A culinary journey around the world: the taste of a TUI Christmas

In the second part of our culinary world tour of the Christmas menus we have landed in Asia. Special destinations around the Indian Ocean are one of TUI's growth markets. Thereby not only more and more Europeans are being attracted to embark on a long-distance trip when taking their holidays, but Asian guests are also travelling increasingly within the region. At the ROBINSON Club in the Maldives, already more than half of the guests today come from Asia. The great interest, therefore, is leading to the creation of further holiday paradises: the TUI hotel brands ROBINSON and RIU are currently building new resorts and will begin welcoming guests to the islands in 2017 and 2018. As varied as the visitors from all over the world are also the visitors' tastes. The chefs, therefore, focus on a diverse selection at the buffets and develop menu creations that are popular with the international holiday guests.

Sea & Sand –
outdoors and
on the table

"Sea and Sand" awaits the holidaymakers in the Maldives, not only as a result of the pleasant climate in December, but also as an appetizer at Christmas. In the ROBINSON Club Maldives Huvadhu, Head Chef Thomas Ruck and his team present a gala dinner with numerous delicacies from the sea. "Sea & Sand", for example, is the name given to the intermediate course inspired by island atmosphere - a yellow-finned tuna fish roasted in sesame seeds and Szechuan pepper. But also the further courses of the festive menu include a greeting from the sea:

Three varieties of caviar from
Ossietra sturgeon, salmon and flying fish

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Lobster Bisque

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Sea & Sand
Yellow-finned tuna fish sautéed with sesame seeds and Szechuan pepper, served with avocado puree on soya noodles

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Apricot sorbet with champagne

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Veal fillet with grilled slipper lobsters, glazed green asparagus, hollandaise sauce, morel risotto and spicy sauce

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Chocolate-tonka bean terrine with date-banana ice cream

Christmas cake in new
dimensions

A little further North-East, the Riu Sri Lanka opened its doors to guests for the first time this year, and has thus become the brand's first hotel on the Asian continent. Although the island state, just off the coast of India, is predominantly Buddhist, through the smaller Christian faith communities, Christmas traditions have also found their way to the island. The ingredients for the traditional Christmas cake are mixed by the guests and the hotel staff together. For this purpose, fruits are mixed with various essences and alcohol to produce the special festive flavour. If anyone also wants to try the Asian pastries, you will find the recipe here: Christmas cake from Sri Lanka. Even if the domestic kitchen is perhaps not quite suitable for the cake dimensions which Executive Chef Adrian Sanchez and Pastry Chef Ajith Jayantha put on the table at the Riu Hotel.