Soneva Stars

World-renowned breath coach and founder of Breathguru, Alan Dolan has been at the forefront of breathwork in the UK and around the world for the last 19 years, changing people’s lives through the simple power of breathing. Alan’s clients are of all ages and backgrounds including comedian and actor Russell Brand, actress Naomie Harris, and various other Hollywood A-listers. After graduating from Aston University, Alan worked across Africa, Asia and for 10 years in the Middle East, forging a career as a public relations manager in the high-pressure world of communications. After taking a sabbatical to pursue his interest in all things metaphysical, Alan was introduced to the wonders of breathwork. Almost two decades later, he has gained a wealth of experience and is now based in Lanzarote where he runs the Breathguru Retreat. He also runs training and mentoring programmes for budding breath coaches and hosts online breath sessions for both individuals and groups. During a 90-minute breathwork session, Alan will teach you conscious connected breathing, a simple yet powerful technique that helps us to open up to our full potential. Conscious breathing is natural, safe and designed to be practised independently once taught. Its benefits include increased energy, the release of emotional baggage, reduced anxiety, increased positivity, increased levels of relaxation, improved stress response and greater self-awareness. “After 65 anxious years, trying every conceivable treatment and therapy available, just one session of breathwork was all that was needed to calm a troubled mind.” John Crace, Political correspondent, The Guardian

Dedicated to helping individuals make meaningful lifestyle changes, Anna specialises in functional corrective movement training, with a core focus on stability. With a wealth of experience, Anna has helped individuals of all levels achieve their fitness goals, whether it’s preparing for a challenging ski trip, kayaking along the Swedish coast, recovering from pregnancy, or increasing golf swing power – guiding them on their fitness journeys, maintaining their progress, or challenging them to reach new heights. Anna’s expertise also extends to mobility and flexibility, and she offers private sessions in yoga, Pilates, stretching, mobility for sports, and rehabilitation. If you’re experiencing soreness or stiffness, Anna can also assist you with sports massage and assisted stretches.

Wassim Hallal moved to Denmark in 1985 and, after working in some of the country’s best restaurants, opened his own place, Frederikshøj, in 2009. Housed within the former staff lodge of the Royal Palace, the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2015 and its second in 2022. The same year, Wassim was also awarded the Chef Mentor Award. His menus are a sensory journey in refinement and rendition without a horizon. Following the seasons, he creates technically superior and deeply personal dishes, with the utmost respect for his ingredients. Unrestrained by traditional conventions, he believes that care, excitement and dedication can be both felt and tasted. Wassim has also published several cookbooks and appeared on Hell’s Kitchen Denmark and MasterChef Denmark. He is also a proud ambassador for the Aarhus region, shining a light on the quality of local produce through his precise and creative cooking style.

Born in the city of Zamora, Mexico, former professional footballer Rafael Márquez Álvarez is regarded as the best defender in Mexico’s history and one of the best Mexican players of all time. He discovered his natural talent for football at a very young age and made his professional debut with the Atlas de Guadalajara in 1996, becoming part of the squad known as the ‘golden generation’. Rafael went on to play for AS Monaco for four years, during which time he helped win the EFL League One and Coupe de France. In 2003 he transferred to FC Barcelona, becoming the first-ever Mexican to represent the club. While with the squad, he won four La Liga, three Spanish Super Cups and two Champions League titles, among several other accolades. In 2010, he joined the New York Red Bulls along with his Barcelona former teammate, the French legend, Thierry Henry. After playing for the Red Bulls for three years, he returned home in 2013 to León FC, where he led them as a captain to two consecutive Mexican league trophies. He then transferred to the Italian team Hellas of Verona to reinforce their defence. After a year and a half in Italy, he returned to the team that shaped him and saw him grow to become a football icon, Atlas de Guadalajara, where he concluded his journey as a professional footballer two years later.

Andrew McCarthy is an accomplished astrophotographer from Arizona who has gained recognition for his captivating images of celestial objects. Growing up in Sacramento, Andrew developed an interest in astronomy during his childhood, sparked by his father’s telescope. He later pursued computer science and mathematics in college and worked in the tech industry before rediscovering his love for astronomy. His innovative techniques in astrophotography, coupled with his computer science background, have helped him to develop a unique style that emphasizes intricate details and textures in his work. His striking images of the moon, in particular, have been praised for their unprecedented clarity and depth, revealing hidden features. Andrew’s work has been published in various magazines, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Wired. He has also received recognition for his contributions to astrophotography, such as the Astronomy Photographer of the Year award from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Alongside his photography, Andrew is a passionate advocate for science education and outreach, aiming to make Earth-based space exploration more accessible to inspire the next generation of enthusiasts to explore the cosmos.

Executive Chef at Restaurant Merlet in Schoorl, Netherlands, since 2015, Jonathan Zandbergen is considered one of the greatest Dutch culinary talents. With cooking methods that combine both tradition and innovation, he has won numerous prestigious awards, including the ‘Prix Culinary Le Taittinger’ in 2014, as well as being crowned Gault & Millau’s ‘Most Talented Chef’ in 2017. The Dutch public became better acquainted with Zandbergen through his TV appearances, most recently as a jury member in the RTL series, Topchef Academy and as a judge on Masterchef Holland in 2018. With over 20 years of experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and cooking competitions, Zandbergen has created his own unique style of Dutch cuisine, inspiring people from all over the world through his culinary streaming platform, CHEFFD. Chef Jonathan Zandbergen will be hosting a series of exclusive dining events at Soneva Fushi & Soneva Jani during his stay.

Bob Bryan is one of the world’s most successful doubles tennis players. Playing with his twin brother Mike, the Bryans won 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, 39 Masters 1000 titles, and 119 ATP Tour titles. Bob also won seven Grand Slam titles in mixed doubles, is a Davis Cup champion, and was the number one ranked doubles player in the world for 439 weeks. The Bryans were the top doubles team on the ATP Tour for 10 seasons and, in 2012, they clinched the career Golden Slam, winning all four Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal during a 12-month run. Bob now lives in Miami with his wife Michelle and their three children and is the captain of the United States Davis Cup Team.

Recently named Latin America’s Best Female Chef by the World’s 50 Best, Manu Buffara is the Executive Chef and Owner of Manu located in Curitiba, Brazil. Paving the way for gastronomy in Brazil and putting the city of Curitiba on the world gastronomic map, the menu has received critical acclaim and earned the restaurant the number 46 spot on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Inspired by her family and background, Manu learned the value of land and animals growing up in the countryside and incorporates this in her everyday technique. At Manu, she uses organic ingredients from carefully selected suppliers and her own garden. Manu’s devotion to sustainability and quality ingredients stems from her commitment to Curitiba, working with local communities to transform abandoned sites into urban gardens and educating locals on how to care for the gardens and feed themselves. Throughout 2023, Chef Manu is running a 12-month pop-up at Fresh in the Garden at Soneva Fushi. Inspired by the ecological connection between land, sea, minerals, roots, fruits and animals, and the transformational power of food, the exclusive pop-up seats just 35 guests per sitting and offers an intimate dining experience with one of Brazil’s most exciting culinary talents and her team.

Mike Bryan is an Olympic Gold Medal Tennis Doubles Champion. He holds the record for most Grand Slam Men’s Doubles Championships (18), most ATP Tour Tiltes (124), and most weeks ranked number 1 in the world (506). He is also a Davis Cup Champion and two time NCAA Champion at Stanford.

Son of a Greek father and an Austrian mother, chef Konstantin Filippou honed his signature multicultural cooking style while working in the kitchen of Vienna-based Mediterranean restaurant Novelli. Shaping the story of his success, he earned the restaurant a Michelin Star and a third Gault Millau bonnet in both 2009 and 2010. Just two years later, chef Konstantin was nominated for the gourmet magazine A La Carte’s Trophée Gourmet and won the supreme title of “Austria’s Most Creative Chef”. In 2013, he opened his first eponymous restaurant, Konstantin Filippou, where his Greek and Austrian background is reflected in both his dishes and the spirit of the dining room. After just seven months in operation, the restaurant was awarded three bonnets by Gault Millau. A Michelin star shortly followed in 2014 and his second star in 2018. Gault Millau later awarded him with 19 points and five bonnets in 2019, making Konstantin one of only 5 19-pointers in Austria. He opened a natural wine bistro O boufés at the same address as his restaurant in 2015, which received two bonnets (15 points) in the Gault Millau. Today the bistro holds 15.5 points and three bonnets.

Dr James O’Donoghue is a planetary astronomer at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and prior to this he worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. His research involves the astronomy of Giant Planets Jupiter, Saturn and exoplanets. His recent astronomical discoveries have made global news: Saturn’s rings aren’t going to last forever — they are falling into the upper atmosphere, and Jupiter’s aurora heats the entire planet. James has a passion for educating people about the wonders of space: he creates space science-themed animations which are used in schools, planetariums, universities and museums globally. These videos have over 200 million views across Twitter, Youtube and other platforms, gaining him nearly 200,000 followers on the Twitter account “@physicsJ”. During his visit, James will be hosting after-dinner stargazing sessions, along with talks about astronomy throughout the day.

Roger has been a key figure in the wellness sector for more than three decades. Named in Tatler’s ‘Best of the Best’ guide as ‘one of the top 8 therapists worth travelling around the globe for’, he conducts therapies, seminars and workshops around the world in energy work, spiritual healing, profound emotional recovery and growth. Roger’s unique approach combines science, medicine, Eastern wellness philosophies, psychotherapeutics and spirituality – working with you to create a whole-person, grounded and integrative pathway to wellbeing, health and a joyful existence. Roger is returning to Soneva Fushi for the first-ever SOUL Festival, taking place from September 29 – October 8, 2023, to help guests explore wellness in all its forms – from personal to planetary.