Culinary master
W. A. P. SANJEEWA
TOWN OF ORIGIN
Kandana
FAMILY
Wife and son
LEISURE HOURS
Spending time with the family Watching movies
FAVOURITE DISH
Rice and curry
FAVOURITE DRINK
King coconut water
HIMSELF IN ONE WORD
Loyal
Apart from overseeing six hotels and a restaurant, this dedicated and talented chef is known for his impeccable culinary skills and delivering nothing but the best. Chef Sanjeewa’s creativity knows no bounds, and he strongly advocates experimenting and having fun in the kitchen. He is currently the Group Development Chef at Teardrop Hotels.
Q: As a chef, how does your day unfold?
A: As the Group Development Chef at Teardrop Hotels, I oversee six properties and the Monsoon Colombo restaurant. Each week is different as I shuffle between tea bungalows in the hills and properties in the south.
However, a typical day in the kitchen begins with checking on the mise en place and ensuring that everything is in order. I chat with the culinary team and plan kitchen duties for the day.
In the afternoon, I make a round of quick calls to the chefs in the six hotels to obtain their feedback on the day’s service and issues if any. I then get down to responding to emails, working on food costing and menu engineering before heading back to the kitchen to help the team.
Q: Who inspired you to venture into the hospitality trade?
A: Chef Rohan Fernandopulle. He gave me the opportunity to work in the pastry kitchen and that’s where my career started.
Q: What was your first dish? A: Potato gnocchi – one of the hardest dishes to perfect.
Q: What do you consider as being your greatest achievement as a chef?
A: Winning a gold and two silver medals at the Hotel Asia International Culinary Challenge held at The Hilton, Maldives, in 2004 is definitely one of my biggest achievements – all the more so because it was also the highest number of medals won by a hotel in a kitchen competition at the time.
Q: Who was the most challenging chef you’ve ever worked with? A: Chef Daniel Leah from the UK – he is an excellent chef and mentor but very hard to please.
Q: Tell us about your most challenging culinary moments…
A: I was faced with a very challenging menu at the Colombo Fashion Week where the starters and main courses had to resemble desserts, and vice versa. It involved foreign ingredients and techniques.
Q: What are the emerging trends in food and drink?
A: I believe that modernised Asian cuisine is an emerging and growing trend, for both food and beverages.
Q: Would you have any advice for the home cooks amongst us?
A: Always have fun in the kitchen and don’t be afraid to experiment. You don’t have to follow every recipe to the letter. Try to use locally sourced fresh ingredients that are readily available.
Q: What are your three favourite ingredients and why?
A: Lemongrass, pomelo and coriander – they can enhance the flavour of any dish.
Q: Three utensils that you can’t do without are…?
A: Knife, peeler and whisk.
Q: In view of your current role, what future plans do you have?
A: I hope to maintain the high standards of food served at Teardrop Hotels whilst adding new contemporary and unique dishes, which will be based on the different locations and styles of each hotel.
However, my long-term plan is to develop the overall culinary skills, attitudes, responsibilities and work ethic of the culinary team at Teardrop Hotels, to make it the best in the country.
Q: Your advice to aspiring chefs would be…?
A: A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. No matter how hard it gets, stay strong and work hard… and in the long run, you will see results.