Best of the Maldives: Buffet Sculpture – Paradise Island

Paradise Island - buffet decor

Paradise Island has long adorned its lavish buffets with elaborate fruit carvings and other striking decorations, but one of its “food sculptures” uses a few tricks beneath the surface. What appears to be a gigantic butter sculpture of fish cavorting around some coral is really only fin deep:

  • “The white sculpture is actually a fish fin carving showing the symbol of Maldives , and it’s made of thermocol and at last glaze .”

Best of the Maldives: Food Art – LUX South Ari Atoll

LUX South Ari Atoll - food art plate

For more savoury sizzle, LUX South Ari Atoll has long been a leader in culinary creativity especially with its venti virtuosity and flapjack finesse. But it has taken its palatable palette to a whole new level (as well as to all its guests) with the hosting of international food artist Samantha Lee last week. From 7-8 December at the Umami restaurant, Lee hosted workshops to teach appetizing artisans a few tricks to her dinner table tableau.

  • Learn and create whimsical, colourful yet unique meals as you witness this talented artist in action. Using only fresh and healthy ingredients, her creative approach will leave you in awe and wanting more.”

The resort shared a ton of pictures on its Facebook page in the album “International Food Artist – Samantha Lee” (see a few select pix below)

While I do have the “Food Art” gourmet gallery Pinterest page, I am also now adding a “Food Art” tag to the blog as well.

Lux South Ari Atoll - foot art workshop

LUX South Ari Atoll - food art

LUX South Ari Atoll - food art penguin

Best of the Maldives: Pancake Characters – LUX Maldives

LUX Maldives - pancake whale shark

The Maldives is full of colour and that includes colourful individuals. At LUX Maldives, you can get these characters on your plate, and I don’t mean in a Sebastian “Under da’ Sea” way. Their pâtissier du pancake Rahmat has taken griddle art to a new level of virtuosity. To celebrate yesterday’s Pancake Day, his portraits included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (directly below) and Iron Man (next photo down). At bottom you can see him working on Flipper. But, especially being LUX, the big star of the show was Whale Shark (see above).

Flippin’ fine fritter critters!

LUX Maldives - pancake Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

 

LUX Maldives - pancake Ironman

 

LUX Maldives - pancake dolphin

Best of the Maldives: Pancake Station – Coco Bodu Hithi

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station love

Often it is the little touches that turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. I had to start off my Best of the Maldives posts on Coco Bodu Hithi with their creative pancake station. I already featured the special Maldivian flag pancake made for the 50th anniversary celebrations a fortnight ago. But that was just a sample of the creative concoctions the chef Endro (see photos below) makes.

He uses three types of pancake batter – (a) Red (strawberry), (b) Brown (chocolate), and (c) White (plain). He made the above “Love” heart for me to give Lori and a special “Maldiv” flapjack for me.

In fact, this post made me realise that I didn’t have a “Breakfast” category tag…yet.

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 2

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 3

 

Coco Bodu Hithi - pancake station 4