SLITHM students shine at Chefs Guild Culinary Art Food Expo 2019

The Gold Excellence winner Jagath Samarasinghe congratulated by Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga 

Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga with SLITHM faculty and medal winners 

SLITHM students have raised the bar to new heights by bagging 23 medals at the Culinary Art Food Expo 2019 recently conducted at BMICH Colombo. SLITHM students won one Gold Excellence, two Gold’s, 10 Silver and 10 Bronze medals. 

While 18 medals were won by Colombo students, three Jaffna students won two Silver and three Bronze medals between them. The moment of truth was Advanced level cookery student Jagath Samarasinghe winning the Gold with Excellence in the IDL Old Reserve Flambé Dessert category competing with 50 other competitors from four to five star local and international hotels. 

“We are really proud of the excellent achievement of SLITHM students competing with the heavy weights in the industry and bringing glory to our institution. The credit also goes to all the faculty who worked tirelessly around the clock to train the students. We are equally proud of the three Jaffna students (two male and one female) who won two Silver and three Bronze medals among them.

“At the beginning of the year we set a target of winning 25 medals with at least five Gold medals. Winning 23 medals including one Gold Excellence is a great achievement. We have set a target of winning 100 medals in 2021 competition involving all our provincial schools as well,” said SLITHM Chairman Diip De Silva who is a Gold medallist himself of City & Guilds of London Institute Food & Beverage Service in 1985. 

Since its inception in 1988, the Culinary Art & Food Expo had been an important event in the tourism calendar showcasing the 19th edition at BMICH over three days with record number of 2,000 entries with 1,300 chefs taking part. The three-day competition was judged by over 40 judges comprising international and local culinary experts. The tourism fraternity in Sri Lanka stands together to congratulate the Chefs Guild led by Chefs Guild Chairman Chef Gerard Mendis, President Chef Dimuthu Kumarasinghe and the hardworking Cafe Working Committee led by Event Director Chef Madhawa Weerabaddhana for hosting Culinary Art Food Expo 2019 despite many challenges.