Fire Restaurant at Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives Earns 2024 Wine Spectator Restaurant Award of Excellence

Kuda Villingili Resort, Maldives (July 2024) — Fire Restaurant has been honored for its outstanding wine program in Wine Spectator’s 2024 Restaurant Awards, which celebrate the world’s best restaurants for wine.

Fire Restaurant at Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives Earns 2024 Wine Spectator Restaurant Award of Excellence

“We are immensely delighted to receive the Wine Spectator’s 2024 Award of Excellence,” said Amjad Thaufeeq, Commercial Director of Kuda Villingili. This award is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing our guests with an outstanding dining experience and a wide range of wine choices. Our wine program is designed to cater to both connoisseurs and casual wine lovers, ensuring that every guest finds something to enjoy.”

“The restaurant industry is growing and thriving, with restaurant openings surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time. To take advantage of the uptick, restaurateurs are re-investing in their wine programs,” said Marvin R. Shanken, Editor and Publisher, Wine Spectator. “Restaurants that make wine a priority are what the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards program is all about. I’m pleased to congratulate all 3,777 restaurants for their dedication to wine and exemplary wine lists.”

Launched in 1981, the Restaurant Awards represent the world’s only program focused exclusively on restaurant wine service. They are assigned on three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence, and the Grand Award, with 2,150; 1,531; and 96 winners this year in each respective category.

Fire Restaurant has won the Award of Excellence

The Award of Excellence recognizes restaurants whose wine lists feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.

About Fire Restaurant, Kuda Villingili Resort, Maldives

FIRE is inspired by the all-time classic American steakhouse experience, and the concept explores the art of grilling meat to perfection. A team of talented chefs, under the guidance of Executive Chef Lalith Sharma, delivers the finest prime-cut meat plated succulently alongside mouthwatering condiments and a selection of homemade sauces. This fine-dining experience is enhanced further with organic, free-trade certified, and free-range ingredients sourced from around the world. Each plate served is a heartily rich enhancement of timeless flavors. Nestled within the chic and well-balanced ambience of The Restaurant, Fire opens for lunch and dinner while the salty breeze and the gently lapping waves perfect this partially overwater experience.

The Wine list at Fire is intended to reflect the diversity of producers’ terroirs and grape varietals, showcasing an exquisite selection of wines ranging from classic to rustic and modern to vibrant. A particular importance was given to ensuring a balanced and generous sampling of the diverse flavors of both the Old World and the New World with exceptionally high quality and value, encouraging guests to experiment throughout their stay.

About Kuda Villingili Resort, Maldives

Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives is an exclusively private island, promising guests of all ages and personalities the opportunity to redefine time and space and the independence to discover themselves while strengthening bonds of togetherness and creating unique experiences. Located at a convenient 30-minute speedboat ride in the picturesque North Male Atoll, this picturesque slice of paradise offers 75 spacious villas sprawled on the beachfront and over the turquoise lagoon. The resort offers a diverse array of gastronomic experiences, from casual Hawker-style to fine dining on the beach, with three diverse dining venues and three unique concepts sure to appeal to everyone’s taste buds.

About Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms, and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily, and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.

Expert Views on AI Appreciation Day

16/07/2024- Every year on July 16, we mark AI Appreciation Day to celebrate the incredible advancements in artificial intelligence. AI, a field of computer science focused on creating systems capable of human-like intelligence, has significantly impacted our daily lives and industries alike. From simplifying routine tasks to revolutionizing entire sectors, AI has become indispensable.

Experts highlight the vast potential of AI across diverse fields such as healthcare, finance, agriculture, education, and manufacturing. This technology collaborates seamlessly with humans, offering solutions to complex challenges and driving innovation.

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Mr. Padmakumar Nair, CEO & Co-founder of Ennoventure, Inc.

‘’On this Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day, we recognize the transformative power of AI in reshaping our world and enhancing our daily lives. This year’s theme, “AI 4 Society,” underscores AI’s pivotal role in cultivating a society that is not only more innovative but also more reliable and inclusive. Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant dream; it is a present reality driving progress and positive change across all sectors.

At Ennoventure, Inc., our mission is to use artificial intelligence’s transformative potential for the good of society. Our solutions are carefully crafted to safeguard customers and businesses while guaranteeing the safety and authenticity of products in international marketplaces. We want to stimulate innovation and have a beneficial social impact by placing a high priority on ethical and responsible AI development. Our goal is to use AI to make the world a safer and more inclusive place.

As we navigate the complexities of AI governance, our commitment to ensuring that AI serves as a force for encouraging innovation, security, and trust in every community we touch remains unwavering. We believe that by working together, we can create a future where AI serves as a powerful tool for enhancing the quality of life for everyone.”

Mr. L Srinath Reddy, Managing Director, Raminfo Limited.

“At Raminfo, we celebrate the power of AI to transform industries, innovate solutions, and empower progress. In our journey, AI has revolutionized how we analyze complex data, enhancing decision-making, optimizing processes, and delivering insights that drive meaningful outcomes. We are introducing a cutting-edge neural network that will leverage AI to simplify intricate data analysis, making it more accessible and actionable for our clients. Today, on AI Appreciation Day and beyond, we continue to leverage AI’s capabilities to pioneer advancements in e-governance, IoT analytics, engineering, education and skill development, Agri & Logistics, and energy sectors shaping a future where possibilities are limitless. We also commend the progress made in the deep tech policy, as the government plans to introduce measures to unlock long-term funds and support for deep tech startups, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and sustainable growth through advanced technologies.”

Mr. Amitabh Misra, CTO, Sprinklr:

“The AI landscape today is rapidly evolving, and we stand at the cusp of transformative change. As we look ahead, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a fundamental shift in the way we operate and innovate. We have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of AI, and this has driven us to integrate it into our own products, such as the Sprinklr Digital Twin. This new AI technology transcends traditional conversational AI chat bots, providing a more comprehensive and effective solution. At Sprinklr, we are building in India, for India and we are committed to leveraging AI to drive progress and innovation. On this AI Appreciation Day, we look forward to continuing to harness the power of AI to drive progress and innovation in the years to come.”

Mitesh Jain, Regional Vice President – India, Akamai Technologies

“AI’s integration into IT operations has had a profound impact by driving innovation and efficiency, fundamentally transforming how businesses operate. This has been revolutionizing the IT industry by automating a broad spectrum of tasks, from basic data entry to complex software coding. This paradigm shift has enhanced efficiency and fostered innovation, empowering IT companies to deliver more sophisticated and intelligent solutions. By integrating AI, companies can now streamline operations, cut costs, and deliver higher-quality services. This transformation has become crucial for maintaining competitiveness in a global market increasingly dominated by advanced technologies.

To adapt, the industry must embrace AI-driven changes, foster collaborations with AI startups and invest in reskilling its workforce. At Akamai, we leverage AI to enhance security, optimize performance, and deliver seamless digital experiences. Our AI-driven solutions, such as advanced threat detection and the Guardicore AI Chatbot, underscore our commitment to innovation and excellence, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the IT industry’s transformation. As we celebrate AI’s contributions, Akamai remains steadfast in pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable with AI, continuously innovating to deliver secure, reliable, and high-performance digital experiences.”

Jayaprakash Nair, Senior Engineering Leader – Data Science at Altimetrik

AI has swiftly transformed from a futuristic concept to a tangible force, driving innovation and efficiency across various industries. According to a report by IBM 59% of Indian enterprises have implemented AI, the highest percentage among the surveyed countries. This widespread adoption highlights AI’s growing prowess and impact on business operations and strategy.

A significant development in AI’s evolution is its verticalization, where AI solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of different industries. For example, AI is revolutionizing sectors like healthcare with predictive diagnostics, retail with optimized supply chains, and manufacturing with enhanced precision through automation. This targeted application of AI ensures that implementations are highly relevant and practical, driving substantial value and fostering industry-specific advancements.

Organizations must leverage AI beyond generative capabilities, encompassing Discriminative AI, Rules-based AI, and Casual AI to deliver comprehensive, industry-specific solutions. Strategic implementation of AI allows organizations to combine AI with data quality and agile practices to maximize business value. This forward-thinking approach ensures that AI exceeds the specific needs of each industry, fostering a new era of digital business.”

Ranga Jagannath, Senior Director – Growth, Agora

“AI is transforming business operations across industries, and the B2B sector is no exception. It goes beyond just driving efficiency and automating tasks. In real-time communication, AI enhances user experiences through natural interactions, like voice recognition and personalized content delivery. This effectively breaks down global communication barriers. Just imagine the possibilities – seamless video conferencing with real-time language translation, fostering collaboration across borders and languages. This is the exciting present and even more exciting future of B2B communication, powered by AI integration with platforms like Agora. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even greater innovation and efficiencies across industries. Imagine AI-powered assistants summarizing key points during meetings or generating real-time transcripts with sentiment analysis. The possibilities are endless, and Agora is at the forefront of bringing this future to reality.”