Sri Lanka to participate in Bocuse d’Or competition for the first time

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - www.ft.lk

The Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka, along with the support of Sri Lanka Tourism and hoteliers, has selected Buddika Samarasekara, the Chef of Colombo Hilton and Isuru Sampath, Apprentice Chef of Colombo Hilton, out of 11 finalist in Sri Lanka for the finals of Bocuse d’Or Asia, 2012.

The first stage of the selections were held on 9 Monday at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management premises, Colombo 3, followed by a gala dinner at the Hilton Colombo to select the two finalists on the same night. The judges from left: Otto Weibel – President Bocuse D’or Asia; Christophe Megel – President Bocuse D’or Singapore, Nigel Austin, Shyamalee Tudawe and Michel Sealan
Bocuse d’Or Asia, the Asian Final of the Bocuse d’Or global contest, is to be held in Shanghai from 12 to 14 June 2012, with the intension of selecting participants for the 15th Bocuse d’Or global finals in Lyon, France on 29 and 30 January 2013.
In Sri Lanka, President of Bocuse d’Or Asia Otto Weibel and President of Bocuse d’Or Singapore Christophe Megel were busy selecting the best Sri Lankan contestant for the Asian finals, with the support of President of Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka Rohan Fernandopulle, Promotion Manager – Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka Anura Dewapura and Official Coach – Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka Alan Palmer.
Ever since the beginning of the contest in 1987 and its arrival to Asia in 1989, this is the first time that Sri Lanka has had the opportunity to showcase its culinary skills in the Asian finals.
With the record hit of 855,000 tourist arrivals during the previous year, Sri Lanka is looking forward to the Asian finals with positive ambitions. Due to the variety of Sri Lankan cuisine that derives from its Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim cultural roots, Sri Lanka definitely has an advantage in the competition.
The competition will also provide a golden opportunity for Sri Lanka to promote its unique spicy food products to the world and thereby strengthen its confidence in achieving the forecast of 2.5 million arrivals in 2015.
Paul Bocuse is a highly respected icon in the culinary world and Bocuse d’Or competition provides young chefs the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, offering them a tremendous springboard for their careers.