Amari at LUX* Belle Mare has been Chef Vineet Bhatia?s Mauritian home for a decade. A new look warranted a new menu to celebrate the resort?s reopening in October 2023 after a devastating fire, enabling him and his team to reimagine their culinary offering in an exceptional environment. The result is even more soothing for body, mind and soul than before, as Debby Hathway finds out.

Derived from the Sanskrit (amar) meaning ?immortal, eternal?, Amari at LUX* Belle Mare intertwines a culinary narrative bridging the flavours of India and Mauritius. Guided by the esteemed Vineet Bhatia MBE, hailed as the pioneer of modern Indian cuisine, the menu manifests his lifelong gastronomic odyssey. Rooted in diverse influences and underscored by the profound belief in food as a universal language fostering connections, Amari embodies Chef Vineet?s enduring passion for spices and flavours and LUX* Resorts? ?spirited, creative, caring, and tasteful hospitality brand [established] to help people celebrate life.?
I met Vineet at another luxury resort in Mauritius before opening Amari, and our paths have crossed many times since. We chatted then over a searing hot tandoor oven as he baked naan bread for guests eager to sample his fare under the stars on a moonlit night on a secluded east-coast peninsula. That serendipitous conversation inspired a feature piece, marking the genesis of my unwavering admiration. Since then, I?ve been a devoted patron, frequenting Amari by Vineet...