One of Samoa's favourite traditional dishes, palusami (taro leaves cooked with coconut milk) has been transformed by local and international chefs at Sheraton Samoa Beach Resort, Mulifanua into a cheese cake desert.

The Head Chef at the Resort, Aravindh Subramanian told the Samoa Observer the local cuisine has a lot of flavors and ingredients which make it different from other cuisines.

“There were a lot of cheesecakes where I used to work in Maldives like passion fruit cheese cake but when I came here the most famous Samoan food is palusami,” he said.

He added that his team of local chefs discussed how to create a desert from a meal which is considered a main course.

“The creativity does not come from one person and so we all worked together to create our version of a palusami cheesecake which we sell at $20 per piece."

Mr. Subramanian added that the Palusami Cheese Cake was created in collaboration with local chefs which local ingredients were used together with chocolate almond shard, mixed berries compote.

“Another dish with its unique taste but inspired by the palusami which we created is a taro and palusami fritters and Gratin.”

The taro and palusami fritters and gratin is made from cheddar stuffed crumbed taro served with, beet root gel, tropical fruit salsa and palusami selling at $22.

“We create an international standard of food yet utilising local ingredients while cooking this we are promoting a healthy food choice it is a great choice for vegetarian people.

The 38-year-old added that he brings 13 years of experience working in India, Maldives, Seychelles and Abu Dhabi.

“I have embraced the art of fusion cooking and opportunity to learn from multinational Chefs who have brought me to create these dishes with the help from our local chefs.”

Mr. Subramanian has been working in Samoa for more than four years as a Head Chef at the resort.

“In hopes to share Samoan Cuisine to the visitors of the island, Sheraton resort is going to launch our new menu at south pacific restaurant twist by promoting local cuisine and ingredients to an international level on Monday next week.

“Another dish that will be featured is the at the launch of their new restaurant is the grilled brie chicken  made from paprika marinated chicken breast stuffed with Brie cheese, roasted Pumpkin, beetroot, white wine.”