From February through November 2021, iconic Maldivian resort Soneva Fushi will welcome some of the world’s top culinary minds as guest chefs to cook for their lucky holidaymakers as part of the 2021 Soneva Stars Programme. Chefs include the likes of Tom s, Esben Holmboe Bang, Cédric Vongerichten, John Burton-Race and Alberto Faccani.
Each chef will bring their unique, stellar culinary prowess to the Soneva Fushi kitchens, providing guests with a truly unforgettable dining experience in one of the most stunning settings in the archipelago. Each chef’s guest appearance will last between 1 and 3 weeks, here is the full schedule:
Tom Aikens | 6-20 February 2021
Soneva Fushi & Jani
Tom Aikens is one of the UK’s most acclaimed and inspirational British chefs. With a father working in the wine industry and a childhood mostly spent gardening and cooking with his mother, Tom put food and the use of the finest ingredients at the centre of his life from a very early age.
His remarkable career took him to David Cavalier’s in Battersea, Pierre Koffman’s La Tante Claire, Joel Robuchon in Paris, Gerard Boyere’s in Riems and Pied-à-Terre to name a few. It was at the latter that Tom became the youngest British chef ever to be awarded two Michelin stars, aged just 26. Tom remained at Pied-à-Terre for five years, then going on to open his immensely successful eponymous restaurant, Tom Aikens (2003-2014), which was awarded 2 Michelin stars in 2009.
Tom has written three books; Cooking (2006), Fish (2008), and Easy (2011), and has made several appearances on television, reaching the final banquet of 2013’s Great British Menu on BBC2 in aid of Comic Relief, and is a regular guest on Great British Menu and Great British Bake Off’s The Extra Slice.
Tom is dedicated to serving only the highest quality, ethically sourced ingredients and continually supports The Environmental Justice Foundation to raise awareness of illegal ‘pirate’ fishing and diminishing fish stocks. He also works closely with various charities including: the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Campaign, Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign and School Food Matters, where he teaches young children basic cooking skills.
Esben Holmboe Bang | 19 February – 1 March 2021
Soneva Fushi
Esben Holmboe Bang (36) is head chef and co-owner of Norway’s ground-breaking three Michelin-starred Restaurant Maaemo. He was born and raised in Copenhagen, but has spent most of his culinary career in Oslo.
The Norwegian terroir is a relatively unknown treasure of the international culinary world, but it is something that Esben is passionate about exploring. Esben’s cuisine is focused on creating an experience around the clean, bright flavours of Norway, using entirely organic, bio dynamic, or wild produce.
It’ s a bold style of cooking that has won the young chef a legion of fans and a listing as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Chefs in the World and Elite Traveler Magazine’s ‘2016 Young Chef of the Year.’
Cédric Vongerichten | 25 March – 4 April 2021
Soneva Fushi & Jani
Cédric Vongerichten is the executive chef and owner of Wayan, a new, modern French-Indonesian restaurant in New York City. Originally born in Bangkok, Thailand, Cédric moved to New York at a young age, where he spent his early years learning from his father, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, in kitchens around New York City and the world. At the age of 17, Cédric embarked on his first apprenticeship in the Bahamas and from there moved on to work in kitchens around the globe, including London’s Berkeley Hotel, Hong Kong’s Mandarin Oriental and El Bulli in Barcelona.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Cédric Vongerichten was recognized by Zagat as one of the top 30 chefs under 30 and has worked in some of the most celebrated kitchens in the world. After stints at Hong Kong’s Mandarin Oriental and El Bulli in Barcelona, he is now Chef de Cuisine at the renowned Perry St. in New York City. Opening Vong Kitchen + Le Burger in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018 with his wife Ochi, the duo currently own and operate Wayan, meaning “first born” in Balinese, their first independent restaurant in downtown Manhattan.