Life style
Whipping up the best cakes in town!
It’s the creative aspect of cake making that attracted me to the cake world. I have always enjoyed being creative and liked using my hands to make things said Buddika Sri Nissanka Fernando
She is known for her commitment to high quality cakes with innovative designs and ethically sourced ingredients . Her cakes are also renowned for their pretty designs that are elegant and understated with an emphasis on skilled craftsmanship and most importantly luxuriously delicious. Dedication to perfection, good taste and understanding of what people want and the skills to translate tingredients to sugar are her trademark.
Q Tell us about your background and why you started ?
A I come from a family where cooking and baking have always been a big part of our lives. My father inspired my love for baking, and we often spent quality time experimenting with new dishes and perfecting our baking skills. This passion eventually led me to start my own journey in the world of cake making.
Q What is your area of speciality?
A My specialty lies in creating custom-designed cakes for special occasions, especially weddings. I love the challenge of turning a couple’s vision into a delicious and visually stunning cake that adds a magical touch to their celebration.
Q Where did you get your inspiration and idea from?
A My inspiration primarily comes from my family, especially my father, who instilled in me a deep appreciation for the art of baking. Additionally, I draw inspiration from nature, art, and current trends in the culinary world, which help me come up with unique cake designs and flavours.
Buddihika
Q What do you find the most challenging aspects of cake making?
A The most challenging aspect of cake making, in my opinion, is achieving perfection in both taste and aesthetics. Balancing the flavours and textures while creating intricate designs can be quite demanding, but it’s also what makes the art of cake-making so rewarding.
Q Which cake is your favourite and/or your preference?
A It’s tough to pick a favourite because each and every cake I create holds a special place in my heart. However, if I had to choose, I’d say I have a soft spot for classic vanilla bean sponge cakes with fresh fruit fillings. They’re timeless and universally loved.
Q How has your journey been since then until now?
A My journey in cake making has been incredibly fulfilling. I started as a hobby and gradually turned my passion into a profession. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of creating cakes for numerous weddings and special events, and the positive feedback from my clients has been a driving force in my career.
Q What is the hardest thing about being a cake maker?
A The most challenging aspect of being a cake maker is managing the pressure that comes with creating something so significant for someone’s special day. The expectations are high, and any mishaps can be devastating. It’s a constant quest for perfection.
Q How do you stay up to date with the latest trends?
A To follow trends with the latest cake trends, I follow industry blogs and social media accounts, and network with fellow cake artistes. I also experiment with new flavours and designs to keep my skills fresh and innovative.
Q Cakes for weddings? What are your preferences for the magical making?
A When it comes to creating wedding cakes, I prefer to work closely with the couple to understand their vision and style. I love incorporating personal touches into the cake design, such as elements from their love story or cultural traditions. It’s all about making their day truly magical and memorable.
Q Any cake disaster stories?
A One memorable cake disaster story involved creating a multi-tiered cake for an outdoor wedding on a scorching hot day. Despite our best efforts, the room temperature soared, causing the cake tiers to shift and the fondant to droop. It was a frantic race to rescue the cake, and we had to do some last-minute repairs. Thankfully, it all worked out in the end, but it was a nerve-wracking experience.
Q What are new wedding cake trends that you have seen in 2023 in terms of cake designs and flavours?
A In 2023, we’ve seen a trend toward minimalist and elegant cake designs with a focus on natural elements like floral and botanical motifs. Couples are opting for unique flavour combinations, such as vanilla, and lemon, and experimenting with more exotic flavours like passion fruit. There’s also a growing interest in eco-friendly and sustainable cake decorations and packaging to align with the overall theme of environmentally conscious weddings.
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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