Chef Factor 2.0: Browns Hotels & Resorts Turns Up the Heat on Sri Lanka’s Next Generation of Chefs

Browns Hotels & Resorts celebrated World Chefs Day 2026 with Chef Factor 2.0, an exciting culinary competition that brought together emerging chefs for a showcase of creativity, teamwork and culinary excellence at Thaala Bentota.

Organised in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management (SLITHM), Colombo, and the Browns Hotels & Resorts Learning Academy, the event challenged teams of four to transform fresh local ingredients into innovative dishes inspired by Sri Lanka’s diverse regions.

The competition was judged by a distinguished panel comprising Chef Chandana Wijeratna, President of the Chefs Guild of Lanka; Chef Deepal De Alwis, Director of Culinary at Browns Hotels & Resorts; and Ruzaina Hadgie, Culinary Consultant and Global Culinary Ambassador.

Chef Factor 2.0 highlighted the passion, skill and determination of the next generation of culinary professionals, celebrating their ability to perform under pressure while pushing the boundaries of flavour and creativity.

Watch the highlights of a culinary showdown where talent meets teamwork and the heat stays on until the very end.