This summer, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is serving up a culinary feast that food enthusiasts are sure to appreciate.

As part of the resort’s Masters of Crafts series, they’re rolling out the red carpet for Chef Pam Pichaya Soontornyanakij, whose restaurant, POTONG, recently nabbed the title of ‘Restaurant of the Year’ from Thailand’s Favourite Restaurants 2024. She will grace The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands’ Summer Pavilion for an exclusive two-night event from 10th-11th August. Chef Pam is set to bring her culinary celebration from Bangkok’s POTONG, located in the heart of Yaowarat, the hub for Thai-Chinese culture in Thailand. Joining her is Matteo Cadeddu of Opium, who will be shaking things up at EAU Bar on 9th-10th August with his masterful mixology.

Located in the North Malé Atoll, just a short speedboat or seaplane ride from Malé International Airport, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives offers 100 villas set over turquoise lagoons. Guests can enjoy pristine beaches, marine life, and top-notch service with a personal butler. Culinary options abound, along with fitness and recreation facilities, including Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment programme and a signature Ritz-Carlton Spa featuring Bamford.

Chef Pam, the female chef who earned the ‘Chef of the Year’ award from Thailand’s Favourite Restaurants 2022, will present an eight-course tasting menu that showcases her innovative Thai-Chinese cuisine. Expect to be wowed by ‘Parts of Banana,’ where she uses every part of the fruit to demonstrate its versatility, and ‘POTONG’s Pad Thai,’ which reinvents Thailand’s national dish. Her ‘Yin Yang Noodle’ will take you on a nostalgic journey with morels and creamy chicken broth for a delightful twist.

Guests can also look forward to delicacies the ‘Evolution of Crab’ and ‘Five-Spices Squab,’ ending on a sweet note with the ‘Salak,’ ‘Chocolate Sphere,’ and a ‘Tangerine and Chocolate Bon Bon’ all sure to leave you wanting more.

Set against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean, diners will enter through the iconic ‘moon-gate’ and be led to a lantern-lit dining room that hovers serenely over crystal-clear waters. It promises to be an experience as unforgettable as the dishes served.

Matteo Cadeddu from Opium, a cocktail bar known for its “liquid surrealism,” will be taking over EAU Bar on 9th-10th August. Guests can sip on imaginative cocktails the ‘Han Solo’ with Mezcal, pineapple tepache, and lime, or the ‘Incognito,’ a gin and bergamot liqueur concoction. For something truly unique, try the ‘Granadaladahaha,’ a whiskey and pomegranate mix with coconut yoghurt and homemade coffee coconut vermouth.

With the sun setting over the Maldivian paradise and the sound of Maldivian drums in the background, this is the place to be for an epic summer evening.

     •    POTONG x The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands: $250 per person, including an eight-course tasting menu (approximately 9,097.50 Thai Baht, updated on 10 July 2024)

     •    Opium x The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands: Signature cocktails from $25 (approximately 910.00 Thai Baht, updated on 10 July 2024)

For more details and reservations, visit ritz-carlton.com/Maldives. Stay updated by following us on Instagram and Facebook.