This February, Shangri-La Colombo welcomed Sri Lankan culinary sensation in the form of One Starred Michelin Chef Lahiru Jayasekera, who hosted three exclusive dining events at Capital Bar and Grill as part of Shangri-La Colombo’s Culinary Collaborations series.

Chef Lahiru or Larry as he’s more affectionately known is the former head chef of Gordon Ramsay’s famed Michelin Starred Restaurant – Pétrus and is the recipient of several highly acclaimed accolades such as National Chef of the Year 2016 (UK) and Young Chef of the Year 2007 (UK).

Guests were able to experience Chef Jayasekara’s gastronomic flair first-hand with a specially curated menu conceptualised with the aim of using as many locally sourced ingredients to compliment flavours and global techniques that are staples in his menus in the UK.

A Hikkaduwa native who migrated to London as a teenager, Chef Jayasekara has steadily been working his way up the culinary world, serving stunning dishes at some of UK’s most celebrated restaurants including Marcus Wareing’s The Berkeley, Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir and Michel Bras.

“It was a pleasure to work closely with Shangri-La Colombo’s Executive Chef Patrick Buttgereit and his diverse team, to have shared my experiences and knowledge which I hope will inspire the young chefs at Shangri-La Colombo. It also an incredible feeling to be here in Sri Lanka and to have shared my dishes with the audience in Colombo” said Chef Lahiru Jayasekara.

Chef Jayasekara’s core philosophy in the kitchen is simple, clean and elegant. He is focused on fresh, seasonal produce which is the star of the show, presented in a way that is aesthetically pleasing and bursting with flavour. One of the highlights for instance, was the humble snake gourd (pathola) which was pickled and presented to perfection. Chef Jayasekara’s love for working with seasonal ingredients sees him constantly evolving his menu to bring novelty to his guests.

“Culinary Collaborations at Shangri-La Colombo is all about showcasing personalities in the culinary arts, exchanging ideas and offering epicurean experiences to our valued patrons. We are thrilled that Chef Lahiru Jayasekera brought the wonderful world of Michelin dining to our guests here in the heart of Colombo highlighting the fantastic produce in Sri Lanka. As a culinary artist, he was able to elegantly transform these ingredients with unique techniques learned from his experience for the past 18 years and creating some astounding dishes for everyone to enjoy” said Mr. Herve Duboscq, General Manager, Shangri-La Colombo.

For more information on Shangri-La Colombo’s promotions, dining offers and to make your reservations please visit https://www.shangri-la.com/en/colombo/shangrila/ or contact us +94 11 788 8288.