What’s On at Soneva Fushi

Born in California, Chef Rakan Aloraifi is the founder of Kit Catering and a visionary in Saudi cuisine. His culinary journey began in the U.S., where he discovered his passion for cooking, leading him to explore social media as a platform to share his creations with a wider audience. Rakan returned to Saudi Arabia, where his talent earned him prestigious awards, including the Best Chef title at the 2018 Saudi Excellence in Tourism Awards, Best Saudi Chef in 2019 from the Saudi General Entertainment Authority and first place at the National Cultural Culinary Arts Awards in 2020 and 2021. Rakan’s culinary expertise blossomed during his time as the Executive Chef at Suhail in Riyadh and AlUla, where he crafted distinctive menus reflecting the rich flavours of Saudi Arabia. In 2021, he partnered with Al Khozama Company to develop a contemporary Saudi menu for Maze restaurant in Diriyah. His passion for innovation led him to Paris in 2022, where he mastered advanced French pastry techniques. Today, Chef Rakan serves as a consultant chef for high-profile projects like Cruise Saudi and Neom Sindalah Island and recently collaborated with COSTA International to infuse Saudi flavours into their food products.

Equipped with more than three decades of experience in holistic wellness, Eduardo is a therapeutic and beauty masseur and physical trainer specialising in musculoskeletal pain prevention and relief. As a hands-on therapist, he approaches acute and chronic pain conditions from a multifaceted toolbox that combines his signature soft tissue work with smart cupping therapy to achieve remarkable healing results. He also specialises in a unique anti-ageing facial treatment, which provides a prolonged face, neck and décolleté lift without surgical beauty procedures.

Jacco Eltingh is a former professional tennis player from the Netherlands, renowned for his success in doubles. Alongside partner Paul Haarhuis, Eltingh achieved the prestigious Career Grand Slam, winning all four major titles and dominating the doubles scene. They were ranked World No. 1 in doubles, and their partnership is regarded as one of the most successful in tennis history. In singles, Eltingh reached a career-high ranking of World No. 19, with his best Grand Slam result being in the quarterfinals of the 1995 Australian Open. He retired in 1998 after securing 44 doubles titles and now contributes to tennis administration and coaching in the Netherlands.

Marta Kostyuk is a Ukrainian tennis player who turned professional in 2018. She gained early attention at age 15 when she reached the third round of the Australian Open, showcasing her defensive baseline style and powerful groundstrokes. Kostyuk’s success continued with a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 27 in June 2023. Her junior career was equally impressive, with a standout victory at the 2017 Australian Open girls’ singles title, positioning her as one of the rising stars in women’s tennis. Beyond her technical skills, Kostyuk has shown remarkable consistency on tour, earning respect for her resilience and competitive spirit. Her athleticism and ability to handle high-pressure situations have made her a formidable opponent on the court.

The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre, one of Moscow’s leading cultural institutions, is renowned for its world-class ballet and opera productions that blend Russian classical traditions with innovative contemporary works. For the first time, the theatre’s most celebrated dancers Evgenii Zhukov, Ksenia Shevtsova, Polina Zayarnaya and Elena Solomyanko will be performing at Soneva Fushi in January. Evgenii, a leading soloist since 2018, has earned acclaim for his versatile performances in classical roles like The Nutcracker’s Prince and Albert in Giselle and his works across acclaimed contemporary projects. Ksenia, the theatre’s prima ballerina since 2019, has starred in major roles including Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, also making her mark as a guest artist with the Bayerisches Staatsballett in 2024. Polina, a first soloist since 2020, is known for her dynamic interpretations in both classical ballets such as Don Quixote and modern works by Jiří Kylián and Akram Khan. Elena, a leading soloist, has captivated audiences with her performances in Swan Lake and The Nutcracker while excelling in modern pieces like Wings of Wax and Suite in White. Guests at Soneva Fushi can experience the magic of ballet with spectacular performances and specialised workshops by Evgenii Zhukov, Ksenia Shevtsova, Polina Zayarnaya and Elena Solomyanko.

Since 2015, German chef Marcel Skibba has been a key figure in Andreas Caminada’s gastronomic ventures, particularly at the three-Michelin-starred Schloss Schauenstein, where he has built a reputation for mastering both classic cuisine and modern techniques. From its opening in 2016 until the 2020/2021 winter season, Marcel led the kitchen at IGNIV St. Moritz, excelling as head chef. Under his leadership, the restaurant earned 17 Gault Millau points and a second Michelin star. Before joining Caminada’s team, Marcek honed his skills at the three-star level, notably working with Thomas Bühner at La Vie in Osnabrück, among other renowned establishments.

Michael Ballack is an iconic figure in German football, widely regarded for his exceptional skill and leadership on the field. Ballack’s football journey began at a young age and saw him rise to become one of the most accomplished midfielders of his generation where he was known for his incredible vision, precise passing and powerful shots. Over the course of his career, he played for top European clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Kaiserslautern. Additionally, Ballack was a pivotal player for the German national team, representing his country in multiple FIFA World Cups and UEFA European Championships Since retiring, Ballack has stayed connected to the sport, sharing his expertise as a pundit, commentator and ambassador. This festive season in the Maldives, guests will have the rare opportunity to train under his guidance, learning valuable skills during an exclusive football camp.

Kevin Diedrich is a prominent figure in the cocktail world, renowned for his exceptional work at Pacific Cocktail Haven (P.C.H.) in San Francisco, California. As the driving force behind this acclaimed bar, Kevin has established P.C.H. as a top destination for cocktail enthusiasts, earning a spot at #38 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list. The bar’s inventive approach to mixology and its commitment to excellence has also garnered the Best American Cocktail Bar award at the Tales of the Cocktail Awards. Kevin’s influence extends well beyond his role at P.C.H., earning him multiple nominations for Best American Bartender, with a win in 2020. Recognised for his mentorship, he was named one of the best U.S. Bar Mentors by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation in 2022, reflecting his commitment to nurturing the next generation of bartenders.

Italian chef and restaurateur Paolo Casanova is the patron of Chesa Stüva Colani Restaurant in Madulain, Switzerland. Casanova grew up immersed in the world of food and hospitality, with a family background in hotel ownership and culinary arts and has worked with renowned Italian chefs, including Massimo Bottura, Stefano Baiocco. and Fulvio Pierangelini. In 2016, Casanova opened his own restaurant in Switzerland and by 2020, he earned his first Michelin star and was named Discovery of the Year by Gault&Millau. In 2024, he was honoured as Green Chef of the Year recognising for his creative approach to his menus, emphasising the use of premium, fresh and local ingredients. He forages for ingredients and maintains his own vegetable garden, fostering close relationships with local farmers and producers to ensure the highest quality in his culinary creations.

Søren Ørbek Ledet is the wine director, general manager and co-owner of the Michelin-starred Geranium in Copenhagen, Denmark. For Søren, a former chef turned sommelier and front-of-house manager, the transition from the kitchen to the cellar and restaurant was a natural progression, driven by his desire to offer guests a complete experience. His meticulous wine pairings involve extensive theory, tasting notes and a deep understanding of the flavour profiles of wine and dishes. Managing Geranium’s 25,000-bottle wine cellar requires constant evolution. Søren likens discovering a new domain, chateau or vintage to opening a present as a child – a moment of discovery and enlightenment. The Geranium Wine Cellar features biodynamic wines, classic vintages and unexpected surprises, showcasing his dedication to providing an extraordinary dining experience.

Dr Armin Kleinböhl is a planetary scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He is also the Deputy Principal Investigator of the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been operating on Mars for over 16 years and established the longest time series of global atmospheric measurements on Mars to date. Since 2008, he has provided landing support for all landings on Mars conducted by NASA and his scientific work focusing on the structure and dynamics of the atmospheres of Mars and Venus led him to author or co-authored more than 100 scientific publications. Dr Armin is also the Participating Scientist in Residence for the Japanese Akatsuki Venus Climate Orbiter mission, which leads him to spend several months of the year in Japan. His work also includes managing the “Cloudspotting on Mars” citizen science project with more than 8,000 registered volunteers, which allows members of the public to contribute to planetary science by analysing real data from a spacecraft in Mars’ orbit. During his visit, Dr Armin will be hosting after-dinner stargazing sessions with a focus on Mars and Venus, which will be prominent in the evening sky and will share stories about planetary science and exploration.

Born in 1986 in the Czech Republic, Petr studied astrophysics at Masaryk University Brno and at Silesian University in Opava, Czech Republic. He is an astronomer and astrophotographer. His images were featured more than 30 times by NASA as Astronomy Picture of the Day, as astrophotographer and science outreach worker he cooperates with NOIRLab, National Geographics’ TWAN (The World At Night), European Southern Observatory, and many more. An asteroid 6822 orbiting between Mars and Jupiter is named after him. He travels the world to capture and show the immersive beauty of the starry sky and unique or rare sky phenomena. A long route brought him also to Soneva Fushi in 2019, where he experienced a beautiful night sky and took many photographs of it. Petr specializes in the outreach of modern astronomy with his talks to the public and in photographing the night sky phenomena to show what amazing Universe around us can be even seen by naked eyes all around the world, including the Maldives.