Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition 2026 Successfully Concludes, Celebrating Sri Lankan Culinary Talent

The Nestlé Golden Chefs’ Hat Competition 2026, recognising talented young chefs and hospitality students from across Sri Lanka, successfully concluded on November 1 at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams, Colombo.

The event celebrated outstanding culinary talent, with awards presented to the winners in recognition of their achievements.

The competition was organised by Nestlé Professional Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Chefs Guild of Lanka and the Sri Lanka Association of Hotel Graduates.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath attended the event as the Chief Guest, alongside several distinguished representatives from Sri Lanka's tourism and hospitality industries.

The competition featured two main categories: the Professional Category, organised in collaboration with the Chefs Guild of Lanka, and the Junior Category, conducted in partnership with the Sri Lanka Association of Hotel Graduates.

Following preliminary regional rounds held across the island, six teams from the Professional Category and 11 teams from the Junior Category qualified for the semi-finals held in Colombo.

A notable highlight of this year's competition was the introduction of the Nestlé Professional Green Spatula Award for the first time. Developed by the global Nestlé Professional team in collaboration with the Worldchefs community, the award recognises culinary teams demonstrating outstanding commitment to sustainable kitchen practices.

The award was presented to a team that demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability through reducing food waste, responsibly sourcing ingredients and adopting environmentally friendly practices in kitchen operations.

Nestlé Lanka continues its commitment to nourishing the lives of Sri Lankans through high-quality, tasty and nutritious products, while empowering people to enhance their quality of life through food and beverages.