FHAM, also known as the Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives Global Culinary Challenge and Exhibition, is a prestigious annual event held in the beautiful Maldives. Recognized as South Asia’s leading hospitality gathering, it serves as the premier international hospitality trade fair in the region. The 2025 edition, scheduled from September 7th to 9th, continued its strong tradition of celebrating excellence in food, hospitality, and culinary arts.
Acting as a key platform for the food and hospitality industry, FHAM brings together a wide range of participants, including international and local businesses, culinary professionals, resort operators, and hospitality enthusiasts. This diverse participation greatly benefits both the thriving hospitality sector in the Maldives and the wider South Asian region.
Known for promoting innovation and international collaboration, the 2025 edition of FHAM featured 500 international product launches, highlighting the latest advancements in food and hospitality. The event attracted a strong turnout, with 5,000 visitors and 130 exhibitors showcasing over 7,000 global brands.
The participation of 120 resorts highlights FHAM’s strong appeal to the tourism industry, which plays a crucial role in the Maldivian economy. These resorts actively engage in the event to enhance their culinary offerings and present unique guest experiences, demonstrating the event’s practical value and its contribution to strengthening the local hospitality sector.
Beyond the immediate participants, FHAM 2025 also delivers wider economic and community benefits. It supports tourism growth, aids local businesses, and generates employment opportunities in the hospitality and culinary fields. Additionally, it serves as an important hub for knowledge exchange and skill development, enabling chefs, culinary enthusiasts, and industry experts to share ideas, learn from one another, and discuss emerging trends and challenges.
Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHA-Maldives) is proud to announce its collaboration with the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) for the upcoming Exhibition and Global Culinary Challenge, scheduled to take place from September 7th to 9th at Manhattan Grand Hotel, Hulhumale, Maldives. This event has a long-standing relationship with the tourism and hospitality industry, playing a significant role in attracting tourism worldwide. FHA-Maldives is organized with the support of the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, who has been a key figure in the event’s success over the years.
The President of the Chef’s Guild of Maldives, Mrs. Maryam Noordeen, has been instrumental in ensuring the event’s continuity and long-standing success. Nestle Professional is the Platinum Sponsor for Culinary Challenge with a vital link in the strong relationship between FHA-Maldives and Nestle Professional. These collaborations have established FHA-Maldives as a significant event, further encouraging positive engagement from international stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries. This year’s event features a star-studded lineup of world-renowned judges from Germany, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Thailand. The panel is led by the legendary Chef Thomas Gugler, Immediate Past President of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies.
Other notable chefs include Chef Gerard Mendis, Chef Uwe Micheel, Chef Dimuthu Kumarasinghe, Chef Rick Stephens, Chef Ishag Solih, and Chef Abdullah Sobah among many others.
FHA-Maldives is an extravagant showcase of culinary excellence worldwide. It is the only World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS) endorsed continental event in South Asia, which adds to its credibility and successful track record over the years. The gathering of culinary talents from around the world motivates exhibitors to showcase their highest quality products, as FHA-Maldives provides an effective platform for connecting the goods and services industry with the tourism and hospitality industry.
The event has already garnered significant attention in the culinary industry, with over 600 entries and 150 international exhibitors registered in our previous edition. We appreciate MMPRC for their ongoing support and endorsement of the event throughout the years. We anticipate a great and lasting event that will support the Maldives’ tourism and hospitality industry in its long-term growth and sustainability.
