Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has bagged several of the top honours at the recently concluded Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge.
At the culinary challenge held from September 17-20 at the main convention centre of Dharubaaruge in capital Male, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives walked away with Best Culinary Establishment award, the Alan Palmer Challenge Trophy and Maldives’ Most Outstanding Chef award.
Additionally, the resort won gold medals in several categories, including Hot Cooking Poultry, Desserts, Maldivian Dish, and The Perfect Steak and Omelette. Silver and bronze medals were also won by Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives’ chefs in seven and 12 categories respectively.
“The participants demonstrated a high level of expertise, reflecting the quality of cuisine experienced by all our guests at the restaurants in Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives. I wish to congratulate all the participating chefs and I am proud of their outstanding efforts,” the resort’s General Manager Joseph Della Gatta was quoted as saying.
The Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge has established itself as the premier culinary event in the Maldives, attracting chefs from local and international resorts whose work and creativity are evaluated by experts, including celebrated chefs from the world over.
This year’s edition saw the participation of 630 chefs in 20 categories. Their dishes were judged by world-renowned chefs from the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WorldChefs).
Accessible by a 40-minute speedboat ride from the main Velana International Airport, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives offers 160 villas in four different styles of beach and garden villas, beach houses, family villas and overwater villas. Each villa type at the resort has been designed with cool clean lines with white washed timber providing warm texture to the unshod foot. Large picture windows mean that you are only a glance away from the great blue outdoors.
Amongst the six dining options on the island, fresh local seafood is served at The Kitchen Restaurant, which offers breathtaking sunset views. The newly refurbished Kandooma Cafe features Western and Asian meals and provides indoor and outdoor seating, while the Bokkuraa Coffee Club located next to the sparkling infinity pool offers a selection of coffees along with wood-fired pizza.
Guests can enjoy a work-out at the fitness centre or run on the jogging track around the island. Thai massages and body treatments are available at Kandooma Spa.