Bocuse d’Or World Champion Chef Geir Skeie in Sri Lanka

Signifying the unbreakable link between the industry of tourism and culinary arts, Bocuse d’Or World Champion 2009 Chef Geir Skeie showed up in Sri Lanka on 12 Monday at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourist Hotel Management, where he shared his cooking expertise with the local Hotel School Students.

The World Cham-pion chef arrived in Sri Lanka on 5 March 2012 on the invitation of Rohan Fernandopulle, the Executive Chef of Hilton Hotel, Colombo.

At the cooking demonstration, the world renowned chef shared his knowledge of preparing a delicious Norwegian salmon dish with the local students. He also guided the Bocuse d’or Sri Lanka winners, Chef Budhika Samarasekara and his apprentice Rashen John, who would rush to Shanghai later in this year, with positive hopes for the Bocuse d’Or Asian championship.

The arrival of the Chef Geir Skie was indeed great news for Sri Lanka Tourism. With the ambition of achieving 950,000 tourist arrivals by the end of 2012, Sri Lanka Tourism perceives the importance of raising the standards of culinary arts as a major component in boosting the industry. Moreover, Sri Lanka Tourism sees a potential in the investment of young and emerging chefs in achieving the future tourism goals smoothly. Geir Skie was the winner of Bocuse d’Or in 2009 and Bocuse d’Or Europe in 2008. He also won the prize for the best debut cookbook in the “Gourmand World Cookbook Award 2009”.