Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo presents Chef Kapila

Friday, 3 October 2014 04:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, renowned for its selection of five star international cuisine, is pleased to announce the arrival of Executive Sous Chef Kapila Jayasinghe to its line-up of world class chefs. With 16 years of experience under his belt, Chef Kapila has garnered a wealth of global culinary expertise and knowledge during his years as a professional chef at home and abroad. Having joined the hotel in August, Chef Kapila is excited about working at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo and adding his own touch to the hotel’s famed restaurants. The chef has already introduced a selection of Caribbean cuisine, along with a diverse range of both sweet and savoury action stations at The Dining Room. Guests can also enjoy a fresh selection of sandwich fillings and pastries at the hotel’s delicatessen, Goodies.

Born and raised in Kandy, he was inspired to take up the profession due in part to his cousin, a professional chef, who would demonstrate his culinary skills to young Kapila. “I used to watch him turn out pizzas and many different kinds of cuisines, which was very interesting for me. I think everyone at home was always happy when he visited,” he fondly recalled. Chef Kapil began his journey through the hospitality industry at a young age, working in a small hotel where he covered all the basics of kitchen operations before subsequently following a culinary course at the Ceylon Hotel School in Kandy. He was given the opportunity to work at several leading hotels around the island, including at the Taj Samudra, where he was the youngest chef at the time in the main kitchen, and at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo as a leading force behind The Lagoon restaurant. After a successful spell there, he left our shores to expand his culinary knowledge overseas. He joined the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, followed by a period at the Hilton Hotel and Millennium Hotel in Abu Dhabi and The Peninsular in Qatar. Since his humble beginnings in Kandy, Chef Kapila has gone on to specialise in a wide array of cuisines including Mediterranean and Seafood, as well as the food science known as ‘molecular gastronomy’ which he is keen to introduce to diners at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. “Molecular gastronomy is a style of cuisine in which chefs explore new culinary possibilities by cooking with tools ordinarily found in a science lab. A good example of this is ice cream made by using liquid nitrogen to instantly freeze it,” He explained. Commenting on his culinary practices, the chef said the most important thing is to always maintain high standards of quality in the kitchen, as this in turn results in high quality dishes for every guest. “Only when a chef is passionate about what he cooks, will it show in the presentation and taste. I’m very happy with the kitchen staff at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. I really enjoy working with them as I believe they have it in them to create some excellent food,” He commented. Chef Kapila is keen to set a new benchmark in culinary standards and has set his sights on making sure diners at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo have the gastronomical experience of a lifetime.