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by Ilika Karunaratne

In Britain, the icon of the kitchen is Nigella Lawson, aptly named 'Domestic Goddess,' but we in Sri Lanka too are not far behind in this sphere. Our personality of the week, Udumbara Jayasiri can be called our 'Domestic goddess' as the first woman who began a catering business 28 years ago, which has expanded by leaps and bounds and is a household word today. "As far back as I can rememberer, my main interest was always cooking and my hobby was collecting recipes."

Udumbara went to school at Ananda Balika and Visakha Vidyalaya. "As I wanted to perfect my knowledge of catering I joined Claremont Technique and then the Claremont Hotel School which was the only catering school at that time. I was the youngest in a class of just 3 pupils. The other two were elderly ladies." Mrs. Casperz, obviously sensing the potentiality of this eager pupil invited Ms. Jayasiri to join her staff and teach cookery which she did for five years.

At about that time, her marriage was arranged; her husband belonged to a family which owned bakeries thereby ensuring mutual interest in food. "My husband was about to leave for the UK for training in his field, and I followed him a few months later and joined Sheraton Patisserie, a bakery chain with branches all over England and worked for them for a couple of years. My experience there has stood me in good stead with my catering business. They catered for large numbers which was an unique experience for me, coming from Sri Lanka with the food shortages prevalent at the time, I was shocked at the waste at the patisserie. Cakes which could be easily patched up with minute flaws in the icing, caused by packing or in transport would be thrown into bins. I used to patch these up myself and sell them. The management was impressed with the increase in the sales and decrease in waste and I was soon promoted as Branch Manager."

Fame and success have been hers for quite a while and her establishment is able to cater with full service for any function including alms giving. Her husband is her partner, Udumbara is very pleased that her son Gayan has now jointed them in the business after a degree in Hospitality and Management in the UK.

As she runs her catering business from her home in Yakkala, her kitchen is obviously centre stage there. "I personally supervise the cooking and have about 200 employees now. I like old fashioned home cooked food and have developed my food on those lines. I started at a time when Pagoda and Grosvenor Caterers were my only rivals, today the market is flooded with competitors, so one has to work much harder to achieve perfection. Having Gayan with me is wonderful. He takes on some of the work load and is my right hand. It is rewarding to know that we have got where we are purely by our hard work which ensures quality and without a single advertisement.

We create new food ideas, try them out and then include them in our menus together with old favourites." Having recently been the victim of food poisoning after eating some ready to cook prepared chicken and having never had such an experience with Udumbara catering, which I have used often and had at homes of friends, I was keen to find out how to prevent another such experience. "We buy our fish fresh daily, chicken in particular, must never be defrosted in water, one must leave it to thaw, then use it immediately. On no condition must this be refrozen.

Chicken already in breadcrumbs and uncooked is risky as there is often egg used in this and egg goes off soon and can cause salmonella infection. We always buy chicken which is frozen very hard and use it immediately. We replenish our chicken every two days, that is why there are no complaints about our food. I insist on all food being fresh and supervise this myself."

Udumbara, in spite of her heavy work schedule, has an innate sense of responsibility to the community. So service to improve her home area, in which her business flourishes, is high on her agenda. As former President of the ACWBC, in Gampaha, she has worked hard for the less fortunate, particularly in socially rehabilitating women who suffer with drunken or unemployed husbands.

"We have also built a lab for the Ragama Hospital and train women in pottery, sewing, embroidery etc which can generate self employment. We are also trying to do something for mothers who bring their children to school in the morning and have to hang around till school is over to take them back.

They can get into mischief or into the hands of evil people. So our next project is aimed at some kind of training for this category too. I have also been invited to schools in the area to talk to school leavers on various topics. Most parents decide for their children and push them into a law, medicine or accountancy. But I disagree with this attitude. Children should decide where their interests lie and train for it. Catering, carpentry and other such subjects are ideal if they show an aptitude for it."

Mrs. Jayasiri has emerged as Sri Lanka's leading woman caterer. With an eye on the hills and her feet planted firmly on the ground, she now reaches out for wider horizons. Gayan's youthful adventurous spirit has probably been a contributory factor for their new venture - a new food processing business aimed at foreign markets. "Even Gotukola Mallun will soon be available, processed and ready for eating, under our label."

As a woman who counts many awards for her achievements from the Women's Chamber, Business and Professional Women's Association and Zonta, for entrepreneur of the year, achiever of the year, industry and entrepreneurship etc. What would her advice be for aspiring young caters with their first step on the ladder. "People think one has to be sharp and tricky in business for success. But I don't see it that way. Be honest, look after the customers, make them happy. It is fortunate for me that my son feels that way too. If you make the customer happy they will come back time and time again.

I have got to the top of my profession and am proud of the fact that I am the only private caterer who has catered for Presidents and Prime Ministers and for State guests, which ever government was in power. During President Jayewardene's time, I catered for the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan and for Mrs. Thatcher.

It was a great honour for me to be chosen. One has to be honest and give due respect to the position, whoever steers the ship of state. One cannot afford to categorize people in this business-so, first and always take care of your customer".

An old adage, learned on my mothers knee was that the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. Udumbara, has I think touched many a heart, be it man, woman or child, through their stomachs.

She has made maximum use of her opportunities with a relentless determination to succeed, knew her gift should be marketed, trained to achieve perfection and worked hard at it. Udumbara has her own particular genre of charm, soft spoken; simple but attractively dressed, hair neatly coiled, with not even a wisp out of place. She gives the impression of unruffled charm and serenity even while facing a catastrophe. Her obvious control would most certainly inspire confidence in her customers.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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