For Sanjula Manoj, winning the inaugural season of MasterChef Sri Lanka is about far more than claiming a title. Hailing from Hasalaka, the 27-year-old captured the attention of audiences and judges alike with his creativity, emotional storytelling, and ability to bring Sri Lankan flavours into fine dining-style dishes in his own unique way. Throughout the [...]
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For Sanjula Manoj, winning the inaugural season of MasterChef Sri Lanka is about far more than claiming a title. Hailing from Hasalaka, the 27-year-old captured the attention of audiences and judges alike with his creativity, emotional storytelling, and ability to bring Sri Lankan flavours into fine dining-style dishes in his own unique way. Throughout the competition, Manoj consistently drew inspiration from his roots, family memories, and village-style cooking, ultimately putting Hasalaka on the map through his journey in the MasterChef Kitchen.
Produced by Reality TV Productions (Pvt) Ltd and directed by Risinu Gamlath, MasterChef Sri Lanka brought together home cooks from across the island, celebrating Sri Lankan stories and flavours on a global platform. In this conversation, Manoj reflects on the emotional journey behind his victory, the influence of his family and upbringing, and his hopes of one day taking Sri Lankan cuisine onto even bigger international stages.
Crowning moment: Sanjula Manoj, Sri Lanka's first-ever MasterChef and below, his winning dishes
Being the winner of the first MasterChef Sri Lanka is a huge achievement. When my name was announced, the first thing that came to my mind was my family, especially my parents. It was not just my own dream I had fulfilled; it was theirs, and everyone else who believed in me and supported me right from the start. Looking back at everything it took to get me here made that moment even more special and meaningful.
It was my father who first introduced me to cooking. He always enjoyed making different kinds of food, and that’s really where my interest in the kitchen began. Over time, that passion grew stronger, especially during the pandemic when I started creating food content online.
At the time, I noticed that while many creators focused on everyday food content, there were very few people in Sri Lanka exploring fine dining in a creative way. I saw that as an opportunity to do something different and started developing content inspired by fine dining concepts and presentation.
So this victory feels deeply connected to my family, especially my father. I feel grateful knowing that I was able to take the passion he introduced me to and turn it into something meaningful. More than anything, I’m happy that I could make my family proud and give something back to the people who supported me from the very beginning.
When I look back at this journey, I realise that being a chef is not just about cooking. A big part of it is learning how to manage time, pressure, emotions, and confidence as well.
For me, the challenge that affected me the most emotionally was the Hopper Challenge (Episode 23). During my school days, my mother and father ran a hopper shop, so that challenge brought back many memories from my childhood. Since my father is no longer with us, it became a very emotional moment for me personally.
At the same time, I think that emotional connection is also what pushed me to perform at my best because it reminded me where I came from, and why this journey means so much to me.
At the finals: Sanjula Manoj presents a fiery dish to the judges
I spent a lot of time during MasterChef Sri Lanka studying and understanding Sri Lankan food more deeply. Throughout the competition, the judges gave me a lot of guidance and taught me many things, not only about international cuisine, but also about local ingredients, flavours, and traditional cooking styles.
What interested me most was finding ways to take dishes and flavours that are familiar in Sri Lankan villages and present them in a way that fits fine dining while still retaining their original identity and taste. I tried to do that consistently throughout the competition, especially during the finale.
For example, the “hathmaluwa” appetiser I created for the finale was inspired by a traditional village dish. Even in my main course, I worked with flavours like coconut sambol and “wew malu” (lake fish). My very first dish in the competition was also inspired by the flavour of cassava. Since I grew up in a village environment, I naturally have a strong connection to those styles of cooking. I think the dishes I created became a combination of that background, together with everything I learned from the judges during this journey.
Winning the title is not the end of my journey; it is the beginning of something much bigger. It also comes with a lot of responsibility, and I now have to work even harder to live up to that title and continue learning, improving, and challenging myself even more as a chef.
One of my biggest goals is to one day represent Sri Lanka in international culinary competitions, including events like the Culinary Olympics. That is something I take very seriously, and I know it will require a lot of discipline, learning, and even more hard work from me moving forward.
I also hope to eventually build a business of my own, but before that, I want to keep learning and growing as a chef. More than anything, my dream is to take Sri Lankan flavours onto international platforms and show the world just how rich and unique our food culture truly is.
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