Joali Maldives Welcomes Award-Winning Chef Eunji Lee as Visiting Chef from New York
New York City Based Chef Eunji Lee Will Showcase Her Artistic Pastries at Joali Maldives The First Week of September
JOALI Maldives, the first and only art-immersive resort in the Maldives, welcomes pastry chef Eunji Lee to the island, sharing her edible art with guests September 3-7. Bringing a taste of her New York City dessert gallery Lyseé to the Maldives, Chef Eunji will elevate the culinary experience at JOALI Maldives with an intimate pastry workshop as well as a custom dessert menu for guests to enjoy.
Born in South Korea, Chef Eunji fulfilled a lifelong dream of studying pastry arts when she moved to France in 2006. Following pastry school, she spent three years in Ze Kitchen Galerie and then trained under Alain Ducasse and Cedric Grolet at Le Meurice for four years. In 2016, she became the Executive Pastry Chef of Jungsik, the two Michelin star Korean restaurant in New York City, before opening her own pastry boutique, Lysée in 2022 in the Flatiron District of New York City. Inspired by her love of pastry as edible art, Lysée is named for chef Lee's sweet museum derived from the French word Musée. Chef Eunji was named one of La Liste's Pastry Talents of 2023, Food and Wine's Best New Chefs of 2023 and a 2024 James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef.
While visiting, Chef Eunji will share her edible art with guests through an intimate workshop in JOALI Maldives ‘Her Kitchen' on September 7, sharing how to make the iconic French dessert: the éclair. Inspired by the islands, guests will learn to make a local fruit compote and vanilla cream as well as the fine art of piping which makes each éclair unique. Providing a luxurious professional kitchen setting, Her Kitchen allows guests to discover the joys of cooking and creating alongside the world's most talented chefs. During her week as visiting chef, Chef Eunji will bring her love of art in the form of desserts to the art-immersive island with a menu of three desserts for guests to enjoy in the evenings. The menu will include Lysée cake, mango tart, and a local fruit cake.
Providing travelers with exceptional culinary experiences throughout the year, JOALI Maldives works with gastronomy experts from all over the world to host a rotation of renowned chefs and culinary experts, each sharing their own special expertise, creations and styles. In addition to Her Kitchen, JOAI Maldives features five thoughtfully curated culinary outlets; Vandhoo with South East Asian & Indian cuisine, Saoke for Japanese-Peruvian flavors, Bellinis with Italian dishes, Tuh'u serving Levant cuisine, and Mura Bar; offering a wide selection of flavors to suit every palate. Furthermore, the island offers destination dining in unique, joyful spaces such as the Manta Ray Treehouse, Chef's Garden, or a private sandbank, for a memorable meal with a tailor made menu.
While delighting in the culinary excellence of Chef Eunji at JOALI Maldives, guests will enjoy the luxuries of the 73-villa island, surrounded by spectacular sea life, inspiring artwork, destination programming, and more. With a selection of beach or overwater villas offering one, two, three and four-bedroom options, guests will have private pools, indulgent amenities, bicycles for each guest, dedicated butlers known as "jadugars" (the Maldivian word for "magician"), and more.
JOALI Maldives has villas from $2,928 per night based on two people sharing a Water Villa with Pool on B&B basis.
For further details and booking, please visit joali.com
About JOALI Maldives
The Maldives' very first art-immersive island, JOALI Maldives is based on Raa Atoll, where guests can experience brilliant blue waters, a myriad of sea life, and pristine white-sand beaches fringed by gently swaying coconut palms. With a joie de vivre or "Joy of Living" philosophy, JOALI Maldives is curated around liveable and interactive art created in collaboration with world-renowned artists and artisans, such as Porky Hefer's life-sized treetop manta ray where guests can climb in for private dining, plus a unique programming of art events and excursions throughout the year. From the 73 beach and water villas that showcase the epitome of sustainable glamor, to the lavish range of culinary options, every experience at JOALI Maldives tells a story and is designed to take guests on a rich sensory journey. The newly refreshed spa at JOALI Maldives, JOALI BEING Cure, brings guests the award-winning ‘weightlessness' philosophy of JOALI BEING, the first wellbeing island of its kind in the Maldives. From signature massages and specialized treatments to visiting experts and bespoke wellbeing journeys, the Spa is designed around the Four Pillars of JOALI BEING: Mind, Skin, Microbiome and Energy. Opened in 2018, JOALI Maldives is also home to the JOALI Art Studio & Gallery, Muramas Kids Club for enriching and educational experiences to discover the magic of the land, fitness center, an array of bespoke excursions, and invites families to embark on the cultural adventure of a lifetime through a commitment to total immersion. Visit www.joali.com
