Dining with the Stars · Manuel Franco
As part of the international Dining with the Stars series, JRE brings the cuisine of its chefs to destinations around the world. On this occasion, Manu Franco represented the association for two weeks in the Maldives, at the Diamonds Athuruga and Diamonds Thudufushi hotels, two islands in what he describes as “this true paradise.”
There, he brought elements of the culinary style of La Casa de Manolo Franco into a completely different setting, creating two menus specifically for the occasion. As he explains, he aimed “to blend our Sierra de Madrid, with its aromatic herbs, meats and our history, with fish, fruits and other products from this place in the Indian Ocean.”
Bringing Spanish cuisine into dialogue with the Maldives was, in his words, “a beautiful challenge.”
The program included four gala dinners across both hotels, serving more than 230 guests in total, with 75 attendees at one of the evenings, making it one of the largest events of this series, now in its eleventh edition.
Beyond the numbers, the experience was also a significant creative exercise: “the challenge of creating two completely new menus, even if they could have been dishes from the restaurant, broadens the range of products and ideas in our kitchen.” In fact, some of those dishes are already beginning to appear on his summer menu.
Manu also highlights what he learned about service and hospitality: how to make guests happy, “whether in the Maldives or in Valdemorillo,” recalling that this is the ultimate goal of any restaurant.
He expressed special thanks to the Diamonds chain and the teams involved in the experience: the regional directors, Jaco and Carla; Enrico, Italian JRE chef who acted as assistant; Franco, the chain’s executive chef; Fernando, chef at Athuruga; and all the kitchen, front of house, and hotel staff who made this adventure possible.
“Without a doubt, taking part in this event has been a true honor.”
At JRE Spain, we celebrate his participation in this eleventh edition of Dining with the Stars and the commitment with which our chefs bring their cuisine and identity to every corner of the world.
