The world's largest panoramic underwater restaurant, 5.8, opened in the Maldives in December 2016, signifying its depth in the lagoon.
The restaurant is located in the new hotel HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT, which belongs to the famous hotel group Crown Champa Resorts, and it has already established itself as a point of attraction for many gourmet travelers. We could not pass by such an event and with pleasure we interviewed the young and ambitious chef of the 5.8 restaurant - Bjorn Van Den Uber.
What is the difference between creating a menu for an underwater restaurant and an ordinary restaurant?
- An underwater restaurant is a multifaceted project, the biggest challenge in it is to focus people's attention on food, because there are so many interesting things around! There is a very rich reef here and, of course, all the underwater inhabitants cause genuine admiration for guests. That is why the main focus of the work was in the concentration of tastes and options for serving dishes, so that everything together becomes a whole picture and sensation.
How and when do you realize that now the dish is ready to be put on the menu?
- When I realize that I can taste it over and over again and all the time I find the taste and consistency perfect.
What do you think of a strong team in the gourmet project? This is the Maldives, you don't have a lot of people, the total seating is only 16 people …
- The team is always important, for the boss it is a prerequisite for success. Especially when you are working on a project designed to surprise, delight and encourage you to come back. Now there are only three of us, but I know for sure that I fully trust these guys. We will develop, but I have a very difficult approach to personnel selection, this is not an ordinary restaurant, each of my assistants should not only perform actions with high quality, but share my philosophy and treat each dish with great respect. On the other hand, in such a project you personally check each dish before serving and do the lion's share of the work, this is a feature of my character and my passion for gastronomy, the only way I can be absolutely sure that everything is under control.
When can you say that your day was a success?
- When I approach each of the guests after the second landing at dinner and see that each of them is really happy. Then I understand that it's not in vain.
Do your family and friends follow your progress?
- Of course, I have a close relationship with my family and a lot of friends, and all of them are interested in what I am working on now. It is a great happiness to be able to discuss ideas with loved ones and be understood.
What about free time? How do you usually spend it?
- I am reading. At least at this stage in my life. I'm preparing my first recipe book for release, it's hard work that makes me happy and takes almost all my free time. Hopefully in 2017 I will be able to present it here in the Maldives. This is an important stage in my development, and I put my soul into this book.
If we talk about places where you haven’t been yet - which country are you interested in visiting first of all?
“Mexico is in my head right now. I have never been there, but I am sure that the taste of this country is amazing and wonderful, very different from what I have already tried and cooked. There is a great story, complex combinations. I would very much like to visit her in the near future. Gastronomy is developing there at a gigantic pace, there are a lot of interesting projects.
How often do you plan to change the menu for the 5.8 restaurant?
- Very, very often, perhaps every week, but sometimes we change one or more dishes more often. All products should be of perfect freshness, I am very easy to rebuild if I am interested in something, so I try to do as much as possible for the guests. It's like with an old car - you can still drive it, but you no longer get full pleasure. It's the same with menu items, you always have to go further.
And if you ask about the menu that operates today, is there a dish that you are especially proud of?
- I think it's tuna. On the one hand, this is a very local product, on the other, I tried to combine several options for its preparation here, we serve tartar and two more options for tuna, this dish contains avocado, wasabi, and cucumber. A very fresh and unusual taste is obtained.
Is it difficult to combine fish and meat dishes in one menu?
- No, it's simple enough. We start with seafood, which excites receptors and is featured in starters, then we move on to the main dishes, gradually building up solidity to finish with beef, and then we mix the sensations with light desserts.
Do you personally prefer fish or meat in everyday life?
- Fish.
Then let's continue, coffee or wine?
- Oh, difficult question. I cannot do without coffee in the morning, without it my head starts to ache. But to enjoy life, of course, I choose wine. We can say that coffee is a necessity, and wine is a pleasure.
And the wine: white or red?
- It's too hot in the Maldives to enjoy complex red wines, so of course the whites.
Is there a sommelier at the 5.8 restaurant?
- Yes, of course, it is he who is responsible for the selection of the perfect pair of dish - wine. We will help you choose a wine for each dish of the set in the tasting portion, if guests are in the mood for such a complete wine tasting.
Restaurant 5.8 is open for lunch (one seat) and dinner (two seats). The daily set menu is 7 courses, the evening - 9. The cost of lunch is $ 150 per person; the cost of the dinner is $ 280 per person. You can book a restaurant at the hotel reception or directly on the hotel website www.hurawalhi.com/ru.
