Lankan culinary experts shine at Hotel Asia 2011

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

Sri Lankan chefs who won medals

Dress the Cake - Danushka Prasanna
Novelty Cake - T G C Sampath and Buddika Roshan Edirisinghe
Dessert - Daya Priyasantha and R Upul Ranjeewa
Bread and Pastry - T Dinusha Pathum,
Display Ranjith Ranasinghe and H K Sansaka Jayawaradhana
BBM/UFS Team - N D S R Kumara and
Challenge Krishantha Fernando
Fruit and Vegetable - K Amila Ravindra and Carving M V Rasika Ruwan
Creative Salad - Krishantha Fernando
Hot Cooking - Beef - K A Soorasena
Hot Cooking - Seafood - Senaka Bodawaththa
Hot Cooking - Poultry - B P Suranga
Student (Open) - Marlin Perera
Hot Appetizer - G D M N Karunathilaka

Sri Lankan culinary experts won six categories out of 15 at the seventh Hotel Asia 2011 Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge held in Male, Maldives, recently.

Two Sri Lankan chefs were also among the team who clinched the event’s top award, the BBM/UFS Team Challenge.

The awards ceremony and business gathering of the gastronomic venture took place at the Abaarana Hall, Nasandhura Palace Hotel, Male, on July 16.

“This year’s event is an eye opener for the culinary industry in Maldives. We started in 2000 and this year we will be celebrating 11 years since the inception. We have grown steadily and achieved great heights,” said South Asia Exhibition Services Director Imran Hassan.

“Though it was taking place every other year at the beginning, the demand was such that we had to make it an annual event. It aims at felicitating the trade and to contribute to the industry,” he said.

The exhibition had only 60 stalls in 2000 but today it had expanded to around 100 stalls from many countries showcasing their latest products and services on tourism and hospitality.

This is the biggest exhibition held in the Maldives. “It demonstrates the innovative spirit of the tourism industry. Competitiveness is possible because of the talent and experimentation drive of the personalities in the trade,” said Maldivian Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mariyam Zulfa.

A professional panel of judges from Switzerland, Singapore, Austria, Sri Lanka and Maldives chose the winners.

Over 350 culinary experts representing 70 resorts took part in the event while over 100 Sri Lankans exhibited their culinary creations.