Chef Mohamed Niyaz - The Culinary Maven Behind Kaagè at VARU By Atmosphere
Thursday 6th of July 2023
Hailing from the beautiful island of Dhihdhoo in Haa Alifu Atoll, Chef Mohamed Niyaz was always drawn to the kitchen. Growing up on his island, he used to spend a lot of time in that part of the house helping his mom prepare various dishes and marveling at her amazing cooking skills that created so much delicious food.
Her knack for whipping up immensely creative and imaginative meals intrigued him from an early age onwards, and he would eagerly watch and learn from her every time she cooked. This is what eventually inspired and anchored his profession as a chef in his childhood and he often would go on to tell his mom that he would one day become a chef and cook a special meal just for her – a dream he is proud to have fulfilled in time.
Chef Mohamed Niyaz’s culinary career in the hospitality industry began when he received an opportunity to work as a Commis at Hulhule Island Hotel in 2002. Over the span of the next 16 years, Chef Mohamed Niyaz worked in different positions within the same hotel, ultimately landing the decorated role of Chef De Partie. In 2019, he then was called to take on an exciting challenge as a Sous Chef at VARU By Atmosphere. He is now posing as the Maldivian Chef at the esteemed Kaagè restaurant – a one-of-a-kind dining inclusion at Atmosphere Core.
Throughout his illustrious career that has stretched over two decades now, Chef Mohamed Niyaz has amassed his own share of nominations and accolades. He recalls that the most close-to-hear accomplishment he earned was being honoured with the CGM Chef Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2022 – one of the most prestigious awards given in the Maldives in the culinary scene.
He also notes that 2016 was a special year for him as well, having achieved numerous merits in international competitions. This includes securing 2nd place in the Team Challenge and 1st place in the Foreign Team Challenge at the Chinese Foreign Hotel’s cooking competition, CCTV ‘The Greatest Chefs’. In addition to this, Chef Mohamed Niyaz has also been actively participating in the Hotel Asia Culinary Challenge for the past 10 years and has collected a total of 12 gold, silver and bronze medals over the editions.
Currently, Chef Mohamed Niyaz is maneuvering the kitchens as the gastronomical genius behind VARU By Atmosphere’s signature specialty restaurant – Kaagè, which specializes in the rich local cuisine of the Maldives. The restaurant captures the essence of a traditional Maldivian house and is adorned by heritage photographs and video storytelling, which captivates and connects guests to the indigenous roots.
A wide assortment of local plates is served here with a progressive twist while staying true to traditional home cooking methods that ensure the authenticity, aromas and time-honoured flavours of these dishes. As the chef spearheading this dining space, Chef Mohamed Niyaz’s culinary repertoire holds dear several local ingredients such as coconut, pandan leaves, Maldivian chilli and curry leaves among others, which are incorporated into the creations as well.
For guests trying Maldivian cuisine for the first time, Chef Mohamed Niyaz highly recommends several dishes which are popular among Maldivians too. According to him, Gulha- a deep-fried pastry ball filled with smoked tuna/vegetables and flavoured with finely chopped onion, grated coconut and chili- is a must-try for guests while Kandu Kukulhu – a renowned Maldivian tuna curry stands out as the most exceptional and beloved dish of the restaurant. Speaking on the latter, Niyaz comments, “It is one of our signature specialties and the rich flavours are sure to leave a lasting impression on our valued guests.”
In the future, Chef Mohamed Niyaz has big aspirations to bring Maldivian specialty cuisine to the global landscape. At present, Maldivian cuisine is exclusively available in dining restaurants across the destination, however, has not expanded its boundaries to outside the country. Despite its small influence now, Chef Mohamed Niyaz believes that Maldivian cuisine has the potential to reach remarkable heights aided by dedication and perseverance similar to its unyielding distinctiveness.
To aspiring Maldivian chefs interested in a hospitality culinary career, Chef Mohamed Niyas has just one piece of advice. As per the Maldivian saying, loosely translated as ‘Don’t look back and keep moving forward with courage, no job is never too small or insignificant’, he encourages all youth to embrace its true meaning and never give up.