Nestlé Professional continues to support Lankan chefs and uplift culinary industry

Nestlé Lanka hands over the cheque as Diamond sponsor to the Chefs Guild of Lanka for Culinary Art 2017. From left: Chefs Guild of Lanka President Chef Dimuthu Kumarasinghe, Nestlé Professional AVP Roshan Perera, Chefs Guild of Lanka Chairman Chef Gerard Mendis, Nestlé Lanka Managing Director Shivani Hegde, Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga, Culinary Art 2017 Organizing Committee Chairman Chef Madhawa Weerabaddana and Chefs Guild of Lanka Board Member Chef Sunil Edirisinghe 

Nestlé Professional, Nestlé’s out-of-home food and beverage solutions provider, joined hands with the Chefs Guild of Lanka to become the Diamond sponsor for Culinary Art Food Expo 2017. The partnership marks Nestlé Professional’s strong long-standing commitment to help develop the local culinary professionals.

Thousands of Sri Lankan Chefs participate in Culinary Art Food Expo, which is organised by the Chefs Guild of Lanka every other year. The chefs compete across a range of categories including Nescafé Creative Coffee, Live Desserts, Hot Cooking, Plated Appetizers, Contemporary Sri Lankan Cuisine, Wedding Cake Structures and Artistic Chocolate Showpieces. They are judged and awarded by an elite panel of Chefs from the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), who fly in to the event from all over the world. 

Culinary Art Food Expo has not just become an internationally modelled forum to showcase and promote the best of local culinary talent, but also one that uncovers the hottest trends in food and beverage, the latest product launches and the industry’s vision for the future. 

Nestlé Lanka Managing Director Shivani Hegde said, “We pride ourselves on a long-standing relationship with the Chefs Guild of Lanka. We have worked together over the years to uplift the local culinary industry, supporting local teams at global events such as the World Culinary Olympics and creating local opportunities to develop talent. This year, I am proud to say that we have strengthened our association with Culinary Art, an ideal platform for chefs to showcase their talent and skills and learn from world-renowned culinary judges. Partnering events such as these, upholds our commitment to enhance lives and support the industry in its growth and development.” 

Nestlé Professional has placed a strong focus on developing and recognising talent in the local chef community since its inception in 2008. Its many initiatives include live competitions like ‘New Sri Lankan Cuisine with Maggi’ and ‘Nescafé Creative Coffee’ and holding felicitation events for culinary professionals with ‘Nestlé Professional Signature Night’. It also launched Nutripro, a nutrition awareness programme to help chefs make balanced meals that are both delicious and healthy. 
Nestlé Professional Assistant Vice President Roshan Perera said, “With tourism on the rise, forums such as ‘Culinary Art’ are the need of the hour. A memorable gastronomic experience is a huge part of the overall tourist experience today. By supporting events such as this, we are continuing to develop local culinary professionals and help them meet new trends. With the right kind of support and opportunities, we believe our culinary professionals can play a vital role in developing Sri Lanka’s economy.”

Chefs Guild of Lanka Chairman Chef Gerard Mendis said, “The growth and development of chefs is key to securing the future of the industry. We’re thankful to Nestlé for their strong and constant support in helping us equip chefs with the enhanced culinary skills and industry knowledge they need to excel in their profession, as well as for the opportunities to participate in international competitions.”