Anura’s appetite for local arts and food
‘Ape Kema with Ape Music’ becomes a hit at Mount Lavinia Hotel
The novel and catchy ‘Ape Kema with Ape Music’ slogan became a reality at the Mount Lavinia Hotel recently with local and foreign guests thronging the hotel’s breathtaking Terrace area on Sunday evenings to savour that rare blend of good music and wholesome food.
The hotel’s General Manager Anura Dewapura who had conceptualised that campaign told Daily Mirror Impulse that evergreen music of the sixties and seventies were still in demand among our expatriates and even locals.
“I myself am an ardent lover of local music from my childhood. I am still a passionate lover of songs rendered by Pandit Amaradeva, Nanda Malini, Victor Rathnayake, Sanath Nandasiri, Mohideen Baig and others whose songs are popular even today. Having gained international exposure as a hotelier for over 30 years in the US, Europe, Australia, Caribbean, Middle East and Asia serving in Leading luxury hotel chains such as Starwood Luxury Collection, Hilton World wide, Hershey Entertainments and Resorts, LXR Luxury Resorts, Regent International and Ciga Hotels, I have not lost my appetite for our own traditional food varieties which are tasty, healthy and nutritious. It is these factors that prompted me to come up with the ‘Ape Kema With Ape Music’ concept which has become a big hit among the locals and foireigners too,” said Anura Dewapura who holds a First Class honours Degree in International Hotel Management from the University of Manchester Metropolitan UK, Higher Diploma Catering & Hotel Management from the International Management Institute Lurcerne in Switzerland and PDP program from Cornell University USA.
“Today Sri Lanka is on a defining juncture in terms of Tourism. The country is moving towards swift development in terms of Infrastructure expansions, technology, and new business inclinations. Organizations are moving towards new trends of Business Management which has a very positive outlook on the overall economic growth of our country. However, with development and modernization we must not forget our culture, traditions and values that has made this nation unique and exquisite. These are the core concepts that has held these nation together and brought thus far. While looking forward to a developed country, we must remember if we lose integrity, trust, honesty and most importantly our heritage . Tourists come here to explore and experience our own values, traditions and culture and not the adopted values from another part of the world.. Hence the reason we decided to promote “Ape Kema and Ape Music” at MLH. so far it has been well received by Tourists, the Lankan diaspora and our well valued Sri Lankan patrons,” said Anura paying glowing tributes to seasoned musician Lalitha Kala Visharada Manoj Peiris and legendary chef Pabilis who are contributing to this concept of wholesome music and wholesome food. Anura’s father Amarsena Dewapura was also a well known musician whose passion obviously runs in his son’s veins.
This is the first time that a traditional local band and local food concept has been initialised, prompting curious foreigners to listen to our music traditions while our Sri Lankan fans are taken down melodious memory lane.
“We are the first slow food chapter in Sri Lanka using local ingredients that are directly purchased from farming communities in keeping with the farm to the table concept – giving the farmer a better deal. According to Newsweek the Mount Lavinia Terrace is one of the world’s best gathering places and imagine the magic it produces every Sunday night with Manoj and Pabilis. We are also looking at another concept called ‘curry and comedy’ to attract foreigners, the diaspora and also locals. From August 29 we will have the ‘Haal Promotion’ introducing 25 varieties of local rice by Pabilis. "