Malta’s cuisine took centre stage in a special MICHELIN Four-Hands Dinner organised by VisitMalta and Michelin at Sola Restaurant in Soho, London earlier this year.
The MICHELIN Four Hands are regular collaborative dinners that see international top-rated chefs team up to curate a tasting menu specifically for one night. Such events are one-off cooking collaborations that give the chosen chef the chance to present their own signature dishes or new ones crafted with the hosting chef. Four Hands has been described by MICHELIN as “globe-trotting collaborations [that] transcend cultural boundaries” encouraging culinary maestros to break out of their comfort zones, serving as invaluable opportunities that broaden personal and culinary horizons.
MICHELIN hand-picked Under Grain’s Executive Chef Victor Borg to participate in this event together with his team, and to join forces with Chef Patron Victor Garvey from London’s Sola Restaurant for an unforgettable fusion of cuisines. Chef Victor Borg and Chef Victor Garvey carefully prepared a six-course tasting menu, with both chefs preparing three each. The menu had Maltese influence deeply ingrained in it, paired with Maltese wine, which was flown from Malta, especially for this event.
The event was attended by high-profile food and travel influencers who documented the event on their social media channels – an event which was also characterised by an introduction to just how far the quality of Malta’s gastronomy offer has gone, especially since the introduction of the MICHELIN Guide Malta, now in its third edition. In fact, Malta now boasts Five MICHELIN Stars, 4 Bib Gourmands and 22 recommended restaurants.
“This experience is an amazing experience for all of us. It’s a privilege to have been chosen by MICHELIN, to be a part of this Four Hands Dinner in London, which is a first for Malta,” Chef Victor Borg said, adding that, when deciding on the menu, they “tried to do something different,” with his favourite dish from the evening being a trio of mussel creations, with gorgonzola and passion fruit being the key complimentary ingredients.
Chef Victor Garvey said that it is an “incredible honour to be asked to participate in a MICHELIN dinner with a fellow chef from a MICHELIN Starred restaurant, especially someone who is new and recent,” and went on to say that his signature dish and his favourite from his selection is the flambé langoustine.
Dr Gavin Gulia, Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, speaking at the event proudly said that “Malta has now become a Michelin destination, which makes it a destination of quality.” Dr Gulia also stated that Michelin has helped Malta to raise its standards, as it helped to raise ambitions and competitiveness between restaurant operators “because restaurant operators in Malta believe that they have a very good product and a very good service, all worthy of being recognised by the MICHELIN Guide.”
"Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, Malta is establishing itself as a gastronomic destination which serves up a wide range of dishes influenced by the numerous civilisations that once considered Malta as their place to call home. We have been championing local, sustainable gastronomy that tips its hat to traditional methods within the context of a modern and buzzing restaurant scene. Encompassing five MICHELIN Stars, 4 Bib Gourmands and 21 recommended restaurants is proof that we are on the right track of nurturing the principles of high-quality throughout Malta's gastronomic sector," outlined Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo.