Gourmet Galle, the partner festival to the esteemed Galle Literary Festival, is set to launch an exceptional 12-week culinary celebration on the picturesque shores of the south of Sri Lanka. Conceived by Geoffrey Dobbs, the Festival Director, and founder, Gourmet Galle aims to bring people out of the wintry cold and dark countries, offering an extended food festival experience amidst the tropical coastal landscape. Held every weekend from January 12th to March 31st, Gourmet Galle promises to be a gastronomic delight, featuring 12 internationally renowned chefs.

This impressive lineup of chefs hail from some of the key culinary destinations such as London, New York, Sidney and Singapore. The gourmet gurus Darina Allen, O Tama Carey, Karan Gokani, Mark Hix, Peter Kuruwita, Jeremy Lee, James Lowe, Hari Nayak, Nisha Parmar, J Ryall, Cynthia Shanmugalingam and Mandy Yin are all making time in the next few months to grace the scenic localities down south for a curated culinary experience.

Eliane Sterchi, Festival Manager, expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “The idea of Gourmet Galle was born with Geoffrey Dobbs, our Festival Director and Founder. What a brilliant idea. To get people out of the UK and other wintry cold and dark countries and have an extended food festival along the palm-fringed shores of the south of Sri Lanka.” Peter Kuruwita, proudly flies the Sri Lankan Culinary flag, Indian restaurateur and globe-trotting chef Hari Nayak; chef Mark Hix with his expertise in seafood cooking and exceptional knowledge of all things culinary and Michelin star chef James Lowe some of the talented names visiting southern shores to cook up a storm.

The chefs will use local ingredients, stepping out of their comfort zones to create inventive and exciting menus. Masterclasses, covering knife and fish butchery skills, inventive Sri Lankan cuisine, cooking with fire, and knowledge of spices, will add an educational dimension to the culinary celebration. They will host exclusive dinners and masterclasses at the latest boutique hotels, private villas, and luxury spaces on Sri Lanka’s South Coast such as Malabar Hill, Cape Weligama and Jetwing Lighthouse to name a few.

From antique jungle estates to hilltop architectural marvels, the diverse range of venues highlights the rich offerings of the south coast, putting Sri Lanka on the map as a destination for the discerning gourmet traveller. Gourmet Galle culminates with a beach party on the 30th of March as a celebration of all things culinary – ‘Cocktails and Canapes’ at W15, Weligama. “We are also honoured to have ‘AmEx for Foodies’ as our festival sponsor”  Sterchi added. Felicia Sorenson, the ‘Queen of Curries’ and Patron of Gourmet Galle 2024, expressed her excitement, saying, “It is such an exciting way to bring Sri Lanka and its food to the world, with all the amazing chefs coming to showcase Sri Lanka and our cuisine.” Tickets for Gourmet Galle dinners or masterclasses are now available on website:  [www.gourmetgalle.com] (www.gourmetgalle.com)