“Authenticity” is a word that marketers love to bandy about—for good reason. Authenticity is shorthand for something that has real chops, that has integrity, that isn’t manufactured. And nowhere is that more important than in the fine-dining world, where success is impossible without it.
Fortunately, at Four Seasons, authenticity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a must. Here, we profile three destinations—in Anguilla, Maui, and Tamarindo—that are offering guests culinary experiences that are unique to the place, and personal to the chefs who create them.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
Anguilla is known as the culinary capital of the Caribbean—and the dining options at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla live up to the island’s reputation. Executive Chef Emmanuel “Manu” Calderon oversees all dining at the destination, infusing each offering with the flavours and traditions of his upbringing and heritage. He grew up in the Yucatán Peninsula—“hungry all the time,” he says—watching his mother and grandmother prepare family meals. At the Resort, his love for the bold flavours of his native country is most evident at Lima-Limon, the Resort’s beachfront Mexican restaurant.
Set on a terrace overlooking Barnes Bay, Lima-Limon serves up elevated versions of crowd-pleasers like carnitas tacos, street corn, birria-style short rib, and churros. Chef Jorge Lopez De Lira currently helms the restaurant and has imbued the menu with his own take on Mexican cuisine—one that hints at the regional flavours of his hometown of Guadalajara. It’s an authentic dining experience that can only come to pass when the people behind it have spent a lifetime feeding their obsession.
Rounding out the Resort’s dining experiences is Salt, the newly renovated signature restaurant that celebrates Anguilla’s deep connection to the sea. Perched over the ocean in an elegant setting, Salt presents refined Caribbean cuisine, highlighting pristine local seafood and thoughtfully sourced ingredients. The refreshed space and menu invite guests to linger over beautifully crafted dishes that feel both elevated and rooted in place—an experience that captures the understated sophistication for which Four Seasons Anguilla is known.
Coffee aficionados, meanwhile, should make sure to stop by Café Nai, the on-site cafe that’s become the island’s go-to spot for a cup of artisanal java, a fresh smoothie, or grab-and-go delights like fresh pastries and creamy gelato.
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Hawaii is an incredibly diverse state, with an ethnically Asian majority and 25 percent of the population speaking a language other than English at home. The dining options at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea reflect this multicultural melting pot.
At KOMO, the Resort’s newest addition, extraordinarily fresh sushi—and time-honored Japanese culinary technique—is the main attraction. The über-chic 50-seat restaurant, designed by Atelier Pond, is led by Tokyo-born chef Kiyokuni “Kiyo” Ikeda, who honed his craft at Morimoto. From house-made dashi and custom-blended soy sauce to hand-grated wasabi and premium sake, KOMO’s commitment to authenticity is clear.
For a truly memorable experience, make a reservation at the 14-seat sushi counter and consider ordering the “Mystery Box,” an ever-changing selection of nigiri based on multiple weekly shipments from Tokyo’s famous Toyosu Market. Even Chef Kiyo doesn’t know what will arrive until the boxes are opened, ensuring that no two visits are ever the same as he transforms each surprise delivery into an unforgettable omakase experience.
Then there’s Wolfgang Puck’s Spago outpost, which serves up locally inspired fare alongside Spago classics, and Ferraro’s, an open-air oceanfront restaurant that churns out elevated Italian dishes (think fresh seafood and house-made pastas). In addition to serving lunch and dinner, the exceptionally situated Ferraro’s offers a special Golden Hour menu, timed to take advantage of the photo-perfect hours leading up to sunset.
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo
Discerning travelers who want to get away from it all are making a beeline for Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, in western Mexico’s relatively undiscovered and pristine Costalegre region. One glimpse of the 3,000-acre property, tucked within a secluded nature preserve and ringed by miles of lush jungle that culminates with the blue waters of the Pacific, and you’ll understand the allure. Foodies, in particular, won’t be disappointed.
Tamarindo has three on-site restaurants, all highlighting Mexican heritage and gastronomy: Nacho, a casual taqueria; Sal, a seafood-focused terrace restaurant overlooking Majahua Beach; and Coyul, created in partnership with Elena Reygadas, who was named World’s Best Female Chef 2023 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Reygadas is the chef-owner of a clutch of world-renowned eateries in Mexico City, including Michelin-starred Rosetta. At Coyul, she’s helped develop a menu that’s an irresistible fusion of Italian and Mexican flavours that emphasize regional ingredients and seasonality.
Sustainability is a theme that guides the resort’s culinary ethos, with some restaurants sourcing ingredients from Rancho Lola, the Resort’s on-site farm that grows indigenous crops and practices traditional farming methods. At the farm, guests can take a tour (and meet its resident chickens, goats, and pigs); plant a tree; sign up for a cooking class in the open-air kitchen; or enjoy a traditional Mexican breakfast, complete with just-harvested vegetables, fresh tortillas, artisanal Cuyutlán salt, and traditional coffee.
Tamarindo also offers a host of ways to imbibe the country’s distinctive flavours, including a blind tequila tasting, a margaritas workshop, a Mexican-wine tasting, and a coffee-extraction class that introduces guests to coffee beans from across the country.
