Six Senses Ninh Van Bay announces the appointment of Walter Butti as Culinary Director, marking a new chapter in the resort’s culinary journey.
With nearly four decades of experience that spans across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, Chef Butti brings a deep understanding of resort dining and evolving destination dining. His career includes leadership roles at several Six Senses flagship properties including his most recent residency at Six Senses Zighy Bay, where he oversaw multi-outlet operations, developed skills across culinary teams, and continued his drive for responsible and sustainable kitchen practices.
Speaking at the start of his tenure, Chef Butti shared his focus on considered simplicity and a sense of place: “I have always believed that good cooking begins with respect for what is available around us,” he said. “At Ninh Van Bay, the diversity of seafood, herbs, and tropical produce offers an opportunity to shape menus that are lower in impact, lighter in carbon footprint, and grounded in seasonality. When ingredients are mindfully sourced and handled with care, there is no need to complicate the plate.”
This approach aligns closely with Eat With Six Senses, the brand’s food philosophy centered on natural ingredients, transparency, and responsible sourcing. At the resort, the program emphasizes produce from its on-site Ninh Van Greens, partnerships with local fishermen and farmers, and menus designed to reduce food miles and carbon intensity while maintaining balance and flavor. Under Chef Butti’s guiding vision, dining at the resort will continue to reflect its setting, where the land, the bay, and the season guide what arrives at the table.
Chef’s Table introduces a more crafted experience of destination dining
The setting is intimate and the rhythm is unhurried. Seats are limited on select evenings to allow the bay’s surroundings to set the tone. Guests gather around the counter and conversation frames each course.
“Fewer seats bring more presence from the chefs, and the evening flows through conversations about the purpose behind each dish. Nothing is designed for spectacle and nothing is rushed. Ingredients speak for themselves and the stories season each course,”
shared Greg Findlay, General Manager.
The journey unfolds through five chapters, with produce coming from onsite gardens and trusted local partners. Opening the evening, Chef de Cuisine Cuong Phan, the resort’s Chef de Cuisine, kicks off the evening, “We feature fresh seafood from the bay, a measured touch of Vietnamese fish sauce, local fruits, and a playful cameo of Japanese wagyu.”
Chef’s Table signal a dining journey where the bay’s ingredients and careful sourcing lead the narrative and the experience is influenced by omakase, yet expressed in a way that feels considered and relaxed. Rather than performative, cuisine reflects the brand’s mindful, ingredient-led, approach, as rich in meaning as it is in taste.
