In partnership with the Chefs Guild of Lanka and the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association

Nestlé Professional, the B2B arm of Nestlé Lanka, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chefs Guild of Lanka and the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association to collaborate in organizing the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat and Nestle Golden Chef’s Hat Junior Competition 2026. This island-wide culinary competition aims to identify, nurture, and develop emerging culinary talent within Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry, reinforcing Nestlé Professional’s commitment to supporting the growth of the hospitality sector and the next generation of chefs.

Bernie Stefan, Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka commented, “For 120 years, Nestlé has been enriching Sri Lankan lives by unlocking the power of food and beverages to enhance quality of life. This commitment has also been demonstrated in our endeavour to strengthen Sri Lanka’s foodservice ecosystem. The Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Competition 2026 and Junior Competition is a platform that brings together industry expertise, education, and opportunity – empowering both professional chefs and hospitality students to reach their full potential. This competition also strongly reflects the spirit of our Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative, which is dedicated to empowering the youth with the skills and hands-on experiences they need to thrive in the workforce and contribute to the community. We are delighted to continue this journey with our valued partners and support initiatives that nurture skills, inspire excellence, and help uplift Sri Lanka’s culinary landscape.”

‘At Nestlé Professional, we are committed to empowering chefs with the skills, inspiration, and opportunities needed to drive the future of the foodservice industry. The Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition is a meaningful platform that nurtures culinary talent while encouraging innovation and excellence. Sri Lanka’s hospitality sector continues to showcase remarkable potential, and through the 2026 edition of this competition, we are proud to support the next generation of chefs as they shape the industry’s future’, said Saurabh Makhija, Director – Nestlé Professional, Nestlé South Asia Region.

Maduranga Perera, Assistant Director – Nestlé Professional Sri Lanka said, “The Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Competition 2026 and Junior Competition represents a meaningful investment in the future of Sri Lanka’s culinary and hospitality sector. Through close collaboration with the Chefs Guild of Lanka and the Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association, we have designed this competition to provide both professional chefs and hospitality students with practical exposure, structured learning, and a credible platform to showcase their skills. At Nestlé Professional, our focus is on supporting chefs at every stage of their journey, and this initiative reflects our continuous commitment to nurturing talent and taking the Sri Lankan hospitality sector to greater heights.”

Chairman of the Chefs Guild of Lanka, Chef Gerard Mendis said “The Chefs Guild of Lanka is pleased to continue its collaboration with Nestlé Professional through the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Competition 2026. This competition provides young chefs with a credible national platform to showcase their skills and gain industry exposure to succeed in the hospitality sector.”

“The Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association is delighted to partner with Nestlé Professional and the Chefs Guild of Lanka in organizing the Junior Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Competition 2026. This initiative provides hospitality students with a valuable platform to apply their knowledge, build practical skills, and gain exposure to industry standards at an early stage of their careers. By bridging education and industry, this competition plays an important role in preparing young graduates to confidently enter Sri Lanka’s evolving hospitality sector” commented Dr. Gitanjali Chakravarthy, President of The Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association.

As per the strategy of driving SME’s of sri lanka to the Global demand chain, Rotary Sri Lanka unearthed the talent of Nayomi who produce Kitul Treacle produced as per the UNESCO Heritage recognized process in Ukuwela, Matale. Our next step was to showcase this Small Medium Enterprise( SME) owner to the Rotary network so that we can develop the SME on up on the value chain up stream and down stream said Dr Rohantha Athukorala the SME Chairman of Rotary Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Initially we engaged a Australian Rotarian who runs a distribution company in Brisbane to meet the SME Nayomi who manufacture the Kitul Treacle as per the Good Manufacturing procees( GMP). The first meeting was very positive as the product currently produced was maple Cyrup said Athukorala. Post the taste test that will be conducted in Brisbane by the Australian Rotarian on a representative cross section of consumers we could determine the pricing and logistics.

The next challenge was to develop the supply chain as currently only a sixty farmers are in the community that makes the task challenging for continuity of supply. We have to increase it to at least two hundred framers and we got a set of senior Rotarians from United States to visit the production process in Ukuwela, Matale.

There is a popular saying that every individual in the world is gifted in one special way. For 22-year-old Sansuka Gamage of Koswatta, Kalawana, that gift has found expression through the lens of a camera — and a deep, abiding love for the rainforest that borders his hometown.

Born and raised in Kalawana in the Ratnapura District, Sansuka is a past pupil of Kalawana Gamini Central College. While many youths his age pursue conventional career paths, Sansuka has chosen a different route: dedicating his time, energy and personal resources to showcasing the splendour of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve to the nation and the world.

Armed with a camera and laptop purchased with the support of his father, who is employed overseas, the young photographer ventures deep into the rainforest, often from dawn to dusk. His subjects range from rare birds and owls to reptiles, cascading waterfalls, towering trees and intricate vines that form the lush ecosystem of Sri Lanka’s last viable stretch of primary tropical rainforest

What he captures, he shares freely.

Through social media posts and videos, Sansuka presents vivid visual evidence of Sinharaja’s biodiversity, countering the common misconception that the forest is merely a leech-infested jungle with little to offer visitors. His photographs tell a different story — one of colour, life and extraordinary natural heritage.

Sansuka Gamage and some of his photogprhas left)

“I turned to wildlife photography shortly after finishing school,” Sansuka said in an interview. “I have loved nature since childhood. Living so close to Sinharaja, I always wanted to tell the country and the world about its beauty. Many think it is just a forest full of leeches, but it is far more than that. It is a complex, beautiful ecosystem.”

He explains that the true richness of a rainforest cannot be grasped in a hurried visit. “You cannot see everything in a few hours. You need at least a day or two to really experience it,” he noted, adding that his aim is to encourage both local and foreign tourists to appreciate the site’s ecological and aesthetic value.

Remarkably, Sansuka undertakes this mission without earning a single rupee. All expenses — transport, meals and the fees of local guides — are borne personally. What he receives in return, he says, is “the happiness in my heart.”

Wildlife photography, he points out, is far from easy. It demands patience, physical endurance and long hours in unpredictable weather. Undeterred by rain, heat or fatigue, Sansuka spends his youth immersed in the wilderness, waiting quietly for the perfect shot.

In many ways, the work he carries out mirrors the promotional role expected of tourism authorities — yet he does so independently and at his own cost. His efforts have drawn a growing online audience through his Facebook page, where followers regularly engage with his images and videos of Sinharaja’s hidden wonders.

Sansuka credits his parents — his mother, Anushika Menu Kumari, and his father, Shyamaka Gamage — for their unwavering encouragement. He also acknowledges the support of local tour guide Gayaan and a network of friends who assist him in his fieldwork.

Looking ahead, the young photographer hopes to organise a wildlife photography exhibition dedicated to visitors to Sinharaja, further amplifying awareness of the forest’s global significance.

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sinharaja remains one of Sri Lanka’s most treasured ecological assets. Through the quiet determination of youths like Sansuka Gamage, its story continues to reach beyond the forest canopy — to the wider world.

As he continues his solitary journeys into the green depths, one thing is clear: in the heart of Kalawana, a young man’s passion is helping a rainforest find its voice.

Text and Pix by Upendra Priyankara Jathungama