Niyama Private Islands Maldives has reopened Nest, its jungle dining Asian restaurant, refreshed with a new setting and a new menu.
Niyama Private Islands Maldives is a luxury retreat offering lavish accommodations, sumptuous cuisines, personalised service and a myriad of opportunities for visitors to create a bespoke island experience. The resort comprises twin islands named Chill and Play.
Chill, true to its name, offers relaxation and well-being at Drift Spa, entertainment under the stars at the outdoor cinema, fine dining experiences offshore at Edge, and so much more. Meanwhile, Play provides delightful diversions for those looking for more active pursuits, whether it be kayaking around the islands or discovering the resort’s surfing destinations.
Nest, located deep within the heart of Play Island, brings dramatic flair to Asian fine dining, with a unique setting of wild, indigenous flora that envelops guests in the surreal and transports them to another world.
The Nest dining experience begins with a stroll along the meandering boardwalk through the jungle’s overgrown vines. The magic of Nest then reveals itself under the canopy of a banyan tree decades in the making.
On the ground floor, tribal, thatched-roof huts centre around the showcase teppanyaki, where fiery flavours await. Alternatively, guests can ascend the spiral staircase, and then cross the bridge to their dining platform suspended six metres in the air.
The original design of Nest was conceived in 2013 by Poole Associates and landscape architect Drew Anderson of TOPO Design. They envisioned a multi-level treehouse connected by a labyrinth of wooden walkways and bridges that appear, and then seem to melt back into the trees.
After a decade of operation, the Niyama concept has been refreshed to offer an enhanced setting, with denser, more dramatic landscaping. Helmed by the resort’s chief engineer Michael Selvin, the new setting envelops each table more fully in nature and offers more exclusivity. At night, the trees shimmer with hundreds of lights, and hints of red add an element of the exotic.
A new menu has also been curated by the resort’s new Executive Chef Thierry Vergnault. Highlights include the wagyu and sea urchin tataki (Japan), sizzling bo lok lak (Vietnam), and chilli reef lobster from local waters (Singapore).
Chef Thierry’s creations combine the freshest, high-quality ingredients with unexpected culinary techniques and innovations. Hard-to-find Asian herbs and spices come from the island’s own garden, which also inform the experimental cocktail list by consultant Mathew Atkinson of Bruff Drinks.
“We are thrilled to unveil the new Nest,” said Hafidh Al Busaidy, General Manager of Niyama, after the reopening. “The reimagined concept, coupled with Chef Thierry Vergnault’s culinary brilliance, promises to take our guest experience to another level, and we invite the adventurous from around the world to come experience the magic of Nest for themselves.”