I cannot for the life of me spell George's last name, but I feel like I know him from watching years of Masterchef Australia. If you want to meet him, he'll be in Colombo from June 9-11, hosted by Cinnamon Life.
George Calombaris
Why would you want to meet this person? If you don't watch Masterchef Australia then there's no reason really, but if you're a fan of Masterchef I probably had you at the title.
George, Gary, Matt and sometimes Marco aren't just hosts of a TV show, they are beloved across the southern hemisphere. TV is mostly about behaving badly, but this crew is the emotional center of a show that's about food and working together and improving as human beings – completely different from your usual TV.
Matt and Marco have already been to Sri Lanka (the latter hosting a similar event with Cinnamon), so after George there's only one person left.
Why Is George Coming Here?
George is coming here because Cinnamon Life invited him, which is interesting because Cinnamon Life doesn't exist yet. If you go through Slave Island you can see the 4.5 million square foot development already coming up, but it won't be completed for a while.
When it is, Cinnamon Life will be an integrated resort with more than Rs. 100 billion worth of investment going into a place where people, live, work, shop, dine and basically live. Hence the Life name I guess.
George Calombaris is the level of culinary and cultural personality they want to bring to Sri Lanka in the future, so they're billing this particular event as "a taste of what’s to come".
How Can I Go?
Basically, you can buy tickets and go to the events, or you can bid for a more private lunch with him.
For details check out the Cinnamon Life Facebook page and to reserve any of the below call their hotline (+94 71 711 8111).
9th And 10th June
A GREEK FEAST
An authentic Greek five-course dinner curated and prepared by George himself. There are also two bonus rounds: pre-dinner cocktails and a post-dinner single malt session added on.
Rs. 25,000 per person | Cinnamon Grand Colombo
10th June
MASTERCLASS
For cooks, or just the curious, George will conduct a Masterclass. So you can see him in action, and hopefully learn something.
Rs. 35,000 per person | Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo
11th June
BID TO DINE
If you want a more private and personal lunch with George (and Mahela Jayawardena, if you've heard of him), you'll have to bid on it. The top five bidders get two tickets each (so you plus a plus-one), and all proceeds go towards the 'Trail' project.
HIGH TEA
Share a cup of tea and obviously a blistering array of bites with George.
Rs. 10,000 per person | Cinnamon Grand Colombo
So, Go
If you love George and Masterchef, this is a great chance to see him in person. It's also a chance to see the future of Colombo that Cinnamon Life hopes to bring to, well, life. Just a taste.
Cinnamon Life presents George Calombaris in Colombo in association with Knorr, powered by Commercial Bank Visa Infinite and is supported by the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka. The event is also partnered by Land Rover Jaguar as Vehicle partner, Walkers Tours as Inbound Tour Operator, Cinnamon Air as Domestic Airline partner, Dilmah Tea as the High Tea partner and is facilitated by Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts. Print Media partners are the Sunday times, the Daily Mirror and the Daily FT. Electronic Media partners – Yes FM, Legends 96.6 and TV1.