CHSGA-initiated Ceylon Tea Masters Cup Winners to participate at Tea Masters Cup Int’l in Vietnam

Roasted Pine Nuts and Tomato Chilli Jam on Savoury Rotti

Ingredients and utensils for the preparation

Yasaratne Bandara and Panchali Mandakini, who were named winners at the Ceylon Tea Masters Cup competition, will be representing Sri Lanka at the Tea Masters Cup International competition to be held in Vietnam from 23 to 27 November. They were selected at the competition held during the Hotel Show Colombo 2018. 

The Tea Masters Cup was organised by Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA) and initiated by Hotel Show Organising Committee Chairman Trevine Gomez. The event was sponsored by Lumbini Tea Valley Ceylon.

Yasaratne Bandara

Panchali Mandakini

Serendipity – Tea Cocktail

Coconut and Bees Honey Toffee with Ceylon Light Tea Jelly

The competition requires competitors to pre-prepare the sweet and savoury accompaniments for the presentation, then prepare and serve their tea with all the trimmings in just 10 minutes, just as it would usually be served to guests. It was creditable that these two winners came up on top facing the challenges of stringent timings and the fact that they had to keep up a running commentary explaining the tea making procedure before serving it to the judges, while ensuring that it is served at optimal temperature.  

Panchali’s presentation at the international competition would include a harmony of flavours featuring her specialty ‘Sinharaja Black Tea’ and a contemporary twist on tea savouries such as  Tea Flavoured Pulled Lamb, Pomegrenate, Roasted Pine Nuts and Tomato Chilli Jam on a Savoury Rotti and sweets consisting of Coconut and Bees Honey Toffee with Ceylon Light Tea Jelly and Tea Infused Mango Jam.

“The Ceylon Tea Masters Cup competition has been striving every year to promote quality Sri Lankan tea,” said Samantha Gunarathna, President of Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association. “It is an ideal platform for talented young people to show off their creativity in the tea beverage sector. The atmosphere at the competition this year at the Hotel Show was very vibrant and we are pleased at the very satisfactory results at this competition. Whilst congratulating both winners, we wish them success at the Tea Masters Cup International.” Yasaratne’s selection would consist of a tea cocktail aptly named ‘Serendipity’ – a mix of raw mango juice, jaggery, lemon grass, crushed all spice leaves, Arack & Amarito, paired with Malibu Truffle, Amarito Truffle and Spicy Coconut Truffle, proposed to set the tone of the tea drinking experience. 

Yasaratne Bandara stated, “I’m so pleased that my talent has been recognised in this way and it gives me the opportunity to further develop my talent and promote Sri Lanka tea in creative ways to international audiences.”

Panchali Mandakini, at her final presentation said, “I put an enormous amount of work into perfecting my Tea presentation for the competition. I never doubted that the passion, dedication and ambition that I have for my trade would pay off somehow, but still am trying to process the fact that I won a chance to represent my country at an international platform.”