This year we celebrate the 12th anniversary of Dining with the Stars, a gastronomic initiative created by the Planhotel Hospitality Group in collaboration with JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs and Martino Crespi Events .
Over the past decade, more than 250 JRE chefs have graced the kitchens of both Diamonds Athuruga and Diamonds Thudufushi Island resorts, each bringing their unique creativity, skill and passion to create unforgettable culinary moments. This cooperation has evolved into a true hallmark of Planhotel Hospitality Group.
This is not just an event — it’s an experience that celebrates our excellent and long-lasting partnership and the best of what the Maldives has to offer: world-class dining, breathtaking landscapes, and a commitment to sustainability that ensures the natural beauty of these islands endures for years to come.
Eight Restaurants, Eight Culinary Personalities
The season opens with Fabio Mecchina of Soul, in Legnano, Italy. His contemporary Italian cuisine builds on tradition, combining seasonal produce with precise techniques and a focus on the natural character of each ingredient.
In January, Patrick Jenal of Restaurant Kunz, in St. Wendel, Germany, brings an approach grounded in classical French cuisine and complemented by Mediterranean influences. Technical craftsmanship and carefully selected regional produce define his cooking.
He is followed by Chiel de Groot of Restaurant Amused, in Hardenberg, the Netherlands. His style connects modern French foundations with international influences, fresh produce and carefully balanced flavours, with ingredients from the restaurant’s own garden strengthening its seasonal identity.
February welcomes two chefs from Peru: Robert Dickson of Sala Omakase, in Lima, and Ricardo Ehni of Tragaluz, in Miraflores. Dickson’s personal interpretation of Nikkei cuisine combines Japanese techniques with Peruvian flavours and respect for the sea. Ehni brings together Peruvian traditions, Mediterranean influences and Asian inspiration in a contemporary celebration of local ingredients.
Boštjan Rakar of Gostilna Rakar, in Trebnje, Slovenia, follows with a cuisine rooted in Dolenjska. His approach gives familiar regional ingredients a contemporary expression while preserving the warmth and character of a traditional Slovenian gostilna.
In March, José Antonio Medina of Coto de Quevedo, in Torre de Juan Abad, Spain, shares his interpretation of La Mancha’s culinary heritage. Vegetables, legumes, seasonal produce and game connect his cooking to the landscape and memories of his home region.
Closing the programme, Philipp Dyczek of Restaurant Artis, in Graz, Austria, brings a style shaped by international experience. Austrian ingredients meet French precision, Japanese refinement and Asian influences in dishes that explore flavour, texture and contrast.
