(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Two Sri Lankans young chefs Mihishan Silva (Hilton Residencies) and Siyathma Perera (Waters Edge) and will take the diverse flavours of Ceylon with innovative dishes on their quest for the Grand Final of ‘Bocuse d’Or’ the coveted culinary competition to be held in Lyon, France on January 22, and the platter theme has just been unveiled.
Sri Lanka is chosen for 24 countries selected among the whole the world. Sri Lanka has been participating continuously since 2011. The competition is reputed as the world’s biggest cooking competition and the most rigorous culinary competition in the world, held every two years in Lyon. 24 countries are selected to compete and each country’s team is comprised of one chef and one commis assistant.
Speaking at the Media Conference, Rohan Fernadopulle President of Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka and CEO Waters Edge said “we believe that this is a great occasion to position Sri Lanka on the global map promoting the country as a tourist destination and are excited to portray the skills and talents of our young chefs”. He also said it is an opportunity to groom our young and upcoming chefs to take on the challenging field of food & beverages.
Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando, in a message noted that the level of culinary craft being present in Sri Lanka is a great asset to the Island nation and it will surely boost to drive our tourism in the global market showcasing our culinary talents and its unique taste.
The French Ambassador in Colombo, Jean-Francoise PACTET admired the unique taste of Sri Lanka food and said the rich Sri Lankan spice flavours should be spread across the globe for tourist attraction.
The team accomadating the competing chefs are Rohan Fernandopulle, (Team Leader) Alan Palmer (Coach), Priyantha Weerasinghe, Kapila Jayasinghe and Priyal Perera.
Priyantha Fernando, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Authority, Chalaka Gajabahu, Chairman Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Shirantha Peiris Chairman Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management, Roshan Tissaarachchy, Director Dilmah Tea, Trevin Gomez, Past President of Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association, Karim Schadlou, General Manager Hilton Colombo Residencies also spoke at the occasion.
The Bocuse d’Or 2023 promises to be rich in. The prestigious contest continues to renew itself to reinforce its role as a laboratory of excellence and inspiration for the food service of tomorrow. Today, the Bocuse d’Or is far more than just a gastronomic competition; it is a laboratory of excellence and an incubator of talent where commitment, passion, technique and creativity determine the greatest tomorrow’s chefs. It is a wonderful springboard for anyone wishing to gain international recognition.
For the past 35 years, the Bocuse d’Or has been the favorite venue for many countries to promote their cuisine, their local produce and their chefs. Competing teams from around the world will have five and a half hours to create a seafood platter for 15 people.
The 24 participating countries are Sri Lanka, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, South Korea, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, UK, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Morocco,
It’s because France and the city of Lyon represent the centre of expression for all the cuisines of the world, that Paul Bocuse imagined in 1987, during a trade fair which has since become the Sirha Lyon, a worldwide competition for chefs keen to break codes.
BY CLAUDE GUNASEKERA
