Page 51 - Iconic Restaurateurs - The Entrepreneur Mag Ed. 3

Newsroom Round Up When did you first realize you had a passion for great pleasure and pride to know that I can represent my country as

a head of department in such a vast international hotel chain.
culinary arts?
I was quite a notorious boy during my younger days, I could even
say that I was thrown out of my home and had nowhere to go What challenges do you face working in the kitchen
because of this. However, a relative of mine was a chef and he environment?
wanted to train me in this field. I became used to the functions of It is a challenge to get the right ingredients at the right price point
this profession and I quickly realized that if I worked hard enough, I as this has a trickledown effect in maintaining a competitive selling
could climb up the ladder. So, I made up my mind to follow through price for customers. Sri Lanka has high quality produce, but the
with this and here I am today! price is always a factor. The other challenge is manpower. We
train people but soon after they leave Sri Lanka for higher paying
What are some of your signature ingredients and positions in other countries. Back in the day we were very loyal
why? to our bosses, but times have changed. These are some of the
I do enjoy working with Asian ingredients and coriander tops my main challenges we face which in turn directly impact the kitchen
list. Coriander has aromatic and sometimes pungent properties, as environment
a result of this it is an ideal component in spice rubs, bringing about
What sets chefs of Sri Lankan origin apart from the
a bright flavor. Infusing it with meat and seafood results in magical
rest?
results. Additionally, its medicinal properties also make it a great
ingredient for executing healthy dishes. When looking at other countries where Sri Lankans are employed
as chefs, it is clear that we have won the hearts of foreigners. This is
Tell us about the most pleasurable aspect of your job because of that fact that Sri Lankan chefs are extremely hardworking
Mövenpick is a Swiss brand that recently merged with the Accor and passionate about what they do. The is no lack of creativity and
group. Throughout the many Mövenpick hotels spread across the innovation when it comes to a Sri Lankan chef in the kitchen. This is
world, I believe that I am the only Sri Lankan executive chef. As especially true when we see that most of the greatest pastry chefs
executive chef roles are often dominated by foreigners, it gives me are of Sri Lankan origin.

Meththa

Ekanayake

Executive Chef, Mövenpick Hotel Colombo

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