Maldivian feasts, open-fire dining and seafood lead The Standard’s Festive Isle
The Standard, Maldives will place Maldivian cuisine, open-fire cooking, premium seafood and wine-led dining at the centre of its 2026 festive programme, running from 20 December to 7 January.
Presented as “The Festive Isle”, this year’s celebrations take inspiration from a colourful candy land, with the culinary programme spanning beachfront feasts, festive brunches, wine and whisky experiences, seafood showcases and restaurant-specific Christmas and New Year menus.
For chefs and F&B professionals, the programme brings together several distinct cooking styles, from traditional Maldivian flavours at Guduguda to Mediterranean sharing menus at Onda and live-fire cooking at BBQ Shak.
Christmas Eve on 24 December will offer some of the season’s principal culinary experiences. At Guduguda, Tastes of Island Heritage will focus on traditional Maldivian flavours, while Fire & Festive Indulgence at BBQ Shak will centre on open-flame cooking.
Onda will present a Mediterranean sharing feast, while Surf & Turf will bring together premium meats and fresh seafood. The evening begins with seasonal cocktails on the beach before moving into the different dining experiences.
Christmas Day will continue with the Sunny Huruvalhi Brunch, featuring festive favourites and seasonal dishes. Later, the Land & Sea Feast will combine premium cuts with seafood in a beachfront setting.
Throughout the wider festive period, the resort will stage experiences including Coastal Feast, Waves & Wine, Sea & Sparkles and Fresh Catch Experience, alongside speciality dinners built around lobster, crab, oysters, foie gras and local ingredients.
Wine-pairing dinners and whisky events will also form part of the programme, creating opportunities for closer collaboration between the culinary and beverage teams.
“Festive dining is about more than exceptional food, it’s about creating memorable moments that bring people together,” said Nandakumar Dharuman, Director of Culinary at The Standard, Maldives.
“For this year’s programme, our team has designed experiences that celebrate both the flavours of the Maldives and beloved festive traditions from around the world. From authentic island-inspired feasts and elevated beachfront dining to interactive culinary experiences and festive workshops, every menu has been crafted to inspire discovery, connection and celebration.”
The programme culminates on New Year’s Eve with another collection of restaurant-led dining experiences.
Guduguda will present Feast of Island Harvest, focused on local flavours and seafood, while Onda will host A Mediterranean Affair.
At BBQ Shak, Embers & Coastal Indulgence will offer a five-course open-fire menu by the ocean, placing live-fire technique at the centre of the New Year dining programme.
The resort will also stage a Candy Land Culinary Journey, translating the wider festive theme into a food experience built around colour, creativity and playful presentation.
For The Standard’s kitchen teams, the programme will require movement between several different service formats: large festive brunches, traditional Maldivian cuisine, seafood-led menus, premium meat dishes, wine dinners and structured multi-course open-fire experiences.
That variety also gives different sections of the culinary operation opportunities to take the lead, from grill and seafood teams to pastry, cold kitchen and beverage specialists.
With The Festive Isle, The Standard, Maldives is using its restaurants to give different interpretations of the season rather than applying a single festive menu across the resort.
From Maldivian heritage dishes and Mediterranean sharing plates to lobster, oysters, open-fire cooking and wine pairings, food and beverage will form one of the main threads connecting Christmas, New Year and the wider festive calendar.
