Creating culinary history

Kandy’s first Lady Chef talks about opening a new chapter of experience

Few professions remain untouched by female presence in modern day Sri Lanka. But an exception to this rule are professional chefs and it was precisely this reason that galvanised Ashwini Rengaswamy to create culinary history by becoming the first Lady Chef in the cool hills of Kandy.

Ashwini Rengaswamy

The record was created after joining Earl’s Regency this year, but it was several years in the making as Ashwini, who is now 22 joined hotel school at the age of 18 as the only female in a batch of 30 chefs. However this did not stop her from bagging a host of awards including the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management trophy, Felix Batholomus Challenge Trophy, Unilever Challenge Trophy and Cater Plan Challenge Trophy for the Most Outstanding Student in Professional Cookery.
“I don’t think boys in general are too interested in books and concentrating very hard on their studies so I had a natural advantage there, at least where my batch was concerned,” laughed Ashwini adding that “my theoretical knowledge was quite good and it gave me an edge. When I realised that few women were chefs I was really motivated to be the exception and make it in a male dominated sphere. Fortunately my parents are very supportive and extremely keen to encourage me. ”
Certainly this chef has an edge when it comes to determination as the hours of a chef are both loaded with responsibility and hard work. Ashwini, a graduate of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) is a past pupil of St. Anthony’s Girls College, Kandy. She joined the Hotel School in 2004 to do basic level studies in front office operation and after completing the course, she joined Mahaweli Reach Hotel, Kandy for industrial training. After her industrial training, she followed basics in house keeping operations, food and beverage and professional cookery at SLITHM.
In 2007, she joined Heritance Kandalama as a trainee in the kitchen department and was attached there for six months. In 2007, she joined Earl’s Regency to complete her industrial training in food and beverage. She qualified as a chef and passed out from the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management in 2008 December.
The next obvious step was stint in international cuisine and to this end she worked at two Indian restaurants that specialised in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, North and South Indian cuisine. After five months she joined Earl’s Regency in August 2009 as a lady chef.  
After writing a new chapter in the industry Ashwini is positive about the future, “I believe that in the future we will see more women joining the industry, even though that change may not be perceived immediately. Given what a challenge it is, it’s understandable that few women have ventured into a hotel kitchen. However if the few women who are already in the industry work hard and prove themselves then they will smoothen the road for more women,” she opinioned.
Well for Ashwini the road has just begun.
“I want to pursue my higher studies and complete my masters in Hospitality Management. Being a chef is a very fulfilling role but I believe that there are stronger positions to aspire to and I want to eventually move into a more administrative role.” Eyeing the General Manager chair or even a Director position Ashwini is nothing if not ambitious but with a pragmatic outlook. Despite being a trailblazing chef she is practical about the demands her personal life will have in the future.
“Being a chef means work about the clock and that is fine when I’m young. However there may be challenges in the future that come before my work and would infringe on the amount of responsibility I can take on as a chef. Also being a chef is not the highest that I aspire to.
There are many other areas of this industry that I would like to become proficient in.” Ashwini has also not ruled out going abroad to continue her studies and work and one has little doubt that it is only a matter of time before her goals are realised.