Sri Lankan-born Savindri Perera returns home after MasterChef Australia triumph

Sri Lankan-born Savindri Perera, who secured third place in MasterChef Australia Season 16, received a warm welcome upon her arrival at Katunayake Airport this week. 

Her homecoming was celebrated by SriLankan Airlines and her father, friends, relatives and a crowd of enthusiastic supporters.

“Sri Lankan cuisine paved the way for me to win third place in the MasterChef Australia competition,” Savindri said at the airport, expressing gratitude for the culinary heritage that inspired her success.

Savindri, affectionately known as “Sav,” captivated audiences and judges alike with her inventive and flavourful Sri Lankan dishes throughout the competition. In the intense final rounds, she showcased her culinary prowess with a Kalu pol pork belly featuring a blackened coconut spice mix and kithul pani glaze, a turmeric potato purée with pickled onion and parsley salsa for starters, a ghee-poached lobster with hodi and salsa alongside a chili dahl purée for the main, and a dessert of salted Greek yogurt and lemongrass sorbet paired with a tropical concoction of coconut water jelly, mango, pineapple, and coconut.

The top three finalists, Savindri Perera, Josh Perry and Nat Thaipun demonstrated remarkable skill and creativity, making the season fiercely competitive. Under the guidance of judges Andy Allen, Poh Ling-Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Sofia Levin, contestants navigated a series of challenges designed to test and refine their culinary talents.

Throughout the competition, Savindri’s Sri Lankan dishes, including milk rice, blackhead fish, chili fish with gravy, and seeni sambol, drew praise. She secured a spot in the semi-finals by impressing the judges with a Sri Lankan favourite, Lamprais.

Living in Adelaide as a banking consultant, Savindri’s passion for cooking blossomed at age 12, influenced by her late mother’s kitchen and the culinary icon Nigella Lawson. She describes her cooking style as rustic, generous, and colourful, with a deep appreciation for the foundational ingredients of Sri Lankan cuisine: onion, garlic, and curry leaves.

The 16th season of MasterChef Australia featured contestants from across the country, with participants from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, and South Australia showcasing their regional pride and culinary talents.

Pic by T.K.G Kapila