Gourmand Awards: "The Magic of Seychelles Cuisine and Stories from the "Paradise on Earth" wins best in Africa

Behar's book won the award in the "Book about Africa published outside Africa" category. (Maxim Behar) 

A new book "The Magic of Seychelles Cuisine and Stories from the "Paradise on Earth" by the honorary consul general of Seychelles in Bulgaria, Maxim Behar, was recognised as one of the best in the world for 2023 by the international Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2023.

Behar, the owner and CEO of an award-winning European PR corporation - M3 Communications Group - won the award in the "Book about Africa published outside Africa" category, the 29th edition of the competition held in Saudi Arabia with the participation of authors from over 200 countries around the world.

"This award is a great recognition of Seychelles and its cultural richness, which makes me very happy and proud to be able to introduce readers to this wonderful destination. The book contains all the essentials – 25 special recipes from Seychellois cuisine, many interesting stories about Seychelles and its locals, and a great selection of photos taken by me over the years," said Behar.

The Magic of Seychelles Cuisine and Stories from the "Paradise on Earth" is a book that will inspire a person to try something new in the kitchen and go on a journey to Seychelles with delicious and easy to prepare Seychellois dishes combined with memorable stories.

Readers will have the opportunity to learn about the culture and traditions of Seychelles as well as enjoy traditional Creole cuisine – from classic seafood specialties to local dishes with exotic ingredients. The book is not just for chefs and culinary enthusiasts – it presents Seychelles as a place where nature, culture and food create a true sense of paradise on Earth.

The 25 recipes from Seychellois cuisine, ranging from starters, and main dishes to desserts, initially debuted in a Bulgarian version but is now available in English for sale on Amazon, with an upcoming release in French.

It is also accessible in various formats, including print, digital, and audio.

Aside from the Seychellois cuisine, the book also tells the story of the island nation's people and nature.

In a previous interview with SNA, Behar said that the more people know about the country, which he refers to in the book as 'Paradise on Earth', the better for Seychelles' economy, for the education of its people, and the cultural exchange and friendship between the nations.

To put together the recipes in the book, Behar received guidance from two people within the culinary scene of Seychelles. One was his close Bulgarian friend, Milen Velikov, who lived in Seychelles for about 15 years and opened a Creole restaurant in the northern Bulgarian city of Ruse.