Maldivian chef Muslima Adam has become the first Maldivian and first Maldivian woman to win the Best Chef title at the Food & Hospitality Asia Maldives (FHAM) Culinary Challenge.
Adam, of Dusit D2 Feydhoo Maldives, received the award at the FHAM 2026 closing ceremony held at Hulhule Island Hotel on 10 September.
She competed in four categories and won three gold medals and one silver medal, earning the Best Chef title at the competition, which featured more than 20 categories.
Her achievement marks a milestone for Maldivian women in the culinary industry and comes as local chefs gain greater recognition within the country's hospitality sector.
Dusit D2 Feydhoo Maldives was also named the Most Outstanding Organisation at the event.
The main awards also included Don Madushanka of COLORS OF OBLU MALDIVES, who was named Best Pastry Chef, while Aminath Amaany Hussain of Dusit D2 Feydhoo Maldives received the Best Maldivian Pastry Chef award. Adam also received the Best Maldivian Chef title.
In the individual category competitions, Madushanka won the Petits Fours or Pralines Competition, while Liyana Arachchige Nirash Anuja Jayarathna of Niva Kurumba Maldives won the Creative Bread Display Competition. Najila Nasik of Deens Cake Academy won the Artistic Pastry Showpiece Competition, and Siddeeq Ibrahim of Nashee Cakes won the Wedding Cake Structure Competition.
Sweta Limbu of Huvafenfushi Maldives won the Dress the Cake Competition, while Namal Sri Pathma Kumara Rathna of Veligandu Maldives Resort Island won the Fruit & Vegetable Carving Competition.
Adam won the Appetizers – Hot and Cold, Seafood – Hot Cooking and Yellow-Fin Tuna Steak – Hot Cooking competitions. Lewis Valerian of Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru won the Lamb – Hot Cooking Competition.
Akila Dasun Magoda Gamage of Adaaran Club Rannalhi won the Poultry – Hot Cooking Competition, while D.M. Saman Kumara of Adaaran Prestige Vadoo won the Beef – Hot Cooking Competition. Lahiru Dananjaya of Joali Maldives won the White Fish Fillet – Hot Cooking Competition.
Sampuran Nand Naithani of Adaaran Club Rannalhi won the Creative Dunar Rice Dish Competition, while Ahmed Ahsan Shareef of Hulhule Island Hotel won the Traditional and Modern Maldivian Main Course Competition.
R.L. Sai Krishna of Dusit D2 Feydhoo Maldives won The Young Chef competition, covering main course and dessert. Prem Shashikant Chavan of Anantara Kihavah Maldives won the Nescafé Creative Coffee Competition.
Ria Sabnam of Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas won the Vegetarian/Vegan Appetizer & Main Course Competition, while Manoj Kumar Dubey of Hulhule Island Hotel won the Potato Innovation Competition.
Tharaka Herath of Sandies Bathala Beach & Water Villas won the CBL Ritzbury Professional Creative Dessert Competition. The Team Challenge – Butchery & Hot Cooking was won by Naveen Lokesh and Prageeth Ahangama of Varu by Atmosphere.
FHAM is one of the Maldives' major food and hospitality industry events, bringing together chefs and other hospitality professionals to compete and showcase their technical skills, creativity and expertise.
The 2026 edition concluded with the awards ceremony and is scheduled to return during the first week of September next year.