The scent of a fish just landed, the sharp perfume of a vanilla pod split open, the deep sound of a coconut being cracked with a machete. At Kokoa Serena, cooking begins at 5 a.m., at the Ambodifototra market, long before you emerge onto your terrace.
Our chef brings back the finest of what he has found. No fixed menu, no carte negotiated weeks in advance: each day invents itself, according to the sea, the market and the mood of your stay.
IN BRIEF
- Private chef included in every villa stay
- Daily market at Ambodifototra (fish, fruit, vegetables)
- 3 meals a day prepared on site
- Special diets catered for (allergies, vegetarian, gluten-free)
- Service on the terrace, on the beach or inside as you wish
Why a private chef changes everything in Sainte-Marie
The island has few restaurants open year-round, and those that are require a good half-hour ride from Betouna. Eating out becomes a logistics exercise: arranging the taxi-brousse, the weather, the timing of the return.
With a resident chef, the rhythm reverses. You stay in your swimsuit after the swim, you stretch the aperitif on the terrace, you ask for a later dinner if the day was full. The kitchen adapts to you, not the other way around.
The other reason lies in the quality of the produce. The best fish in Sainte-Marie never make it to the restaurants — they are bought directly from the fishermen on their return, before 8 a.m. This is the circuit our chef follows every day.
A typical day from the kitchen’s perspective
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5:30 a.m. | Ambodifototra market: fish, crabs, lobsters, fruit |
| 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Breakfast served on the terrace (flexible timing) |
| 12:30 – 2 p.m. | Light lunch around the day’s market produce |
| 5 p.m. | Dinner prep, quick briefing to validate the menu |
| 7:30 – 10 p.m. | Multi-course dinner |
Everything is flexible. Prefer a late brunch after sleeping in? The chef shifts lunch. A whale outing has worn you out? A comforting dinner replaces the planned menu, no discussion required.
The Ambodifototra market, the source of the cuisine
At dawn, the Ambodifototra port comes to life. The outrigger canoes return with the night’s catch. Tuna, capitaines, dorados, blue crabs, langoustines: it all depends on the season and on luck.
Our chef knows every fisherman. He picks the firmest pieces, negotiates direct delivery when a whole tuna exceeds 30 kilos. Fruits and vegetables follow: freshly picked mangoes, fragrant Victoria pineapples, fresh herbs from the local garden.
SEASONAL PRODUCE
Bourbon vanilla from Sainte-Marie is harvested between June and October. Voatsiperifery pepper, endemic to the east coast, perfumes our sauces all year round. And from November to February, lychees line the roads in vivid red clusters — peak season for fruit desserts.
Our chef’s signature dishes
Without imposing a rigid menu, some dishes return whenever the produce allows. Tuna carpaccio with citrus and black vanilla, for instance, or crab in coconut milk served with cardamom-perfumed rice.
The desserts draw on the island’s fruit richness. Fine mango tart on a Breton shortbread, pineapple-basil sorbet, dark chocolate mousse perfumed with voatsiperifery pepper. Each dish dialogues with a terroir, never caricaturing it.
A GOURMET IDEA
Ask your chef for a “fisherman’s dinner” at least once during your stay. The whole table revolves around the catch of the day: tartare, main course grilled over wood fire, even Malagasy bouillabaisse if the fishing allows. It is the most local experience you can live on the island.
Allergies, diets, specific wishes
Before your arrival, you receive a simple questionnaire. Allergies, intolerances, dietary regimes (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, kosher), disliked dishes, beloved ingredients. The chef builds his first week of menus from those answers.
On site, everything remains adjustable day by day. A child sulking over fish? The chef makes homemade capitaine nuggets, breaded with coconut. A sudden craving for pizza? The wood-fired oven is ready in forty minutes.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Private chef included in your villa stay
- Fresh market produce and daily catch
- 3 meals a day, fully flexible timing
- Diets, allergies and cravings catered for 100%
- Service on the terrace, on the beach or inside as you choose