By Martin Banks

Michel Muffat is the French-born Executive Chef at Niva Kuramathi, a resort island the Maldives.

The archipelago attracts 2 million visitors every year and dining on its resort islands is a crucial part of its appeal.

It is an opportune time to ask this vastly experienced chef in the Maldives what is the “secret” to his success.

Active News:

Can you give some background about you and explain what brought you to the Maldives, and to Niva Kuramathi in particular?

Michel Muffat: I was trained in France at the hotel school of Thonon-les-Bains then worked in different places around Europe, Switzerland, Portugal and France, I then moved to Korea and Thailand. In 2003, tourism stopped completely in Southeast Asia due to SARS.Most hotels stopped their operation but then I got the opportunity to come to Kuramathi where the challenge was huge and very interesting for me. It was the perfect place to put in place what I was learning in the previous 20 years.

Active News: What is it that has kept you in the Maldives for so long (over 20 years)?

Michel Muffat: I would say the challenge of it all.

First: the process of putting everything in place, implementing hygiene standards, organising culinary training, and improving the quality of the food.

It also involves renovating all kitchens, creating an identity for each à la carte restaurant, and organising the supply chain.

Second: it involves the trust of the top management, who gave me the full green light to implement all the necessary improvements for the island, as well as to implement some of my ideas for the benefit of our guests, who represent a wide range of culinary preferences. Third: Kuramathi is a good place for my 2 passions in life: cooking and scuba diving.

Active News: How do you manage to balance managing 12 restaurants at Niva Kuramathi?

Michel Muffat: Managing 12 restaurants relies entirely on delegating to a strong chef de cuisine in each kitchen. All the chefs de cuisine were trained by me, and they are responsible for maintaining quality and hygiene standards and overseeing the training of the junior team members.

Active News: What are the key differences between your 9 à la carte restaurants and your 3 buffet restaurants?

Michel Muffat: The buffets are here for pleasure. The à la carte restaurants have their own identity and serve a cuisine based on their concept. Guests can choose an à la carte restaurant according to their preference.

Active News: What is the most popular type of cuisine and why do you think that is?

Michel Muffat: The Island Barbeque is the most popular. The reason is that it offers grilled food and excellent-quality meat. The flambé at the table, which is something relatively rare in Europe nowadays, is another reason for its popularity.

Active News: How vital and important is self-sufficiency and sustainability to your operations?

Michel Muffat: Sustainability and self-sufficiency are vital to modern culinary operations. They dictate everything from ingredient sourcing to waste management, operating costs, and consumer trust. I prioritise local production before importing goods.

Active News: How often are the menus changed and what inspires you in your choice selections?

Michel Muffat: I do not change the full menus but only some parts of all menus around a couple of times per year, mostly based on popularity of the dishes and new trends.

Active News: Is climate change an increasing factor in your business?

Michel Muffat: In the kitchen, this is not a factor at all at the moment. For the Maldives, it certainly is. Climate change is an increasingly critical factor for businesses, particularly in the tourism and fisheries sectors. With over 90% of resort infrastructure located near the coastline, operations must constantly adapt to rising sea levels, beach erosion, and warmer ocean temperatures that affect marine life and coral.

Active News: What are the main challenges and issues you face?

Michel Muffat: Regarding the kitchen department, the main challenges are logistical difficulties in the supply chain and ensuring that food arrives on time.

Maintaining strict food safety (HACCP) standards in a tropical climate is another challenge.

Kitchens also struggle to recruit skilled workers, which is another issue. Conflicts around the world lead to increased fuel costs and disruptions in the supply chain, putting constant pressure on maintaining budgeted food costs.