A two-Michelin-starred German chef is heading back to the Maldives. Alexander Herrmann — chef, restaurateur, TV personality and bestselling author — will take over the kitchens at The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort from November 19 to 23, 2026, as part of the resort's ongoing Tastemaker Series. Conveniently timed, it also lands in the middle of the resort's 10th anniversary celebrations.

Herrmann is best known as the force behind AURA by Alexander Herrmann & Tobias Bätz, which holds two Michelin stars. His island programme centres on two intimate six-course dinners. The first, on November 19, unfolds in Decanter, the resort's gold-toned underground wine cellar; the second, on November 23, happens at The Whale Bar, with the Indian Ocean as the backdrop. Between the two, on November 20, he leads a masterclass at ALBA covering the techniques and thinking behind his food.

There's one way in for non-guests who like a gamble: Marriott Bonvoy Moments is auctioning a package called An Exquisite Culinary Escape, open for bidding until October 22, 2026. It bundles a four-night stay for two in an Overwater Villa with Pool (November 19–23, 2026), daily breakfast at ALBA, a private wine-paired six-course dinner with Herrmann, a signature massage and access to the Blue Hole Hydrotherapy Pool at Iridium Spa, plus round-trip seaplane transfers from Velana International Airport. Bidding with points rather than cash makes it one of the more interesting uses of a Bonvoy balance.

The resort itself sits on a private island in Dhaalu Atoll, with 77 villas and the signature St. Regis Butler Service. General Manager Ozgur Cengiz framed the residency as a decade-long commitment to pairing the island setting with visiting global talent.

Herrmann isn't the only name on the Maldives' fine-dining calendar this season, either. The St. Regis hosts MasterChef India's Surjan Singh, known as Chef Jolly, for a Diwali programme from October 28–30, 2026, including a six-course Indian wine dinner at Decanter and a complimentary masterclass for eight guests, with Diwali set menus running at Cargo until November 8. Milaidhoo Maldives welcomes Laurence Tan, head chef of Singapore's Michelin-starred JAG, for a cooking class on October 16 and a 16-seat five-course dinner on October 17. And V Villas Maldives at Mirihi flies in a Thai team from its Phuket sister property for a two-night 'From the Andaman to the Indian Ocean' pop-up on October 10–11.

If a Maldives trip has been on your list, timing it around one of these residencies adds a genuine destination-restaurant experience to the usual villa-and-lagoon appeal — just book early, since most dinners and classes are capped at a handful of seats.