Though it’s located in the Indian Ocean close to our shores, there aren’t too many people here who are familiar with Maldivian cuisine. So, when Derrick Walles, head chef at Soneva Fushi, an award-winning resort at the island, visited Mumbai recently to host a dinner at a Byculla venue, we chatted with him about some of the unique features that make Maldivian food different from the culinary traditions prevalent elsewhere. Walles is originally from Sri Lanka, which is evident in his thick accent. But having spent eight years at the resort now, he has imbibed the local food culture to create a range of mainly fusion dishes.

Here is Walles’s primer on Maldivian eating habits.