Chef Indika Jayawardena
Executive Chef
Nuevo Latino Cuisine at Mount Lavinia Hotel invites diners to experience the vertigo of consuming a reinvented version of Latin and Contemporary American food while enjoying a cosmopolitan technique of cooking structure. Executive Sous Chef Indika, reproduces colonial desire by aestheticizing and commodifying traditional meals. Chef Indika states, “Contemporary American Cuisine has emerged as a fashionable consumer trend and creating a new experience with two of my favourite cooking techniques: French and Japanese, and combining it with the Latin American influences indeed surfaces my specialty.”
"Ultimately, what I want to do is to educate people in the different tastes and styles that are in Contemporary American and Nuevo Latino cuisine," says Indika. "I want to showcase some of the best locally sourced ingredients that
Diners will indeed get an idea that there is something different about Mount Lavinia Hotel the minute they consume the dishes prepared by Chef Indika.
Menu items will include Wagyu beef tataki, scallion-ginger condiment, garlic chips, Yakitori sauce and tempura octopus with honeyed miso-pepper sauce; Citrus and vanilla vodka infused Seafood ceviche with cassava chips, chili oil with seared scallops, salsa roja, Creole onions and cornbread wafers.
The appeal of this exciting, food lies in its bold combinations. Indika fearlessly mixes metaphors in his favourite creations by using French, Japanese and Latin techniques with local ingredients in dishes as stated above, the combinations are a twist on the traditional, but new to Sri Lankan palates. Salsas and mojos (spicy salsas with garlic, citrus and olive oil) fairly crackles with flavour surprises. Indika’s roots are organic, but his influences are broadly Latin American, Japanese and French. Indika occasionally does wonders with locally sourced ingredients and local seafood however with the techniques taking on global influences. But on the whole, bright Latin flavors and Indika’s unfettered enthusiasm combine in an array of dishes that definitely needs to ventured.
Executive Sous Chef Indika Jayawardena who has been influenced by the Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson at Washington Square, his stint at Ecuadorian American Chef Jose Garces’ Nuevo Latino restaurant: El Vez (both in Philadelphia), Chef David Felton at the Pluckemin Inn in New Jersey and as Sous Chef at the Adaaran Watervillas in the Maldives, indeed are his highlights in the world of culinary arts.
“My devotion to experiencing new culinary techniques and pushing those boundaries to surface new and exciting flavours using influences from many cuisines is the foundation of my love and passion for cooking.”
A Sri Lankan who grew up in the US, Indika describes his food as "Contemporary American cuisine with an emphasis on Nuevo Latino American cuisine," but since then he's expanded his repertoire to include his own interpretations of dishes from across the world, and now surfaces a Nuevo blend.
Chef Asanka Karunaratne
Executive Sous Chef
Having gained his cooking experience from Australia, Chef Asanka had a flair for modern Australian cuisine and is inspired by Matt Moran – a top celebrity Chef from Australia. After being an Executive Chef in a star class property in Melbourne he decided to head to his home country and indeed to MLH.
As strange as it may sound, sometimes it is possible to be too creative. No where is this more evident than at MLH when this modern flavours can be experienced. Chef Asanka creates his own recipe than refine another chef's recipe which has proven itself to be liked by guests the world over, As a consequence, odd recipes like Asparagus/Wild mushroom and Cabernet jus find their ways onto dinner tables when really they should find their ways into another cooking style. As his philosophy in his cooking style is: simple, fresh with flair
His worked with Ashley Mark Benson – Roxborough Park Hotel in Melbourne, Virendra Bisht – Smoken Joes Café in Moonee Ponds, Warren King –Ivanhoe Hotel in Ivanhoe, Michael Lambi – Taxi Dining Room – Modern Australian and Japanese cuisine.
Variety is the spice of life is the motto to modern Australian cuisine. A blend of Mediterranean and Asian ingredients to work with when creating recipes, and these being combined into imaginative ways is Chef Asanka’s verdict. For example, Roasted Gibsland Eye Fillet with confit Asparagus/Wild mushroom and Cabernet jus or Confit Ocean trout with warm salad of sautéed potatoes/rocket and hazelnut and Chardonnay cream, Roasted King Prawns, seared scallops, salad of asparagus, micro herbs, confit tomato and spices, are just a few to mention that he conjures up.
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