Soneva is inviting guests to meet “The Tastemakers,” the brand’s highly dedicated, international lineup of chefs and sommeliers who create the one-of-a-kind dining experiences every day at Soneva’s world-leading luxury resorts in Thailand and the Maldives.
The Tastemaker film series kicks-off by featuring Sonvea Fushi’s award-winning Maldivian Chef Sobah and then will continue to premiere a new chef or sommelier every other week through December 2019. Through the series, you will meet the talented food and beverage teams across Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani and Soneva Kiri through a unique behind-the-scenes into Sonvea’s kitchens, as well as into The Tastemaker’s life. Here are a few of the talented Soneva staff you will meet throughout this series in 2019.
Meet Sonvea’s Tastemakers
Chef Benz is the Thai chef named after her father’s favorite brand of car. Discovered by Soneva founders Sonu and Eva, Chef Benz’s unmatched ability to craft exquisite Thai dishes from even the humblest local ingredients has earned her a reputation as one of the country’s most innovative cooking talents.
Discover the intricate craftmanship of guest Chef Kenji Gyoten, scheduled to grace the kitchens of Soneva Fushi throughout 2019 and 2020. Renowned for mastering the ancient hontaegashi hand-flipping technique, he is the youngest Michelin-starred sushi chef in Japan, and one of only four Japanese chefs to be awarded a coveted three Michelin stars. Watching Chef Gyoten prepare sushi is comparable to a choreographed dance. The result is sushi that is so complex and so sophisticated it is a truly rare culinary experience.
From Soneva Fushi, find out more about one of the resort’s most-loved characters. Wearing a smile brighter than the morning sun, Chef Sira has been serving up breakfast at Mihiree Mitha for more than two decades and is famed for his mouth-watering hoppers, a breakfast treat from his Sri Lankan homeland.
Chef Sobah is proud of his Maldivian heritage. He is known for putting his own contemporary twist on Maldivian recipes handed down by his mother and grandmother. His original restaurant, Sobah’s, located on a deserted island near Soneva Fushi was the first resort restaurant in the Maldives to exclusively offer Maldivian delicacies. Chef Sobah now delights diners at Out of the Blue by Sobah with modern Japanese fare using fish caught fresh from the ocean that day.
Chef David knew the first time that he walked through the doors of a professional kitchen that he had found his place. From an early age he set his sights on working in the best kitchens in the world. To this day, he claims to have never worked a day in his life – his kitchen is his home and cooking is his passion.
Chef Priyantha is head chef at The Crab Shack at Soneva Jani, possibly the most romantic restaurant in the world. He grew up on a diet of lagoon crabs in Sri Lanka and now serves a menu inspired by the family recipes of Soneva chefs.
Join Chef Ansari and his team as they take you on a gastronomical journey around the world. The menu provides a guide but the real magic happens when the chefs and guests meet, allowing the chefs to use their creativity and passion to produce a meal that will be remembered forever.
Chef Jenefer grew up foraging around her rural home in the Philippines. Her sense of adventure has never left her and how she uses her knowledge of botany and her skills as a chef to present plat-based dishes that look like works of art at Soneva Fushi’s Shades of Green garden restaurant.
From humble beginnings, Chef Ravi used his wits and his charm to persuade those around him to teach him to cook. He has since worked in some of the best restaurants in the world. Visiting his restaurant Down to Earth is like walking into a family home where you will be greeted with a smile, a warm welcome and exquisite food cooked from the heart.
Keep an eye out for new videos from ‘The Tastemakers’ series dropping every other week on Soneva’s landing page here.
