This Valentine’s weekend, the Isle of Man’s food scene is set for a landmark moment as Studio Umami, the Ramsey deli-turned-restaurant, hosts an international culinary collaboration.

From on February 14 and 15, the Bourne Plate eatery will welcome two globally acclaimed guest chefs to join its resident chef, Pippa Lovell, for a weekend celebrating world cuisine through a distinctly Manx lens.

The weekend begins on Saturday with an exclusive ‘Six-Hands Dinner’, a six-course tasting menu collaboratively designed by all three chefs.

Together, over the course of the weekend, the trio will present the tasting menu, a hands-on Mexican cookery workshop, and a relaxed Middle Eastern sharing feast - each experience rooted in storytelling, culture, and exceptional local produce.

Representing the island is Pippa Lovell, a UNESCO Biosphere pioneer, Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, and recipient of the San Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility.

Known for her work with foraging and sustainable food systems, Pippa brings her ethos of place-driven cooking to Studio Umami following her arrival as resident chef in December.

Sylvia Vavik is internationally known for her take on authentic Mexican cuisine with more than 20 years of experience.

A former winner of ‘TV2’s Norges Grillmester’, Sylvia is recognised all over the world for her innovative Mexican-Nordic fusion and her commitment to heritage cooking and sustainability.

Joining her is Tala Bashmi, named ‘MENA’s Best Female Chef 2022’ by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

A finalist on Top Chef Middle East and winner of the Rising Star Award at the 2023 Best Chef Awards in Mexico, Tala is one of the most celebrated Middle Eastern chefs working today.

Unlike traditional fine-dining events, this evening is intentionally intimate and informal.

Studio Umami owners Amy Redman and Partha Vaiude see the collaboration as a perfect expression of the restaurant’s ethos.

‘Marrying the resources and talent of the Island with cultures and cuisines from across the world, this collaboration is the very essence of Studio Umami,’ says Amy.

Guests are invited into a relaxed, ‘bring your own booze’ setting where conversation, creativity, and connection are as central as the food itself.

On Sunday, the experience continues with two interactive events.

Sylvia Vavik will lead a traditional Mexican cooking class in Umami’s gallery space across the road, guiding participants through techniques, ingredients, and cultural context before sitting down together to share the meal they’ve prepared.

Later, Tala and Pippa will host a Home-Style Middle Eastern Lunch, a generous sharing-table feast that celebrates the roots and warmth of Middle Eastern hospitality.

For Pippa, the weekend represents something even bigger: ‘I want to show the world what an incredible place the Isle of Man and our Biosphere is.

‘What better way to navigate uncertain times than through human collaboration and the basic instinct of feeding people?’

Tickets are selling quickly. To book, email [email protected].