Peter Kuruvita’s culinary journey commenced in the heart of his ancestral home in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he cultivated a deep love for food and cooking. Over four decades, he has flourished into an acclaimed chef and restaurateur, extending his expertise into various domains including television hosting, authorship, industry speaking engagements, tour guiding, and consultancy in food and beverage.
However, amidst his professional endeavors, Peter’s true joy resides in spending quality time with his wife and three sons in Noosa, Australia. Together, they indulge in activities such as surfing, camping, fishing, and the shared pleasure of cooking. Peter fondly recalls his earliest culinary memories, assisting his grandmother and aunties in the bustling kitchen of their Colombo home, where familial bonds were strengthened over laughter, gossip, and spirited debates on age-old recipes.
Peter’s journey took an unexpected turn when he migrated to Australia in 1974, accidentally enrolling in a “Home Science” course in school, where his innate talent for cooking shone through. Disenchanted with formal education, at the age of 15, he implored his father for permission to leave school and embark on a career in the culinary world. With his father’s encouragement, Peter ventured into the realm of professional kitchens, starting his culinary apprenticeship at a local restaurant.
His culinary prowess continued to evolve as he honed his skills in renowned establishments such as ‘Rogues’ with Greg Doyle and various other venues in Sydney and London. Returning to Australia in 1986, Peter’s culinary journey led him through esteemed kitchens like ‘Blue Water Grill’ with Neil Perry and ‘Barrenjoey House’ with Michael McMahon. He further expanded his horizons with ventures such as ‘Vatulele Island Fiji’ and ‘Avalon at Bondi’ before making his mark as the executive chef of ‘Flying Fish Restaurant & Bar’ in Sydney.
In 2008, Peter’s passion for seafood and the Pacific culminated in the establishment of ‘Flying Fish Fiji,’ which became a renowned dining destination under his guidance. Subsequently, he relocated to Noosa in 2013, where he opened ‘Noosa Beach House,’ showcasing the vibrant produce of the Sunshine Coast infused with his signature Sri Lankan flavors. After a successful tenure, he embarked on a new culinary venture with Alba Noosa at Parkridge Resort, blending a restaurant, cocktail bar, pizzeria, and providore into a multifaceted dining experience.
Throughout his career, Peter has lent his expertise to numerous projects, offering consultancy services to hotels, restaurants, and culinary ventures worldwide. Inspired by his upbringing in Sri Lanka, his cookbooks such as “Serendip – My Sri Lankan Kitchen,” “My Feast with Peter Kuruvita,” and “Lands of the Curry Leaf” serve as culinary and cultural journeys through diverse cuisines of Asia and the South Pacific.
In Serendip, My Sri Lankan Kitchen, Peter Kuruvita takes us on a rich and rewarding journey through the traditional cuisine of Sri Lanka, its culture of family and ceremony, and the colourful approach to life on this beautiful island nation. Acclaimed chef Peter Kuruvita reaches deep into kitchen experiences with his grandmother and aunties, and has travelled the markets and stalls of the lush green island, to bring us this comprehensive collection of Sri Lankan recipes and a host of heart-warming stories.
Offering Sri Lankan curries of every kind as well as traditional snacks, breads, sticky sweet treats, and recipes for curry powders, chutneys, sambals and pickles, Serendip is a treasury of delicious and flavoursome dishes.
Not only a great, comprehensive cook book, Serendip is full of stunning photography and personal insight into Peter’s memories of growing up in Sri Lanka
My Feast by Peter Kuruvita takes food lovers on a culinary and cultural journey through the island communities of Asia and the South Pacific, featuring recipes and beautiful location photography from Kuruvita’s successful SBS television shows Island Feast and My Sri Lanka.
Peter explores the spirit and rich culture of Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Cook Islands, Indonesia and Vanuatu, and shares the secrets of their unique cuisines, blending traditional cookery from these remarkable and locations with Peter’s own unique style of cooking.
The book is broken into 7 chapters, categorised by type of food (street food, seafood, meat and poultry, etc), rather than geography – so every chapter is a dynamic exploration of the island nations of our closest neighbours.
A vegetarian journey through the subcontinent by Peter Kuruvita.
A flavour-filled vegetarian and vegan journey through the subcontinent and beyond – from Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
All the dishes in this deeply personal collection, spiced with the flavours of Peter’s life and travels, reflect the diversity of the regions, their legendary hospitality, their energy and excitement, extraordinary landscapes and rich history.
“A culture of food and friendship flows through my veins. This is the culture of the subcontinent, where a curry leaf tree grows in the garden of just about every home.”
