60+ and still cooking up a storm
Sri Lankan-born chef and restaurateur Sylvia Perera has built a reputation for bold, authentic flavours entrenched in memory, family, and tradition. As the founder and executive chef of Colombo Kitchen in the UK, with restaurants in Worcester Park and Putney, her cooking tells the story of a life shaped by her coastal Sri Lankan heritage, migration, and a determination to follow her passion, no matter the stage of life.
When Sylvia first began, many diners grouped Sri Lankan food with Indian cuisine. She set out to change that perception by showcasing distinct flavours and cooking techniques. At Colombo Kitchen, diners can watch hoppers being made live, sample dishes such as black pork curry, crab curry, fish ambul thiyal, and cashew curry, and experience the layered complexity of Sri Lankan cuisine. Coconut milk, fresh spices, and minimal oil are hallmarks of her cooking style. Her signature lamprais earned a two-star Great Taste Award in 2024 and has become especially popular, with hundreds prepared over busy weekends.
Proudly Lankan: Sylvia’s local fare
Sylvia has also earned widespread acclaim as the recipient of several awards. She has been named National Chef of the Year and Surrey Chef of the Year at the 2024 Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards, while Colombo Kitchen has received multiple Sri Lankan Restaurant of the Year titles.
Sylvia grew up in Kurana, near Negombo, an area synonymous with fresh seafood and vibrant home cooking. Much of her early culinary education came not from formal training, but from observing her grandmother and aunt in the kitchen. They cooked daily meals using traditional techniques – grinding spices by hand, preparing fresh coconut, and balancing flavours instinctively. Those early mornings watching them prepare food for the family left a lasting impression. “I used to go to the kitchen at five in the morning and watch my grandma and then later my aunt, who used to live with us,” says Sylvia. “They were two different people but had the same traditional way of cooking.”
Sylvia Perera
Seafood was central to everyday life, and fish featured in meals almost daily, reflecting the coastal abundance of the region. These experiences shaped her palate and later influenced the menu at Colombo Kitchen, where she continues to prioritise fresh ingredients, house-made spice blends, and traditional preparation methods such as grinding spices using a grinding stone, or miris gala. “We always go to the fish market twice a week in London so everything is fresh and the quality is consistent,” Sylvia remarks.
Sylvia and her husband moved to the UK in 1984, where she focused on raising her four children. Years later, the family relocated to Australia, where she pursued formal culinary training, studying pastry, bread making, and other professional skills at a technical college. Despite gaining qualifications, cooking remained largely a passion nurtured at home. She returned to the UK in 2000, continuing to cook for family, friends, and the wider community while prioritising her children’s education. Only after they completed university did she decide it was time to pursue her own ambitions. “I’ve done my part,” she recalled telling her family. “Now it’s time for me.”
Sylvia’s first venture was a catering business launched in 2013, which quickly gained popularity for authentic Sri Lankan flavours. This was followed by the Kottu Kart, a street-food stall in Piccadilly that introduced Londoners to the iconic Sri Lankan dish kottu roti. The response was immediate. Queues grew, and word spread through social media. Encouraged by demand, she opened her first Colombo Kitchen restaurant in Worcester Park in 2019, at the age of 60. A second location in Putney followed in 2024. Today, she remains hands-on in both kitchens, often arriving early to oversee cooking, prepare spice mixes, and ensure consistency.
The early days of Colombo Kitchen were quickly tested when the COVID-19 pandemic struck just months after the first restaurant opened. With lockdowns forcing dining rooms to close, Sylvia had to pivot overnight. Operating with only her husband and a small team, she continued cooking from a takeaway window, preparing meals for customers who were unable to travel home to Sri Lanka. While profits were limited, demand for comforting, home-style food remained steady. For many of the Sri Lankan diaspora, her dishes provided a sense of familiarity during an uncertain time. The experience strengthened her resilience and helped build a loyal customer base that supported the restaurant as restrictions eased.
Her journey, however, has not been without challenges. In 2024, while preparing to open her second restaurant, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after months of unexplained symptoms. Despite treatment and surgery, she continued to oversee the opening, drawing strength from the kitchen and her team. Now in remission, she encourages others to trust their instincts and pursue their goals despite obstacles.
Sylvia’s story is defined by late-career ambition. She began her restaurant journey in her mid-50s and continues to lead the business in her late 60s. Her message is simple: passion and hard work matter more than timing. “If I can do it, anyone can,” she says. “You have to have a strong mind and passion for it. You just have to go for it.”
With plans to publish a cookbook capturing the flavours of her childhood and the recipes that shaped Colombo Kitchen, Sylvia Perera’s culinary journey is far from over. What began in a family kitchen in Kurana has grown into a celebrated showcase of Sri Lankan cuisine.
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