ROBINSON NOONU made a strong impression at the first-ever Dilmah Natural Luxury Sommelier Challenge held in the Maldives as part of Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM). The event, hosted at Hulhumalé Central Park, marked a milestone in the country’s culinary and hospitality scene as teams competed to showcase creativity, precision, and respect for tea craftsmanship.
Representing ROBINSON NOONU, Augustivano and Oswald demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork. In a tightly timed 30-minute challenge, they prepared three tea-based drinks — pure tea, milk tea, and a mocktail — paired with a sweet or savoury dish, all reflecting the competition’s central theme of “Respect” for ingredients, origins, and guest experience.
Augustivano impressed the judging panel with his inventive green tea creation, earning the medal for Best Tea Inspired Drink, while Bar Manager Oswald brought refined balance and presentation to the team’s overall performance. Their achievement highlighted ROBINSON NOONU’s commitment to innovation and excellence within the Maldivian hospitality industry.
Top honours went to Somerset Hotel’s Sadhun and Vikum, who took first place and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Dilmah School of Tea in Sri Lanka. They were followed by One&Only Reethi Rah’s Jonathan and Kunal in second place and Vakkaru Maldives’ Yogesh and Mujeef in third. Additional awards recognised teamwork, presentation, and food pairing.
The event was organised by SIMDI Group in partnership with Dilmah Ceylon Tea, whose premium tea products are widely available in the Maldives. ROBINSON NOONU extends its appreciation to the organisers for creating a platform that celebrates skill, sustainability, and creativity, and congratulates its talented team for raising the bar in tea artistry across the islands.
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