The Sri Lankan impressed pastry and culinary art judges by creating stunning pieces.
Chef Sameera Madushanka Dahanayaka is no stranger to gold medals, having won 30 in various events. His most recent victory, at the 26th IKA Culinary Olympics in Germany, stands out.
The Sri Lankan, representing the UAE national team, impressed judges in the event's pastry and culinary arts categories. He won two gold medals in salt and sugar carving, demonstrating his extraordinary abilities. The UAE national team won 27 silver medals, demonstrating its culinary skills.
The chef named his salt carving 'The Lost City of Dragon Riders' and 'Together One Dream.'
The sugar carving was of a ruler sitting on his majestic throne named 'The Emperor.'
Sameera worked long hours preparing for the competition and carving his pieces. "It took me more than six months to make these art pieces. I worked on these pieces for the competition before and after my office hours," said Sameera.
"For the sugar artistic piece, I had to powder sugar, add other ingredients, and harden it based on the required shape. Post the construction of the entire structure, it was then shaped and smoothened with sandpaper," said Sameera.
However, the elaborate salt building took far longer than the sugar creative work. "In the salt artistic piece, the salt granules are powdered, mixed with corn flour starch, water, and other ingredients, and then given the desired shape, and I had to look at it every day," said Sameera, adding that these pieces can be preserved for over four years.
The competition included 1,500 cooks from 70 countries and a panel of over 60 international specialists, including well-known chefs such as Jerard Mendis and Uwe Micheel.
"This is the top competition I participated in, and grabbing gold is a big achievement. I am so happy to have won for the UAE," said Sameera.
The Sri Lankan relocated to the UAE six years ago and has worked in several locations. He presently works as a cake decorator for Mister Baker. "I started my journey in culinary art in 2015. I visited UAE 6 years ago; since then, it has become my second home. Being a resident here, I have been getting enough opportunities to participate in top-level competitions."
Tushar Fotedar, director at Mister Baker, said, "Chef Sameera's achievement reflects his dedication and skill and brings immense pride to Mister Baker, the UAE, and the culinary community. We congratulate Chef Sameera on this exceptional accomplishment and look forward to continued success on his culinary journey."
Sameera, fueled by his passion for culinary excellence, is now preparing for the forthcoming Culinary World Cup in 2026. After his accomplishments and gold medal wins, he is eager to represent the UAE again.
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