Peter Kuruvita (born October 1963) is an Australian

chef A chef is a professional Cook (profession), cook and tradesperson who is proficient in all aspects of outline of food preparation, food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term (), the di ...

restaurateur A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspe ...

and media personality, known for his rich culturally inspired cooking, highly influenced by his Sri Lankan father and Austrian mother.

Early life

Born in 1963 in

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...

, to a Sri Lankan father and Austrian mother, Kuruvita lived the first four years of his life in England. In 1967 Kuruvita's family decided to move to his father's hometown of Colombo, Sri Lanka. While growing up in Sri Lanka, he was introduced to cooking through his grandmother's preparation of

Sri Lankan cuisine Sri Lankan cuisine is known for its particular combinations of herbs, spices, fish, vegetables, rices, and fruits. The cuisine is highly centered around many varieties of rice, as well as coconut which is a ubiquitous plant throughout the count ...

. It was this and a strong sense of family that inspired him to pursue food as a career. In 1974 Kuruvita and his family moved to Sydney, where he went to school. Upon finishing high school he began an apprenticeship as a chef at East Sydney TAFE. He completed his final year at the new Ryde Catering College.

Career

Kuruvita's first job was in the kitchen at a local seafood restaurant in southern Sydney, he remained there until 1981 when he moved to complete his studies and gain experience working with

Greg Doyle Greg Doyle (born 24 September 1970) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda Football Club, St Kilda and Melbourne Football Club, Melbourne in the Australian Football League (AFL). Recruited from Victorian Football Lea ...

, at the Rogues restaurant & nightclub, where he worked for the next two years. In 1982, completing his apprenticeship Kuruvita took up a role, at the One Star Michelin restaurant Rue St Jacques in London, as the commis chef. Kuruvita later secured a chef role, at the Three Star Michelin restaurant,

Waterside Inn The Waterside Inn, in Bray, Berkshire, England, is a restaurant founded by the brothers Michel and Albert Roux after the success of Le Gavroche. It is currently run by Michel's son, Alain. The restaurant has three Michelin stars, and in 2010 i ...

, Bray England Peter has since worked all over the world at hotels and resorts including the

Four Seasons Hotel Four Seasons Hotels Limited, trading as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, is a Canadian luxury hotel and resort company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Four Seasons currently operates more than 100 hotels and resorts worldwide.David Se ...

, Philadelphia USA, Yasawa Island Lodge, Fiji, as well as some of Sydney's top restaurants Barrenjoey House; Bilson's; Hayman Island Resort.

Restaurants

;Flying Fish 2003 Peter Kuruvita is Consultant Chef of Flying Fish Restaurant in Pyrmont, New South Wales on

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a ria, natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove River, Lane ...

. The restaurant was opened in 2004. The Flying Fish serves modern Australian dishes with a strong seafood focus. ;Flying Fish, Fiji Peter opened Flying Fish Fiji in partnership with Starwood Hotels in 2008, situated on the sand at the Sheraton Fiji Resort Nadi Fiji ;Steak House by Peter Kuruvita Situated at the Westin Hotel Nadi Fiji. ;Noosa Beach House Peter's latest partnership with

Accor Accor S.A. is a French multinational hospitality company that owns, manages and franchises hotels, resorts and vacation properties. It is the largest hospitality company in Europe, and the sixth largest hospitality company worldwide. Accor ope ...

hotels, situated in the Sofitel Noosa Resort and Spa.

Television shows

*''

My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita ''My Sri Lanka with Peter Kuruvita'' is a 10-part Australian cooking television series created by The Precinct Studios that originally aired on SBS One on 3 November 2011 until 5 January 2012. It is presented by Australian born Sri Lankan chef ...

'' (2011) – A 10-part series as Peter Kuruvita returns to his ancestral homeland of Sri Lanka. Beginning in Colombo, Kuruvita travels extensively to many different corners across the country experiencing a range of different tastes and colours. *'' Island Feast With Peter Kuruvita'' (2011) – A 10-part series. *'' Mexican Fiesta with Peter Kuruvita'' (2014) – A 10-part series. *''Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen'' (2016)

Books

* ''Serendip: My Sri Lankan Journey'', * ''Serendip: My Sri Lankan Kitchen'',

References

External links

Peter Kuruvita

Flying Fish
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuruvita, Peter 1963 births Australian television chefs Australian restaurateurs Australian cookbook writers Living people Australian people of Sri Lankan descent Australian people of Austrian descent British people of Sri Lankan descent British people of Austrian descent People from Colombo People from Fulham People from Sydney Sri Lankan television chefs