Araliya Restaurant, Hawthorn, VIC

Sam Wedande melds traditional Sri Lankan cooking and French technique, a legacy of his time in five-star hotels. He trained in hotel management and cookery in Sri Lanka, worked as a chef in London, then moved to Australia in 1981 where he ran banquets at the Hilton and cooked for Frank Sinatra, Charles and Di, and Tina Turner. Wedande and his wife, Dee, who runs the restaurant floor, opened Araliya in 1985 with an international menu; it gradually became a Sri Lankan showcase. Since opening Araliya in 1985, Sam has been redefining Sri Lankan food to cater for the local demographics to the Australian palate. Nevertheless he has always been true to his heritage in using Sri Lankan herbs and spices with the unique dishes he creates at Araliya. It is a known factor that even in Sri Lanka Ayurveda (herbal science of life) is always about consuming what is good for you, from Coriander as a healer to Curry leaves to lower cholesterol and Bitter gourd to lower your sugar level, and Tumeric to cleanse your insides are just to name a few of the well known herbs and spices. He sources the best of local produce from Glenloth poultry, Blackmore’s meat, to fresh seafood and vegetables to create tasty dishes that is unique to Araliya, each dish with its own unique taste, cooked in different styles from braising to roasting. Sam’s other attributes are his take on of scrumptious vegetables that he prepares to accompany those delectable protein dishes which makes him the perfect Nutrionist. Sam’s upbringing, hi s culinary knowledge, over 40 years of experience and passion drives him to understand each and every spice. There is no recipe when he creates dishes, the way he combines mixes or blends them makes him the perfect Chemist of spices.

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