T•Pan at St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort: A New Culinary Hideaway in the Maldives

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.

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort recently added to their cast of impressive restaurants with the opening of T•Pan

A gastronomic destination in its own, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is nestled on a private island in a secluded Maldivian atoll, amidst thriving marine life. Just 40 minutes from Male by seaplane, guests are transported into a newfound paradise in the Dhaalu Atoll. 

T•Pan Exterior

The resort has recently introduced T•Pan, a modern Japanese style Kaiseki restaurant, adding to its distinct dining venues, including an Asian specialty restaurant featuring Eastern haute cuisine, an international restaurant offering dishes crafted from locally sourced ingredients, an underground wine cellar, a shack style restaurant, a signature overwater bar, and a tropical restaurant featuring middle-eastern cuisine. 

The new restaurant further elevates the five-star property’s food and beverage offerings and marks the debut of its seventh esteemed dining venue.

“We’re inspired by the culture of Japan and excited to introduce this unique experience and the collection of skills and techniques involved in the preparations of every dish to our valued guests,” said Vincent Pauchon, General Manager of The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. This exquisite dining adventure is certain to be a favorite among novice foodies and gastronomes alike. 

Following a lantern-lit journey to the entrance of T•Pan via a hidden jungle pathway that mirrors the narrow streets of Kyoto, guests can relish in the wabi sabi Japanese Celestial Zen philosophy of appreciating beauty of imperfection, revered subtle nuances and a discovery of the senses.

Expertly curated tasting menus with the finest ingredients from the Maldives, Japan and around the globe are prepared over two Teppan counters that accommodate a maximum of 12 guests at a time. 

Signature dishes include shioyaki abalone with nurikuro and kinome, live scallop with uni cream sauce and myoga, Ankimo with Suehiro ponzu and albino caviar. The finest assortment of gins, beers, special tasting flights, whiskies and wines from the muro (cellar), Japanese teas and bespoke Sakes complement these flavorful bites.   

Hokkaido Live Scallop with Uni Cream Sauce and MyogaMatch Tea, Yuzu and Azuki Delight with Chantilly and Matcha Ice CreamMiyazaki Pork Loin with wild mushroom and Ume sauceTokushima Sudachi with White Chocolate Surprise and Kuromitsu Sauce

The unusual contemporary design of The St. Regis Maldives draws inspiration from the natural setting of the resort. This is represented by the manta ray shaped lagoon villas, a signature bar in the shape of a whale shark, a lobster-inspired spa and a spiral shell shaped library.

Similarly, T•Pan restaurant is inspired by the beach ecosystem, specifically the ghost crab. Like a burrowing crustacean, the exterior shell of the restaurant peeks out from the serene garden jungle at the ledge of the white sand beach.

Each table is fitted with custom designed Manta Chairs as an ode to the magnificent Manta Ray, while the delicate lace of wire and lights floating on the ceiling are like bioluminescent plankton.

In the entry hallway, guests can admire the coral-inspired ceramic artwork and a knotted hemp seagrass piece that speaks of new life from old, and how these beds are breeding grounds for a multitude of ocean species.

“To eat at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is not simply a luxury experience or an entertainment for the senses. It is a way of looking at the world through food that is positive, inclusive and sustainable,”

says Sunny Chuang, Food & Beverage Director of The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.

“At T•Pan, we aim to create eco-awareness, cultural insights and local and global food sourcing to create tantalizing experiences. The future of healthy luxury travel needs and wants has arrived.”