January / April 2023; The Lifestyle Food Event comes back to Diamonds Athuruga and Diamonds Thudufushi. For eight consecutive year in the beautiful Diamonds Resorts in the Maldives, from January to April, this one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience will feature the wonderful culinary talents of different JRE’s chefs from around Europe.
"Dining with the Stars 2023" Planhotel
Visit exclusive event
26 December 2022 – 17 April 2023
Dining with the Stars is a distinguished gastronomic initiative created by the Planhotel Hospitality Group in collaboration with the JRE-Jeunes Restaurateurs and Martino Crespi Events to offer an inspirational and surprising element to the exclusive holiday experience. JRE chefs will share their skills, recipes, and passion with the guests. Every week, Planhotel hosts a new young talent in both our Diamonds resorts Arthuruga and Thudufushi, preparing signature dishes, teaching cooking classes and creating menus to thrill the palate of the most discerning guests.
This “once on a life time” holiday experience brings together every one of the five senses in a unique spectacular solution.
The participating Chefs
26/12 – 09/01 Oliver Röder – Burg Flamersheim , Euskirchen, Germany
08/01 – 23/01 Federico Beretta – Feel , Como, Italy
08/01 – 23/01 Alexandra Müller – Romantik Hotel L'Etoile , Charmey, Switzerland
22/01 – 06/02 Mark Dixon – The Kings Arms Flegg , Great Yarmouth, UK
22/01 – 06/02 Kevin Lejeune – La Canne en Ville , Brussels, Belgium
05/02 – 20/02 David Vračko – Restavracija MaK , Maribor, Slovenia
05/02 – 20/02 Rob Krawczyk – Restaurant Chestnut , Cork, Ireland
19/02 – 06/03 Jeroen Sportel – Vive la Vie , Groningen, Netherlands
19/02 – 06/03 Juan Carlos Ferrando – Juan Carlos , Logroño, Spain
05/03 – 20/03 Nina Carman – Danilo gostilna & vinoteka , Reteče, Slovenia
05/03 – 20/03 Nikita Sergeev – L'Arcade , Porto San Giorgio, Italy
19/03 – 03/04 Alex Montois - L'Annexe , Lille, France
19/03 – 03/04 Gianni Caruso - Lucana , Wanze, Belgium
02/04 – 17/04 Alberto Basso - Trequarti , Spiazzo di Grancona, Italy
02/04 – 17/04 Tibor Valinčić - Dubravkin put , Zagreb, Croatia
OLIVER RÖDER – RESTAURANT BEMBERGS HÄUSCHEN – EUSKIRCHEN - GERMANY
Originally from the north of Lower Saxony, chef Oliver Röder moved to the distant Tegernsee at the young age of 16. Here, he learned the art of cooking at the Parkhotel Egerner Hof.
Next Oliver joined the kitchens of several restaurants, such as the Michael Moore Restaurant (London) and the Bayerischer Hof (Munich). All these experiences brought Oliver where he is today: working his magic as the Michelin-starred head chef of restaurant Bembergs Häuschen. His cuisine is regional, but with French, Italian and Asian influences.
FEDERICO BERETTA - FEEL RESTAURANT - COMO - ITALY
Throughout his dishes, chef Federico Beretta, uses his energy and intuition to tell his culinary tale of the seasons, the territory, and the raw materials. In 2014, after 11 years of experience in the kitchens of Lombardy and in foreign locations, chef Federico opened Feel restaurant in Como, together with his wife Elisa.About his cuisine he says: “My dishes represent my personal vision of the place where I live, that is composed by mountains, pastures, forests and fresh waters. This nearness cuisine introduces flavors and unique experiences and it translates the wild nature of this amazing corner of the world” Elisa and Federico in a context of great elegance go straight to the heart of their guests, making them live a memorable experience.
MARK DIXON – THE KINGS ARMS FLEGG – GREAT YARMOUTH - UNITED KIGDOM
Executive Chef Mark Dixon is Norfolk Chef of the Year and finalist in the Academy of Culinary arts and takes great pride in his kitchen serving the freshest ingredients, creating seasonal dishes and using all that is great and good from the local area. He has travelled much of the world but has found himself in his home country. He has a fantastic team of chefs behind him and is constantly working on new ideas and pushing their culinary talent.
DAVID VRACKO – MAK RESTAURANT – MARIBOR - SLOVENIA
Chef David Vračko is a rather unusual chef. His appearance would give you the idea he is a rock musician instead of a culinary artist. However, he does create culinary art with his hands that is not only appealing to the eye, but also extremely good in taste. This is why Gault Millau Slovenia named David Vracko “Chef of the Future”.
JEROEN SPORTEL – VIVE LA VIE – GRONINGEN – THE NETHERLANDS
For chef Jeroen, cooking is a true passion. He always tries to be innovative in his dishes. French cuisine is his starting point, but influences from other continents, in particular Asia, and are a great source of inspiration for his cooking style, providing surprising flavour combinations. In his restaurant Vive La Vie he offers the classic French cuisine with Asian influences from Cambodia, Thailand and Laos, serving dishes that take the guests to faraway places. It’s the best place to relax, leave the busy city life far behind and taste the passion.. in short: Vive La Vie!
NINA ČARMAN – DANILO – RETEČE – SLOVENIA
Danilo is a restaurant with a long heritage. Grandfather Danilo Kosmačin bought the old inn in Reteče in 1961, renamed it ‘’Pri Danilu’’, and embarked on a food and culinary journey that continues today. His daughter Vesna and her husband Dušan took over and turned it into one of the best Slovenian restaurants. After that, in 2016 it was taken over by Nina and Gašper Čarman, a sister and brother who continue to operate a successful family business for the third generation. Chef Nina Čarman runs the Danilo kitchen today, utilizing fresh local ingredients to enhance creativity and bring in new flavours. Her respect for the tradition of her land and her heritage is reflected in the dishes she serves at restaurant Danilo.
ALEX MONTOIS – L’ANNEXE – LILLE - FRANCE
Chef Alexandre Montois graduated from the hotel school Michel Servet in Lille. He began his career at the gastronomic restaurant La Terrasse des Remparts, but quickly took up event catering. He worked at various caterers, first as a kitchen assistant, then as a chef. It took several years, but eventually chef Alexandre decided to take the plunge and open his own restaurant, together with his partner Anne-Sophie Despres. Their love child, l’Annexe, was born.
ALBERTO BASSO – RISTORANTE 3QUARTI – SPIAZZO DI GRANCONA - ITALY
Chef Alberto Basso studied at the Portinari chef school, which is part of the 2-Michelin-starred La Peca restaurant. Two objectives are equally important to him: the pleasure of the senses and the creation of cohesive dishes with distinct textures. With his creative cuisine, chef Alberto makes the most of local products, but he is not tied to his own region. In search of the best raw materials, his search extends across the whole of Italy. At restaurant 3Quarti, Alberto combines elements of tradition with modern and efficient cooking methods that enable him to rethink each dish in a contemporary way. The result is a dish in which the main elements remain easily recognizable, wrapped in a game of contrasts and exquisite sensations.
ALEXANDRA MULLER – NOVA RESTAURANT – CHARMEY - SWITZERLAND
Chef Alexandra Müller runs her own hotel restaurant at L’Etoile Nova. During the summer of 2018, her kitchen staff unexpectedly left. The hotelier, who had never ever managed a kitchen before, suddenly found herself in the role of head chef. A miracle occurred 6 months later: the Michelin Guide awards a star to restaurant Nova. The chef offers a seasonal range of modern French dishes, influenced by the latest market products with some help from her team. Each and every one of her recipe creations is focused on perfectly cooked food, spot-on seasoning, and inventive dishes that please the palate.
KEVIN LEJEUNE – LE CANNE EN VILLE – BRUXELLES - BELGIUM
Talented chef Kevin Lejeune was barely in his thirties when he was awarded his first Michelin star, less than two years after opening his restaurant at Le Canne en Ville. Having worked in highly regarded establishments before this, he inherited respect for seasonal products and a preference for a culinary aesthetic that is both appealing and exquisite.
ROB KRAWCZYK – CHESTNUT RESTAURANT – STABALL HILL BYLLYDEHOB - IRELAND
Born in the county of Cork, award-winning Irish chef Rob Krawczyk, grew up in a home in Schull where everything revolved around the kitchen. As a child, he was strongly influenced by his parents’ strong heritage of cooking and art. After living in different places and traveling the world, West Cork’s spectacular rich larder is what drew chef Rob back home, where he decided to open up a restaurant in the heart of this beautiful region. Together with his partner Elaine, he transformed this old pub at the heart of West Cork into a cute, cozy restaurant with an elegant décor and a laid-back atmosphere. Here, chef Rob specializes in creating delicious dishes with subtle flavours and textures, and focuses on the purest, natural combinations, with a beautiful presentation.
JUAN CARLOS FERRANDO – JUAN – CARLOS FERRANDO RSTAURANT – LOGRONO - SPAIN
Born in Buenos Aires, Juan Carlos Ferrando learned to cook following the canons of French cuisine and then he started the great project of his life: the Juan Carlos Ferrando restaurant in Logroño. The cooking of Juan Carlos Ferrando is traditional and innovative in equal parts. With Rioja, Basque and French inspiration with an excellent seasonal product. The result is a seemingly simple kitchen, with 3 or 4 ingredients per dish treated with an impeccable technique. A cooking where you see and know what you eat. No need for explanations.
NIKITA SERGEEV – L'ARCADE – PORTO SAN GIORGIO – ITALY
Chef Nikita Sergeev is brave, driven, and passionate about his work. He has been the chef and owner of restaurant 'Arcade in the historic center of Porto San Giorgio since 2013. Nikita was born in Moscow in 1989 and graduated in political science. After graduating in 2010, his whole family decided to move to Italy. In spite of his two years of trying, Nikita discovered that his diploma is not accepted throughout Europe. Due to this, he is forced to invent a new profession in order to stay in Italy. This is when his second passion is triggered: cooking. Nikita decided to become a chef. He went straight to the top, and after working at various restaurants, in 2013, the time comes to open his own restaurant, Arcade. It is chef Nikita's passion to delight his guests with his mouthwatering creations.
GIANNI CARUSO - LUCANA - WANZE – BELGIUM
With restaurant Lucana, chef Gianni Caruso has truly built an
embassy for Italian gastronomy in Belgium. Working with high-quality products that are imported from Italy, this top chef with Sicilian roots creates dishes that are sometimes rich, sometimes subtle, but always refined and sophisticated. Chef Gianni simply loves pampering his guests with exciting flavor combinations. By adding personal touches to traditional Italian dishes, he serves distinctive plates that are full of flavor and personality. In other words: Italian cuisine at its best.
TIBOR VAKLINCIC – DUBRAVKIN PUT – ZAGREB - CROATIA
In the picturesque Tuškanac Forest, at a stone’s throw from Zagreb’s city center, lies gourmet restaurant Dubravkin put. This trendy-chic dining spot, run by owner Daniela Gajski, is one of the first in town to feature a wine bar. So it should come as no surprise that the in-house sommelier is certainly no stranger to wine pairing. At this fine-dining destination, you can enjoy an informal lunch, a romantic dinner or a quick bite in a modern yet relaxed ambiance. The chef’s Mediterranean cuisine is contemporary, sophisticated and simply delicious. You can sit down in the stylishly decorated dining room or on the summer terrace, where you’re nestled amidst lush green surroundings.
