Life style
‘Yasmin’s cafe scoops out Carino, Coffee, and Cake
by Zanita Careem
A woman of many talents, she epitomizes the modern day woman in every sense.
Taking the hospitality industry – a treasured profession to a different height, her name remains synonymous with Public Relations. A trail blazing pioneer, she created a mark throughout her career in the hospitality industry and was largely credited with bringing the hospitality industry to what it is today. She is still remembered as the Public Relations icon and she is none other than Yasmin Cader.
Talent, being passionate, determination and commitment were her main attributes which she emanated in all her postings. Her first introduction into hospitality was when she was appointed as the first female Guest Relations Officer at the then Hotel Ceylon Inter.Continental, moving into Public Relations as a PR Marketing & Communications Director at the Hilton Colombo, Resident Manager at Cinnamon Grand Colombo, a Consultant at the Cinnamon Lakeside, a brief stint as General Manager at the Tintagel before she retired from the industry.
Hers’ was an era where she received many rave S reviews and accolades. Yasmin has left an indelible mark wherever she worked. A member of the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation from its inception, she was also a Director on the Board and an honorary secretary over a period of time.
She subsequently moved into the field of “Event Planning” coordinating many weddings and other social events. Despite her busy schedules, she also finds time to entertain her friends and family where cooking is another of her hobbies besides gardening.
A loving mother and grandmother she wishes she could travel more often to spend time with her daughter and siblings all of who are based overseas.
Yasmin Cader is no stranger to the limelight, both a familiar face and highly respected force among society and trade circles alike. Yasmin has now decided to expand her hospitality and leisure portfolio through this new venture she has embarked on – which is to open her own Café at Madiwela Kotte offering an extensive choice of ice creams, cakes, coffee and tea.
“Although I’ve had an extremely fulfilling career in one of the most fascinating industries, I have always aspired to having a business which I can call my own” said Yasmin at the launch. ‘I believe it’s never too late to follow through with your dreams and so, when this opportunity arose to join hands with Sheriff of Masterpieces. I naturally jumped at the opportunity”
Yasmin’s -the ‘coolest’ new addition to Sri Lanka’s dessert scene- officially opened its doors on 7 December 2020, introducing sweet fans to a brand-new creamery concept from its prime location in Madiwela, Kotte. Yasmin’s will be the only parlour in the country serving up the much-loved local artisanal ice cream brand Carino, scooping out over 16 flavours of decadent frozen desserts.
Owned by hospitality industry veteran, Yasmin Cader, Yasmin’s is conveniently housed at the Masterpieces showroom; the parlour interiors borrowing from the classic, yet contemporary charm of its host. Whether to fulfill an insatiable sweet tooth or a craving for a frozen dessert, visitors can take in the large sunlit interiors, in between scoops of an all-too-familiar creamy goodness. Yasmin’s extensive menu includes favourites from all of the five lip-smacking Carino ranges (Crème, Addict, Guilt-Free (vegan), Chill Out, and After Dark), be it French Vanilla or Salted Caramel, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Strawberry Sorbet, Coconut Cream, Decadent Chocolate, and Stracciatella to name a few all sprinkled with your topping of choice. For true ice-cream connoisseurs there’s reason to keep coming back for more as all 50 of Carino’s flavours will be rotated on a regular basis, for both viewing and tasting pleasure. Highly-anticipated seasonal specials and exciting sundaes will also be on the menu for those who wish to indulge.
For those in the mood for a bite or sip of something other than ice cream, Yasmin’s offering goes beyond just flavourful scoops; also serving an assortment of sorbets and sundaes, alongside a selection of baked goodies including the Sri Lankan favourite – Ribbon Cake, the Perfect Chocolate Cake and a decadent Coffee Cake by The Cake Factory. Many a beverage -both warming and thirst quenching- can also be had in the form of rich, Italian Bonomi coffee brews, indulgent milkshakes, as well as narang juices, ginger beer, and iced coffee by Cherine’s Quench.
Yasmin Cader is no stranger to the limelight, both a familiar face and highly respected force among society and trade circles alike. Having previously held managerial roles at the Hilton and Cinnamon Hotels Group for over 30 years, and active membership of the Lanka Alzheimer’s Foundation since its inception, Yasmin has now decided to expand her hospitality and leisure portfolio through this venture.
“Although I’ve had an extremely fulfilling career in one of the most fascinating industries, I have always aspired to having a business I can call my own,” said Yasmin at the launch. “I believe it’s never too late to follow through with your dreams, and so, when the opportunity arose to join hands with Sheriff of Masterpieces, I naturally jumped at the chance.”
“Good ice cream is one of life’s little joys,” she added. “At Yasmin’s, we hope customers will find comfort in the taste and innovation they have come to love from Carino, enjoying it all the more among company, and in a setting that is both accessible and aesthetically pleasing.”
Carino creates artisan ice creams, sorbets, and frozen yoghurts in both classic and wildly inventive flavors that appeal to the adventurous and traditional sampler alike. Italian for ‘love and affection’ Carino has always been a brand with heart, now decades on, continuing to make its ice creams, mix-ins, and other treats only from fresh and natural ingredients. Carino’s extensive vegan range of Guilt-Free ice creams are made with nut-based milks produced in house, with the range’s sorbets comprising of no dairy at all. All Carino products are gelatin free and vegetarian, made up of recipes that keep sugar to a minimum without compromising on taste; instead using alternative sugars (such as palm sugar, jaggery, palm syrups and bees honey) and flavours from natural derivatives (fruit, spices, vanilla, etc.). Additionally, no added colours or artificial preservatives are used in the making of these treats.
Yasmin’s will be open to serve customers all year round, from 11.00 a.m. to 09.00 p.m. seven days a week.
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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