Life style
“Mass of Bees” storms food landscape of Colombo
by Zanita Careem
There was colour, glamour and entertainment when the much hyped MOB restaurant opened its doors to the public recently, Unique in Colombo’s burgeoning food landscape, Mass of Bees Restaurant or MOB as it is popularly known intends to stand out both as a result of it’s cuisine as well as it’s one of a kind theme.
The brainchild of A A Lakshman Silva, who along with Priyanthi Abeyweera and business magnate Dasun Wickramarathna, conceptualized the idea of a restaurant based on the history of Negombo, one of the country’s most populous and historic cities, the very name MOB itself has a history. According to Mr. Silva “the original idea was to launch a chain of restaurants in Negombo, centered on its association with bees; the Sinhala name for Negombo being Mīgamuva , meaning ‘mass of bees’ : Negombo being thus named owing to the swarm of bees that settled on the first Portuguese boat that was put ashore in Negombo. This idea gestated for a while, but instead we decided to bring the history of Negombo into the heart of Colombo, which has led to the creation of “Mass of Bees” or MOB, under the ETM Leisure banner”, said Mr Silva.
Mr Silva began his career in the hospitality industry in year 1987 at Riverina Hotel. From there he joined Mt Lavinia Hotel and moved to Taj Samudra and Eden Resorts respectively. He then went overseas to take up a stint at the Dubai Grand Hotel, followed by Best Western Hotels and Le Meridian Hotel. He counts his 10 plus years in Dubai as amongst the most rewarding of his career, as it gave him the opportunity to work and associate with over twenty different nationalities from all parts of the world.
Heading the team behind MOB is of course that all important person, Chef Extraordinaire, Dudley Nanayakkara, who brings his almost 40 year career as a Culinary wizard and master chef to the fore as he whips up a menu that is truly and an unforgettable treat for the most discerning palette. Perennial favourites such as Baked Crab, Jaffna Crab with Murunga leaves, the ever popular submarines and burgers, an array of Thai , Indian, Indonesian and Chinese favourites, Street Food, Sizzlers, as well traditional Italian favourites such as Ravioli in Green Pesto sauce, Spaghetti Carbonara, Prawns Provencale and many others are on offer.
Located in the heart of Colombo at the prestigious Atrium building on Balapokuna Road in Colombo 05, MOB is set to take on Colombo’s gourmands! Featuring an exceptional menu, MOB has a refreshingly unique atmosphere. The restaurant is located in a vortex of natural airflow, eliminating the need for artificial air-conditioning, thus enhancing the “au natural” dining experience!
The launch of MOB, last Friday 25th September was indeed a memorable experience, while the food served was unparalleled. Present at the opening were a number of celebrities including present and past cricketers, hoteliers, singers and entertainers.
Capable of accommodating 96 persons at any given time, MOB’s cuisine is ambitious to say the least . With a staff of four speciality chefs, as well as restaurant staff, MOB will be open from 11 am to 11 pm daily and promises to be the ultimate culinary experience. Outside catering too will be part of the services offered.
When asked about the future of MOB and what lay ahead for the brand, Mr. Silva said the ETM Leisure group plans on opening 3 more restaurants and 3 unique “Beehive” cafes around Colombo, not to mention the Corandum hotel chain which also belongs to ETM Leisure. “Currently we have three hotels under construction; a 108 room hotel in Sigiriya due to open in January 2021, a 54 room hotel in Nuwara Eliya scheduled to open in 2022 and a 196 room hotel in Negombo scheduled to open its doors in April 2021. All of them are full service apartment hotels as we see that this is the future trend”.
MOB is definitely a place to visit, no matter what the occasion, and foodies all around Colombo and its suburbs are assured of a gastronomic treat in scenic surroundings at affordable prices.
Pix by Dharmasena Wellipitiya
Institute of Hospitality Sri Lanka
The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the UK-based Institute of Hospitality’s Sri Lanka Chapter was held recently at the Ramada Hotel Colombo,.The event provided an evening of camaraderie , reflection of the past and present achievements,setting new benchmarks for the future
The AGM had the presence of two distinguished guests, the Chief Guest Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and the Guest of Honour British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick. Their inspiring speeches were lauded by all hoteliers who were present at the occasion
A special thanks was extended to Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality UK, along with his team, sponsors, committee members, and all attendees for making the event memorable.
Dr. Harsha Jayasingh, Past President of the Institute of Hospitality (UK) Sri Lanka Chapter, emphasised the Institute’s longstanding history and the strength of its Sri Lankan branch. “The Institute of Hospitality (IH) UK has a history of 86 years, and we are proud to be the Sri Lanka Branch. IH Sri Lanka is much stronger now with many members from all areas of the hospitality industry,” he stated.
Dr. Jayasingh highlighted the significant role of tourism in Sri Lanka’s economy,. He said tourism it is the third-largest source of revenue for the country. “Tourism accounts for about 13.3% of total foreign exchange earnings and employs 450,000 people directly and indirectly. The hospitality industry in this island of pearl holds tremendous potential for economic growth, job creations, and cultural exchange,” he added.
He also pointed out more women should be attracted to the industry and advocated for the use of technology in hospitality sector to attract the younger generation.
The newly appointed Chairman Ramesh Dassanayake spoke about the challenges faced by the industry, including the reluctance of youth to join the sector. . Dassanayake expressed concerns over the migration of staff between hotels and the overall ‘brain drain’ in the sector. ” We must maintain high standards in the hotel We must try to attract tourists to Sri Lanka, we must have with many facilities Hence, hotel schools and other professional institutions involved in skills development mustincrease their intakes,” he pointed out.
Chief Guest Sajith Premadasa emphasised the importance of eco tourism and said “We need to have an environmental policy related to tourism in place,” . .
The 32nd AGM of the Institute of Hospitality UK, Sri Lanka Chapter, was a testament to the strength and potential of Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry. The insights and commitments shared during the event set a new benchmark for the future.(ZC)
Pix by Thushara Attapathu
Life style
He recognizes human identity beyond boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
Visit of Sri Gurudev to Sri Lanka
Humanitarian, spiritual leader and Global Ambassador of Peace Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Gurudev) was in Sri Lanka on a three day tour on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene. Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – The Art of Living – visited the various projects under the aegis of the foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. He was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.
Gurudev who visited Sri Lanka for the sixth time also had a first day cover launched in honour of his visit. He is a strong proponent of spreading happiness, using the unique Sudarshan Kriya, yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to unite people, empower individuals and transform communities. His programmes provide techniques and tools to live a deeper, more joyous life, while his non-profit organisations recognize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion.
The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world. CNN called it “Life Changing” and The Washington Post headlined it, “Fresh air to millions”.
In Trincomalee, Gurudev met with war victims and had a heartwarming engagement with the children from the children’s homes run by the Foundation. He also visited the Koneswara Temple in Trincomalee and graced the Kumbhabhishekam at Seetha ecogPnize the human identity beyond the boundaries of gender, race, nationality and religion. Amman temple at Nuwara Eliya. He held discussions with the trustees on the progress of the foundation’s social service projects, while also holding a special event – Ekamuthuwa – attended by a large number of dignitaries and his devotees from around the world.
His time with the Prime Minister was spent discussing the prospects of unity in diversity and uniting Sri Lanka by adding happiness into the formula of living. In addition he had discussions with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, prominent business stewards and civil society leaders.
by Zanita Careem
Envison your dream wedding day come to life at the Epitome Hotel, a prestigious city hotel in Kurunegala offering an unrivalled luxury rendors experience for weddings.
The venue is designed to embody opulence and luxury from all quarters for a spectacular wedding in kurunegala,Thier ballroom is the largest banquet facility in Sri Lanka It can be divided into six luxurious pillarless wedding halls on the ground floor and 25pax smaller banquet halls.
It can be easily named as a five star heaven in the heart of the city contributing to a myriad of immense experiences tailored to inspire and delight wedding experiences.
From opulent décor set up to exquisite table decor, lavish food, every detail is meticulously curated to spark your imagination and ignite creativity for a perfect wedding. The previous prestigious wedding shows season one and season two attracted large crowds
were unique events which gave the wedding vendors and potential clients had an opportunity to connect and interact with each other. Beyond being a showcase it was a chance for the wedding vendors to unite and contribute to the vibrancy of the wedding industry. The wedding show covered all area of the bridal industry providing a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became the most popular bridal exhibitions in Kurunegala.This bridal exhibitions allowed brides and grooms to experience first hand the products and services available from suppliers in Sri Lanka
These wedding shows held at The Epitome created a benchmark and gave an opportunity for vendors to create connections to the utmost satisfaction said Harshan Lakshita Executive Director. of the magnificent Hotel
Our wedding shows featured experts and professionals in every field‘ It covered all areas of the bridal industry provided a comprehensive variety of bridal supplies from Sri lanka and became most popular bridal exhibition in this region.We are always open to everyone to join us at our wedding shows in the future. It is an opportunity to discover the incredible talent within our local wedding and bridal vendors to make meaningful relationships and plan thier special day at our breathtaking hotel The Epitome said General Manager Kavinda Caldera
The Epitome Hotel’s bridal show which will be held end of June will buzz with great ideas,advice and inspiration for all those who plan thier dream wedding
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The Hotel Epitome’s Wedding Season 3 will marked excellence, celebration and inspiration for those in the wedding industry. The exhibition halls will resonate with ideas on exquisite bridal wear to decor, florists , photography etc and showshowcase the rich tapestry of talent within the local wedding industry. .
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