NAITA, VTA, Rupavahini and S4IG collaborate to host Supreme Chef – Season 3 youth edition

The MOU was signed on behalf of Rupavahini by its Chairman and Director General, Sonala Digath Weerswickrama Gunawardana and Dr. Badullage Wijayaratne respectively and David Ablett, Team Leader for S4IG. The signing took place in the presence of Tharanga Gamlath, Chairman, National Apprentice & Industrial Training Authority and Eranga Basnayake, Chairman, Vocational Training Authority

Key institutions will be collaborating once again to host the Supreme Chef youth edition, that is running for the third season.

Supreme Chef creator, Skills for Inclusive Growth (S4IG) is gearing up to work with Vocational Training Authority (VTA), National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), Mianai Technical Institute in Batticaloa and the Don Bosco Training Centre in Anuradhapura for the new season of the cooking competition.

Together the entities will create a national cookery competition which allows 18–35-year-old trainees chefs to compete for the title Supreme Chef Youth of Sri Lanka. 

The government partners, along with S4IG entered an MOU with its media partner, Rupavahini Corporation to televise the show for the next 3 years. The episodes will be produced by Creative Network headed by industry veteran Chathura Jayathilleka, supported by the media teams of VTA and NAITA.

Speaking at the event, Sonala Digath Weerswickrama Gunawardana the appointed Chairman at the time of the state-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), said the Supreme Chef project is, at its heart, a promotional initiative for vocational training in Sri Lanka. 

“The TV show aspires to encourage the population at large to see the benefits of gaining professional skills. If Sri Lanka can remove its societal stigma of vocational training in relation to traditional academic paths, doors will open for many more youth and the wider economy will benefit,” she said.

Through the MOU, S4IG has undertaken to support running the competition in 39 VTA locations, 6 NAITA locations, Don Bosco Training Centre in Anuradhapura, and Miani Technical Institute in Batticaloa.  All will facilitate training for the chefs. These institutes will be utilised to advertise and attract contestants, hold auditions, hold competition rounds, and carry out full length NVQ training. All government partners involved will support finding contestants and gaining placements in industry through the Chefs Guild of Lanka.