Executive Chef Dilankaprasad de Silva excels in culinary arts

Sri Lanka’s Executive Chef Dilankaprasad de Silva has recently marked over 21 years of excellence in the hospitality industry.

After qualifying from the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) in early 2000, de Silva worked in many five star hotels in Sri Lanka before taking up a stint in Dubai in 2007. He first worked for Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who is the Crown Prince of Dubai today. 

During de Silva’s tenure, he achieved several awards at culinary competitions in Dubai. At the Middle East Junior Chef of the Year 2007, he won the Bronze Medal for ‘Four Plates of Dessert’ followed by a Bronze the following year and a Gold in 2009. In 2009 he also won a Bronze for ‘Four Plates of Dessert’ at the Emirates Salon Culinaire, Dubai followed by a Bronze for practical cake decoration at the Middle East Junior Chef of the Year 2010.

After a five year career in Dubai, de Silva returned to Sri Lanka and worked at a five star hotel, winning a ‘Dress the Cake Live’ Silver medal at the Chefs Guild of Lanka Culinary Art competition. 

Subsequently, he moved to the Maldives where he further sharpened his culinary skills. At the Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge 2014, he won a Silver for honeymoon cakes. In the same year, he was placed second in the ‘Dress the Cake’ challenge at the Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge. Two years later, he won Gold, as well as a Silver, at the same exhibition for honeymoon cakes. He also won a Bronze for dessert at the Hotel Asia 12th edition. 

At the Food and Hospitality Asia Maldives Global Culinary Challenge and Exhibition in 2017, de Silva excelled with Gold in the ‘Dress the Cake’ category. His award winning skills saw him winning a scholarship for further training in Germany after which he was promoted as Executive Pastry Chef in a Maldives resort.