There are meals that simply satisfy hunger, and then there are those that transport you. At Sheraton Colombo this week, the journey begins with a bowl of pala kanji, gathers heat over a Jaffna crab curry and ends on the gentle sweetness of pongal.
‘Yaal: A Journey Through Jaffna’ is Colombo Kitchen’s week-long exploration of northern Sri Lanka’s culinary character. Led by Sheraton Colombo’s Executive Chef Ramesh Kularatnam, the festival opened to a full house on Monday, which shows that Colombo’s appetite for regional food experiences is growing.
The festival does not ease diners cautiously into Jaffna cuisine. It presents the north in all its boldness: crab rasam, sura puttu, chicken poriyal, Jaffna pittu, mutton curry, fish head curry and palmyrah-based sweets. These are dishes with presence, built around spice, texture and cooking traditions that resist being reduced to the milder comforts of a conventional hotel buffet.
Much of the evening unfolds around a series of dedicated stations. Pala kanji offers a soothing beginning before the Jaffna-style fried street-food counter shifts the mood towards something livelier. At the action station, paper-thin dosas are prepared before diners, bringing the rhythm and theatre of live cooking into the room.
But it is difficult to walk past the curries without stopping.
The Jaffna crab curry is the kind of centrepiece that demands both attention and a willingness to get one’s hands involved. Close behind are the mutton curry and much sought-after fish head curry, completing a trio that captures the depth and intensity for which northern Sri Lankan cooking is celebrated.
There is also a quiet visual code running through the dining room. The chefs in red aprons have travelled from Jaffna; those in black belong to Sheraton’s Colombo team.
The distinction is more than decorative. Executive Chef Kularatnam has brought the two teams together to preserve the regional character of the food while presenting it within a five-star dining setting. The visiting chefs are on hand to explain unfamiliar dishes, ingredients and techniques, making conversation as much a part of the experience as the cooking itself.
For those unwilling to surrender the entire plate to spice, the buffet includes a selection of international dishes. It is a thoughtful concession to mixed dining groups, allowing the curious to explore Jaffna’s cuisine while others remain closer to familiar territory.
Beneath the aromas and live cooking is a smart hospitality strategy.
Themed food festivals have become an effective way for city hotels to draw diners who may not otherwise enter their restaurants. A limited run creates urgency; visiting chefs provide credibility; and the cultural narrative turns dinner into an experience worth sharing. I
The Jaffna showcase follows the hotel’s Malaysian Food Festival, which concluded earlier in July. More culinary promotions are expected in the coming months as Sheraton continues using food to bring different cultures and destinations to Colombo.
A Journey Through Jaffna continues at Colombo Kitchen, Sheraton Colombo, until Sunday, 2 August.
