Male’ Maldives, 5th November 2023 – Alila Kothaifaru Maldives is pleased to announce the arrival of its new Executive Chef, Nguyen Minh Phuc. A native of Vietnam, Chef Phuc brings a wealth of experience since 2003 from hotels and resorts around the world, from the Kingdom of Bahrain to South East Asia including Accor Hotels in Vietnam and recently served as Executive Chef at Marriott Hotels in the Maldives and Bali, Indonesia. Chef Phuc holds a bachelor’s degree in Cuisine Art, Food Preparation and Cooking from Vietnam Tourism College as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
To mark his debut, Chef Phuc is launching the Boat to Table BBQ Night at the resort’s signature restaurant, Seasalt every Sunday. This unique dining experience allows guests to choose their own fresh seafood from a local fisherman’s boat, which is then cooked to their liking by Chef Phuc and his culinary team.
The Boat to Table BBQ Night is a celebration of the local community’s fresh ingredients, local products, and sustainable practices. Guided by Hyatt’s food philosophy “Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.”, Chef Phuc is committed to supporting the local community, especially the fishermen in the Raa Atoll Maldives, and reducing food waste. This new dining experience introduces guests to a different way to experience the Maldives.
Each week, a fisherman’s boat will park by Seasalt restaurant and the fishermen will carry a basket of fish directly from the boat to the grill area to display their catch. Customers are then invited to choose the fish they would like to eat, and the chef prepares the fish in front of them and grills it directly on charcoal according to the diners’ preference.
“I am so pleased to be joining the team at Alila Kothaifaru Maldives. I have long been an admirer of the resort and the way it incorporates sustainable practices and local customs into its programming for guests. While creating my debut menu for the resort, it was important to me to celebrate the local fishermen, giving them the chance to show guests that their food is truly authentic and local, and creating a space for guests to connect and engage directly with the fishermen,” comments Chef Phuc. “The Boat to Table menu will give guests of the chance to taste a variety of freshly caught fish, all native to the Maldvies, and gives us the chance to help them minimize food waste by choosing the correct size of fish according to their appetite.”
Guests at the Boat to Table BBQ Night can enjoy a variety of fresh seafood dishes, including sashimi, ceviche, tartare, and grilled fish fillets. All of the food is prepared on the spot, ensuring that the seafood is as fresh as possible and minimizing food waste.
Chef Phuc will also be bringing his signature cooking style to the rest of the resort’s restaurants, which include Umami, Pibati, Mirus Bar and the recently opened The Shack.
