Creative Pop-Up at Soneva Fushi with One of The Best Female Chefs Named by the World’s 50 Best

By Marilyne Morin, Founder of IMPACT M, Marketing & PR Consultancy.

About the author: Marilyne is a purpose-driven business leader with more than 15 years’ experience in Marketing, Public Relations, Branding, Digital and Corporate Communications. Having worked for a wide range of businesses in the fields of hospitality and tourism, arts and culture, events, entertainment, beauty and healthcare, she has a vast expertise and is driven by connecting emotionally brand personalities with their audiences. Her creativity, passion, and the unique stories she can unfold have allowed her to conduct successful communication campaigns worldwide.

A rare opportunity to dine with one of Brazil’s most exciting culinary talents

A natural treasure nestled in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Soneva Fushi is one of the largest islands in the Maldives. With 53 private island villas, Soneva Fushi is an unparalleled paradise of barefoot luxury, in a sustainable ecosystem of lush jungle, pristine beaches and crystalline waters.

About Soneva Fushi

Just steps away from the beach, all villas feature vast living spaces and views towards the sunrise or sunset, and most enjoy their own pools.

The eight Water Reserves are among the largest of their kind in the world, featuring a terrace with a private pool and a water slide into the ocean.

All Soneva Fushi villas come with a personalised Barefoot Guardian service around the clock. 

Exploring eleven dining destinations is an adventure in itself at Soneva Fushi, with iconic culinary journeys including the world’s first fine dining zipline experience, a two-storey overwater hideaway that houses five unique all-day dining outlets and beach club facilities, and an immersive culinary journey in the organic island gardens, to name a few.

Introduced this year, the Soneva Stars Programme celebrates the diverse array of guest activities and experiences on offer, ranging from Michelin-starred chefs to sporting legends and acclaimed therapists. Throughout the Soneva Stars programme, some of the world’s most celebrated and decorated chefs, are hosting highly exclusive dinner events at Soneva properties.

About Manu Buffara

Named Latin America’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best, this year Manu Buffara is running a 12-month pop-up at Soneva Fushi. The creative pop-up menu at Fresh in the Garden connects the goodness of earth, land and sea and celebrate the transformational power of food.  

Manu Buffara is the Executive Chef and Owner of Manu restaurant, located in Curitiba, Brazil. Paving the way for gastronomy in Brazil and putting the city of Curitiba on the world gastronomic map, the menu has received critical acclaim and earned the restaurant the number 46 spot on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Inspired by her family and background, Manu learned the value of land and animals growing up in the countryside and incorporates this in her everyday technique.

At Manu, she uses organic ingredients from carefully selected suppliers and her own garden.

Manu’s devotion to sustainability and quality ingredients stems from her commitment to Curitiba, working with local communities to transform abandoned sites into urban gardens and educating locals on how to care for the gardens and feed themselves. 

I cook to change the weather; I cook to change the mood; I cook to change nature; I cook to change the world; but what I want most is to cook to change people. Cooking at Soneva Fushi, for me, is an act of freedom and connection.

Chef Manu Buffara

Chef Manu’s menu at Fresh in the Garden celebrates the ecological connection between land, sea, minerals, roots, fruits and animals, and the transformational power of food. The restaurant provides the perfect settings for her cuisine, located high above the gardens, where the aromas of the herbs waft up from below, and the central open kitchen gives guests front-row seats to the action.

The exclusive pop-up accommodates just 35 guests per sitting and offers an intimate dining experience with one of Brazil’s most exciting culinary talents and her team.