Chef's joy away from home
You could call him "The pioneer" or the Dean of the Corps. B.G.Sunipala
celebrates twenty five years as a Chef at Kurumba Village,one of the more
exclusive island-resorts in the Maldives.
It was back in 1976, when like today, Sri Lanka was in the economic
doldrums.Tourist arrivals were but a mere trickle.The kitchens were starved
of imports and clientele starved of cash and  good
cuisine. Hotels were barely existing.
Sunipala had been recruited to the Mt.Lavinia Hotel where he was an
apprentice to the well-known, world renowned Chief Chef - Publis. Sri Lankans
in the hotel business were looking for openings overseas,and the Maldives
was diversifying from its total dependence on fisheries while embarking
on the promotion of tourism. Sunipala was an early recruit and off he jetted
to Kurumba Village not too far from Male the capital. At the time there
were only a few island-resorts - some of them being Kurumba, Bandos and
Villingili - that the Maldives could speak of, unlike now.
Kurumba is run by M.U.Maniku of Universal Enterprises and is greatly
modernised today; Bandos is owned by the Government and includes international
conference centres; and Villingili which is closest to Male, has been turned
into a Government housing project as a hosts of new island-resorts open
up in the vast expanse in the nation of a thousand islands.
Sri Lankans are found in almost every one of these island-resorts; well-versed
with what's happening "back home" and with the comfort of the thought,that
home is only a short boat ride and shorter flight away.
Sunipala,who hails from Matara, but now has family in Dompe, commutes
annually to his native land and feels he is working in a distant part of
Sri Lanka, which geographically speaking, is also true.
And whenever there are Sri Lankan guests at Kurumba, he serves up a
fiery pol sambol just to make them feel at home.
Barefoot in the forest
"How many of us are aware of the treasures of Sinharaja, its wealth of
fauna and flora? And when it comes to toys, we buy stuffed animals that
have little relation to our country, for our kids. So we thought why not
have an exhibition that would recreate the rainforest to us here," explains
designer Senaka de Silva.
The result is 'Barefoot in the Rainforest', an exhibition of contemporary
woven fabric.
Filling the Barefoot Gallery's high open spaces are fabric sculptures,
paintings and photography, conceptualised and created by Senaka and the
Barefoot team. Ruk Rakaganno (the Tree Society of Sri Lanka), Jetwing Eco
Tours and Agasti Jewels also add their expertise to the rainforest display.
The exhibition continues till the end of the year, December 31 and is
open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to
4 p.m. |
