South West London–based Sri Lankan restaurant group Colombo Kitchen, led by Sri Lankan-born chef and restaurateur Sylvia Perera, has raised close to £3,000 to support communities affected by severe flooding in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah, alongside further personal donations made by Chef Sylvia herself.
Funds have been raised through a series of community-driven initiatives, including a fundraising buffet hosted at Colombo Kitchen on 30 November 2025, where all profits were donated to flood relief efforts. A pop-up at Imperial College London Hospital also raised over £1,000 through the sale of Colombo Kitchen’s signature Lamprais, a heritage Sri Lankan Dutch Burgher dish of rice and curries wrapped in banana leaf and baked, alongside traditional rice and curry boxes.
Alongside fundraising, the Colombo Kitchen team has sourced, packed and shipped essential relief parcels containing food, drinks and household necessities, sent directly to Sri Lanka to support families who have lost their homes or access to basic supplies as a result of the flooding.
Colombo Kitchen is directing funds straight to affected families, working with two doctors based in Sri Lanka who are helping to identify those most in need. This approach ensures support reaches families directly and is used for its intended purpose, with progress monitored on the ground.
The areas most severely affected by the flooding include Kotmale and Kandy, where Colombo Kitchen’s support will be focused. Based on current funds, the team plans to support two to three families, with further families selected should additional funds be raised. Priority will be given to low-income households, particularly families with children and female-led households. In addition, two boxes of clothing have already been sent to Kotmale through trusted local contacts at St Mary’s Church, providing immediate practical support to families affected by the flooding.
In March 2026, Chef Sylvia and the Colombo Kitchen team plan to travel to Sri Lanka to personally meet and select families who will receive financial support to help rebuild their homes, working alongside medical professionals and local community contacts in Kotmale and Kandy as part of the next phase of this support.
Chef Sylvia Perera comments: “Sri Lanka will always be home to me, and seeing the impact of the floods on families and communities has been heartbreaking. Colombo Kitchen is rooted in family and community, so coming together to raise funds and send practical support felt like the most natural thing to do. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported these efforts, both here in London and back in Sri Lanka.”
The initiative underscores Colombo Kitchen’s ethos of heritage, family and care, extending the values at the heart of the restaurants in Putney and Worcester Park to support communities in Sri Lanka during a time of crisis.
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