Hotel Phoenicia's Executive Chef Saul Halevi was invited to participate in the prestigious FestaVico culinary event in Naples, Italy where he was one of only four chefs to be presented with the coveted FestaVico Silver Spoon by founder Gennaro Esposito which is now hanging proudly in Phoencia's flagship restaurant Pegasus. Chef Halevi's dish of sea urchins with a granita of ricotta served inside a pan brioche has been selected to form part of the first FestaVico Recipe Book being launched in September this year.

The FestaVico 2014 was created by the two Michelin stars chef Gennaro Esposito and has now reached its tenth edition, proving to be one of the most successful and well-established  Italian gastronomic events. A pool of over 300 leading as well as talented upcoming chefs were invited to this year's event, including AgostinoIacobucci from I Portici in Bologna, Alessandro Boglione; famed chef at Al Castello, celebrity chef Andrea Migliaccio at the exclusive L'Olivo in Anacapri, Angelo Silibello resident chef at Cibus, Antonella Ricci VinodSoodka who wows with her cooking at Al Fornello Da Ricci and Antonio Pisaniello from feted restaurant La Locanda Di Bu, amongst others.

During FestaVico, the historical centre of VicoEquense becomes the scenario for a new catering formula: visitors and invitees have the chance to taste various delicacies prepared by some of the most prominent Italian chefs "in the rough".

Chef Halevi has been invited to the last three editions of FestaVico and represented Malta's Phoenicia hotel at the event. Chef Halevi's kitchen garden and local produce provide food for over 80% of the meals at The Pegasus Restaurant and form part of a unique Mediterranean dining experience, based on healthful, locally grown fruit and vegetables. Phoenicia's sprawling kitchen garden runs over more than five tumoli and currently contains broccoli, two different types of tomatoes, red cabbage, onions, various herbs, lettuce, sweet peppers and assorted watermelons, all on a 3-month cycle with frequent harvests. This is truly sustainable and part of Hotel Phoenicia's mission to maintain strong eco-credentials.

Surrounded by warm Mediterranean waters, Malta's fish is abundant, fresh, varied and exquisite. Malta is becoming internationally known for its fishing industry and excellent fish markets at Marsaxlokk, Valletta, Mgarr and St. Paul's Bay and delight Chef Halevi with the sheer variety found in Maltese waters.

Saul says, “Malta is one of the best places in the world for fish. The Japanese know this, they buy their tuna here. With 300 square kilometres of Malta landmass and almost 7000 square kilometres of exclusive

Maltese fisheries it’s bound to be a great place for fish. A lot of which is artisanal fishing, by small boats with specialist techniques no longer used for commercial fishing anywhere else in the Mediterranean. I am incredibly satisfied that Gennaro bestowed upon our food ideals here at Hotel Phoenicia his coveted Silver Spoon."

Hotel Phoenicia's Food & Beverage Manager Francesco Perricone said, "Great chefs have become the sports stars of the new millennium: Gennaro Esposito’s recent event in Sorrento, near Naples, where the stars of haute cuisine faced the everyday problems of the common folk helped our Executive Chef Saul Halevi prepare great food in a street kitchen to the highest standards. Deprived of the luxury of modern kitchen Chef Halevi still had to produce food for the sternest critics of all, his peers. And this is the right way to do it: chefs must try to make good food a luxury accessible to everyone, with new ideas and initiatives, and people, especially in hard times, must learn to spend their money well, since money spent on food is the most important kind of money to spend. We are very proud that Chef Halevi has brought this FestaVico Silver Spoon to Malta."

Built in 1939, The Hotel Phoenicia was Malta’s first luxury hotel, giving it a wealth of history and a unique charm standing proudly on the doorstep to Valletta. The recently refurbished interior harbours an imposing Art Deco influence sustaining 128 bedrooms and 8 suites, affording some truly majestic panoramic views from most rooms and terraces. The stunning 7.5 acre garden allows guests to stroll through a tropical array of lush plants, flowers and trees on the way to the hotel’s magnificent pool gratefully shaded by the Valletta bastions. Visitors and guests can wine and dine in a splendid choice of settings, whether it’s haute cuisine at the Phoenix restaurant, a classic afternoon tea in The Palm Court Lounge, a refreshing drink in the colonial comfort of The Club Bar, or a delicious fresh dinner at the flagship eatery Pegasus.