dining restaurant set in the private island of ultra-luxury resort One&Only Reethi Rah, will be welcoming back Japanese Owner Chef Norimasa Kosaka for exclusive dining experiences this March through a Four-Hands Dining Experience with resident Chef Ahmed Jameel, as well as a special sushi night at the iconic overwater restaurant.
The first of its kind since the inception of One&Only Reethi Rah, TAPASAKE Maldives features breathtaking Indian Ocean views, bold contemporary design, and dining experiences that unite the precision of Japan and the soul of the Mediterranean in a flowing exchange of flavour, texture, and culture. In addition to the restaurant in the Maldives, TAPASAKE also operates in Dubai, Mauritius, and Montenegro.
These exclusive collaborations will feature an exciting reunion between long-time colleagues and master-and-student, Chef Norimasa Kosaka and the restaurant’s resident Chef Ahmed Jameel. Chef Nori worked at One&Only Reethi Rah as a chef in TAPASAKE between 2007 to 2009 and now owns and operates the sushi restaurant Mimasaka NORIMASA in Okayama prefecture, Japan, which offers modern Japanese cuisine with a French twist. Originally from Osaka and with over 10 years of international experience, Chef Nori specialises in sushi and hot dishes and is well-loved for his contemporary Japanese style that can appeal to all palates. Chef Nori will be collaborating with resident Chef Ahmed Jameel, a native of the Maldives whose culinary style blends both traditional and contemporary Japanese techniques, a balance he learned under Chef Nori’s tutelage.
Chef Nori and Chef Jameel’s reunion represents a symbolic return of two chefs who were instrumental in shaping the identity of TAPASAKE’s cuisine, both having worked together during the restaurant’s pre-opening and seeing it through various evolutions. Originally a purely Japanese restaurant, both chefs played key roles in TAPASAKE’s turning points from traditional to contemporary Japanese and Peruvian-inspired cuisine to the current concept of Japanese with Mediterranean influences. Akin to a master-student relationship, Chef Jameel credits much of his training of Japanese cuisine to Chef Nori, including traditional Japanese and contemporary approaches, technical competencies like knife skills, and knowledge of and exposure to new produce and ingredients.

Set above crystal-clear Indian Ocean waters, Chef Nori’s Four-Hands Dining Experience offers an exclusive menu from two chefs who have greatly impacted TAPASAKE Maldives’ history. Chef Nori will feature modern Japanese cuisine through dishes like Sashimi Tartare and 5-Hour Steamed Abalone with Lobster, while Chef Jameel will demonstrate a harmonious blend of Japanese and Mediterranean flavours with his dish Truffle Crusted Spanish Sea Bass with Miso Foam. The two chefs will also collaborate on a Slow-Cooked Wagyu dish that will showcase both their unique specialties.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chef Nori back to TAPASAKE and the resort for these dining experiences,” say Jan B. Tibaldi, General Manager of One&Only Reethi Rah. “Bringing back one of the chefs behind the iconic concept of TAPASAKE’s cuisine will surely curate a truly special evening for our guests, especially our repeaters who knew Chef Nori from the restaurant’s early days.”
The Four-Hands Dining Experience will be held exclusively on 27 March and the Exquisite Night at the Sushi Bar will be held on 29 March, both at TAPASAKE Maldives, which will be open from 7.00pm to 10.30pm.
For pre-bookings and more information, please email guest.information@oneandonlyreethirah.com or call +960 664 8800. For more information about the resort, please visit oneandonlyreethirah.com.
Cooking
Chef Giorgio Servetto brings Michelin-starred dining to Atmosphere Core’s underwater restaurants
A rare culinary moment will unfold in the Maldives as double MICHELIN-Starred Chef Giorgio Servetto brings his distinctive approach to creative, environmentally grounded dining beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean, in an exclusive underwater collaboration with Atmosphere Core.
Chef Giorgio Servetto will introduce a Garden-to-Sea Immersion concept rooted in circular cuisine and zero-waste precision. He will take over two of the region’s most celebrated underwater restaurants, for exclusive lunch and dinner experiences: Only BLU at OBLU SELECT Lobigili from 7th to 9th May 2026, followed by M6m (Minus Six Metres) at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO from 12th to 14th May 2026. The culinary extravaganza will also include a signature Crab Dinner Experience at the HUDHU BAY, also at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO.

Presented as a five-course menu at both Only BLU and M6m, each dish will trace Chef Servetto’s culinary journey, translating his philosophy into refined and sophisticated expressions. Developed in partnership with Atmosphere Core culinary team, the menus will prioritise island-grown produce. Hydroponic greens cultivated on Maadhoo Island, fresh vegetables sourced from local farms, and sustainable catch from the Indian Ocean will reinforce a transparent and measurable commitment to environmental accountability.
“Creativity begins with listening—to the land, the sea, and what they give you,” says Chef Giorgio Servetto. “My cuisine is about simplifying. When you respect ingredients fully, every element finds its purpose and flavour becomes clearer. You are a guest in nature’s elegant dining room. It is especially exciting to bring this experience to the Maldives for the first time with Atmosphere Core, where serving food in this underwater realm makes the journey feel even more special.”
Born and professionally shaped in Liguria, Italy, Chef Giorgio Servetto is known for an approach to cooking that is both disciplined and deeply curious. He is a great wine enthusiast and a dynamic presence in the kitchen, driven by an openness to learning, cultural exchange, and continuous research. This passionate pursuit of excellence has earned him rare distinction: he remains the only chef in Liguria to hold both a MICHELIN Red Star and a MICHELIN Green Star, and the only one to be awarded Red Stars at two different restaurants.
Bringing together MICHELIN-level gastronomy and tangible island sustainability leadership, this collaboration extends beyond a single culinary moment. It reflects Atmosphere Core’s broader commitment to embedding conscious dining principles across its portfolio.

Anupam Banerjee, Vice President Food & Beverage, Atmosphere Core, expands, “This kind of culinary experience feels very natural to us. We are focused on bringing conscious dining into everything we do. Our approach to circular cuisine comes from working closely with what’s grown on our islands and what the sea provides responsibly. Collaborating with Chef Servetto has been inspiring. His way of thinking aligns instinctively with ours, and together we’ve designed something enriching, grounded and memorable, a new experience that our guests can genuinely enjoy and take with them.”
The venues themselves complete the immersion. One of the Maldives’ largest under ocean restaurants, Only BLU offers a cobalt-washed dining room framed by drifting marine life, while M6M delivers a sophisticated, limited-seat experience six metres below the surface, where ocean panoramas replace traditional décor. In both settings, dining becomes a sensory experience, focused and deliberately unhurried.
Easily accessible from Velana International Airport, OBLU SELECT Lobigili and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO offer seamless entry points for travellers seeking meaningful travel. Whether for a fleeting escape or an extended stay, the collaboration positions Atmosphere Core at the forefront of a new gastronomic language where creativity, sustainability and sense of place are inseparable.
In an age where luxury dining is being redefined, this underwater takeover makes a compelling statement, the future of fine dining isn’t louder, it’s deeper.
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