A Taste of Tradition: Vilu Reef Showcases the Craft of Maldivian Rolled Tuna Curry


Wednesday 26th of November 2025

Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, located in the Maldives, is highlighting one of the most significant food practices in the Maldives through its weekly cooking lesson based around the most popular cuisine in the country, Kandu Kukulhu rolled tuna curry. It is not merely a cuisine, but it is the history and identity of the islands, as it is being transmitted across generations and valued across the atolls. In this experience, the resort makes the guests closer to the flavours and narratives that define the daily Maldivian life.

Kandu Kukulhu has always been anchored to their native tradition, which is the thoughtfulness and attention to detail that makes Maldivian food. The class at Vilu Reef is headed by the Maldivian chefs of the resort who take the guests through every single stage at a pace with the expertise and instinctiveness acquired through decades of practice. The participants are taught to cut fresh tuna, marinate spices, and wrap individual rolls in coconut or pandan leaves prior to the process of simmering the curry in coconut milk. The aroma is warm and aromatic giving people a real view of the island kitchens even before the last tasting.

In many ways regarded as the chicken of the sea, Kandu Kukulhu is a real representation of how the Maldives is deeply connected with the sea.

Chef de Cuisine Mohamed Hameed, also known as Chef Printey, tells us that the idea of culinary in the resort is more than just demonstrating the seafood, but it is also about the cultural importance in each recipe. Through these practices he says the team spreads the spirit of Maldivian tradition with genuineness.

The course is a focal point of the Maldivian Roots Signature Experience that brings into focus the flavours, arts and cultural outbursts of the islands. The experience is open to all guests at the Sun Siyam Vilu Reef and they can make reservations during their stay.