JOALI BEING, the first wellbeing island retreat of its’ kind in the Maldives welcomed Head Chef Patrick Godborg in March 2023.

Between the 16th – 22nd March, Patrick Godborg, Head Chef of acclaimed ‘Restaurant Radio’ in Copenhagen, Denmark hosted one unique Dining Experience for JOALI BEING’s guests in addition to two immersive workshops. For this, Chef Patrick brought a little of Scandinavia to the Indian Ocean destination with dishes like, traditional Danish cream puffs infused with local ingredients that support your sleep cycle, Nordic-style sustainable fish with pumpkin and many more were featured in a 5-course signature dining experience for guests. 

The first workshop was designed for the local community: 12 pupils in their 8th and 9th graders from the local Maduvvaree School, who share a distinct interest in the culinary and hospitality spheres participated.  The second workshop was in honour of ‘World Sleep Day’ and brought wellbeing and sustainability together around the mind pillar in JOALI BEING’s Learning Centre in collaboration with JOALI BEING’s Executive Chef Richard Siahaan.  

During its first opening year, a skills workshop for local kids with football legend Diego Simeone and another one with German tennis star Alexander Zverev, was organised by JOALI BEING. 

Ever since opening its doors in late 2021, JOALI BEING has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the wellbeing and progress of local communities. From conducting virtual education sessions for university students on International Women’s Day to hosting an appreciation event for healthcare workers on International Nurses’ Day, the team has made it a priority to support and empower neighbouring island communities. 

The wellbeing retreat has also created multiple hospitality internships for Maldivian aspirants to inspire the next generation, as part of JOALI’s ongoing community outreach programmes. 

Chef Patrick started his career in culinary school thanks to a friend and found his passion for cooking. Since a young age, he loved being creative in the kitchen and the concept of elaborating new dishes and giving people a good experience motivated him to move forward professionally. As a student, he worked in different Michelin restaurants, such as the world-renowned Noma, the influential three-Michelin-star restaurant from Copenhagen which was awarded ‘The World’s Best Restaurant’ title four times by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. 

He started setting goals for himself after realising his talent: to try out for Bocuse D’Or, to win Best Restaurant in Denmark, and of course, to have a Michelin start. Nowadays, Chef Patrick can proudly say that he has achieved those key goals. 

As part of Chef Patrick’s vision, he wants to showcase the concepts of cooking and be sustainable at the same time. The products that he uses for his dishes are 70% organic or biodynamic.

Sustainable Gastronomy

Both JOALI properties are home to their own organic garden filled with homegrown herbs. Fish and seafood are locally sourced from fishermen from neighbouring islands, ensuring that they adhere to sustainable fishing practices. Both islands have their own rocket composters to dispose of all food waste and create compost for their organic gardens.