Anantara Veli Maldives Resort Kicks-Off its Best of British Michelin Series with Chef Gary Foulkes of Angler Restaurant

Known for its extensive culinary offerings set in a picturesque island surrounded by azure waters, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort ups its food game with a lineup of British Michelin-Starred chefs, starting with Chef Gary Foulkes this August.

Packing simple food and big flavours, Gary will be working with locally sourced seasonal produce from the Maldives, letting nature write the menu. 

While many chefs recount stories of family recipes, Chef Gary shares of his accidental encounter with food when he spent a day on a school placement in the kitchen of a hotel. This led him on an unknown path into the culinary world, working under the tutelage of culinary greats like John Campbell, William Drabble, Gary Rhodes and Philip Howard – a man he credits for having a huge influence on his style of cooking.

In April 2016, Gary joined the Angler restaurant as Executive Head Chef, achieving a Michelin star in just five months, creating a new reputation for the restaurant with his unique and clean style of cooking. His food is inspired by travel, people and experiences, starting with a three-year travel across the globe accompanied by his wife. The trip began in a Volkswagen Campervan in Europe, and quickly became a food odyssey.

Their journey took them across Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, Indonesia, Central America and South America. The ever-changing menu at Angler is inspired by travel and refined through many years of culinary experience – the use of ingredients such as wasabi, shiso and black garlic in the menu highlights the Asian influence in Gary’s cooking.   

At Anantara Veli Maldives Resort, Gary will be teaming up with the resort’s culinary team, led by Executive Chef Francis Purification. “We are excited to have such an amazing lineup in our kitchen. It will be a great experience for our chefs and there’s no better way to learn than to cook with the best in the industry,” said Chef Francis.

Following Chef Gary’s debut at Anantara Veli Maldives Resort are four other British greats who will be making an appearance at the resort throughout the rest of 2023, including Singapore based Michelin-starred chefs, Steve Lancaster of Poise in September and Lewis Barker of Sommer in October. 

Firing up the kitchen this 2nd and 3rd of August, Gary will be plating for an exclusive dinner with only eight seats in the wine cellar at Anantara Veli’s Japanese restaurant, Origami.

For more information about the dinner, email velimaldives@anantara.com or call +960 6644 100.

About Anantara Hotels:

Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world’s most exciting destinations. The collection of distinct, thoughtfully designed luxury hotels and resorts provides a window through which to journey into invigorating new territory, curating personal travel experiences.

From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them with passionate expertise. The portfolio currently boasts over 40 stunning properties located in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, Tunisia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Hungary and The Netherlands, with a pipeline of future properties across Asia, Middle East, Europe, Africa and South America. The brand’s premier vacation ownership programme, Anantara Vacation Club, extends the opportunity to own a share in the Anantara experience with a portfolio of 8 luxurious Club Resorts as well as travel privileges at partner resorts and hotels worldwide.

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com. 

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/anantara; Twitter and Instagram: @anantara_hotels