Anantara Veli Maldives to Commence Best of British Michelin Series with Chef Gary Foulkes
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
Nestled in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort is reputed for its extensive array of culinary offerings and is setting sail on another gastronomical voyage this August with Michelin-starred Chef Gary Foulkes of Angler Restaurant. Chef Gary will kick off the resort’s Best of British Michelin-starred Chefs series as Anantara Veli looks forward to up its food game in the competitive culinary scene of the Maldives.
Chef Gary accidentally discovered his passion for food when he spent a day on a school placement in the kitchen of a hotel. This ultimately steered him towards a culinary career, working under the tutelage of gastronomical mavens in the likes of John Campbell, Willian Drabble, Gary Rhodes and Philip Howard. In April of 2016, Chef Gary took charge of the Angler Restaurant as Executive Head Chef, which received a Michelin star just five months after his appointment, laying out a new identity for the restaurant with his unique and clean style of cooking.
Chef Gary’s creations are inspired by his travels, people, and experiences which he amassed through his three-year travel across the world accompanied by his wife. The food odyssey which began in Europe took them across continents from Southeast Asia to Japan to Indonesia and Central and South America. The ever-evolving menus featured at Angler are reflective of his travels and are refined through many years of culinary experience. The extensive usage of ingredients like wasabi, shiso and black garlic in the menu pays homage to the Asian influence found in Chef Gary’s cooking.
During his residency at Anantara Veli, Chef Gary will join the resort’s culinary team to create simple food that packs a lot of flavors. He will be working with locally sourced seasonal produce during his time in the Maldives, letting nature craft the menu. Moreover, he will also be hosting an exclusive dinner for eight in the wine cellar of the resort’s Japanese restaurant Origami during the course of the collaboration.
Chef Gary commented, “Seasonal cooking is something I am passionate about wherever I am in the world, I’m really looking forward to getting to the Maldives and seeing what nature’s bounty has to offer. I will base my menu around this, with a few surprises along the way.”
Following Chef Gary’s debut at Anantara Veli Maldives Resort, four other British culinary masters will be making an appearance at the resort throughout the rest of 2023. This includes two Singapore-based Michelin-starred chefs; namely Steve Lancaster of Poise in September and Lewis Barker of Sommer in October.