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Aitken Spence’s Heritance Aarah brings Gold from Culinary Olympics 2020

Aitken Spence Hotels continued their winning streak at their latest resort in the Maldives, Heritance Aarah, bringing home multiple wins from the prestigious IKA Culinary Olympics 2020. The team clinched four (04) Golds, seven (07) Silver and two (02) Bronze medals; marking their third win in the culinary sphere since the opening of the resort last year!

The team from Heritance Aarah embarked on the Culinary Olympic journey just months after their previous win at the Culinary Food Expo in September; the eight-member team from Heritance Aarah were led by chef Lalith Gunasekera - Corporate Chef - Maldives Sector, and chef Amila Silva - Executive Chef Heritance Aarah. The team was guided by Culinary Olympic record holder Chef Dimuthu Kumarasinghe, a (nine-time Gold medalist). Chef Kumarasinghe is currently The Ambassador, Heritance Cuisine/Chefs & Culinary Art Development Officer at Aitken Spence Hotels.

Excellence in skill, together with the expertise of the team, sheer hard work, commitment and dedication fueled by the spirit of Aitken Spence and a winning attitude, proved to be the award-winning ingredient for Heritance Aarah.

Held in Stuttgart, Germany from 14-19 February, the competition saw over 2,000 chefs from around 59 countries crafting over 7,000 menus to be judged by an elite panel of global chefs from across the world. The competition acknowledged as the oldest, largest and most diverse international culinary art competition in the globe is one of the most competitive and challenging battles in the industry.

The winning team was welcomed at the Bandaranaike airport by the Chairperson and Management of Aitken Spence Hotels followed by a felicitation lunch and ceremony with the attendance of Deshamanya D H S Jayawardena – Chairman, Aitken Spence PLC, Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake - Deputy Chairman and Managing Director – Aitken Spence PLC, Ms. Stasshani Jayawardena – Chairperson of Aitken Spence Hotels and well-wishers from Aitken Spence subsidiaries.

Heritance Aarah presents 150 villas with a premium all-inclusive offering, including extensive dining experiences. Introducing a unique food culture to the Maldives hospitality industry, Heritance Aarah’s culinary success is owed to its innovative approach and simple food structure. It’s no surprise that the resort has made a name for itself as a hub for gastronomic finesse among its wide clientele from across the world.

Speaking on this accomplishment, Ms. Stasshani Jayawardena, Aitken Spence PLC Director, Head of Tourism and Leisure, and Chairperson of Aitken Spence Hotels Management, said “I am extremely proud and congratulate our team. Their achievements today will no doubt motivate our very own and others to aspire for the best in their own fields.”

Heritance Aarah has successfully followed the footsteps of its sister properties in Sri Lanka and set a benchmark in the culinary field. Through our unique culture of embracing local flavours and fusing them with techniques around the world, our culinary experts have developed an award-winning experience that amazes guests from around the world. The win reiterates our commitment to create cuisine that delight our customers,” she said.

This achievement also reflects the Company’s dedication to invest in honing talent and to drive innovation. “These wins reflect the promising talent within our family. Our hope is that they utilise all available resources to improve their skillset and together, create memorable holidays for our guests,” she further added.

Aitken Spence Hotels is part of the Sri Lankan blue-chip conglomerate Aitken Spence PLC and operates 23 hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka, Maldives, Oman and India. The Company’s owned hotels represent Heritance, Adaaran and Turyaa brands, popular around the world for exceptional service, and undisputed lifestyle experiences. Aitken Spence Hotels’ Sri Lankan portfolio includes 11 resorts across the island, with seven resorts in the Maldives, four resorts in Oman and one resort in India.

Heritance Aarah Culinary Olympic Wins

A.Amila Sathsara Silva

Silver, Sri Lanka Culinary Artistic – D1