Gerard continues his life’s work at his namesake company, Gerard Mendis Chocolatier. Some of his notable achievements: he was the first Sri Lankan to serve on global task forces that opened 28 luxury hotels in Asia and the Middle East he was also the first Sri Lankan to become a member of the elite Hilton International Team that won awards at global food events he helped build the Hilton brand and the Colombo Hilton as a prestigious dining destination. Gerard returned home in 1986 to join the Colombo Hilton’s Patisserie operations, becoming its Executive Pâtissier Chef.īecause of his talent and perseverance, he succeeded in breaking barriers in a world dominated by European culinary stars. As a cake-master, he gained renown for his breath-taking wedding, birthday and theme cakes.Įxpanding his culinary expertise, he worked abroad at some of the world’s finest five-star hotels including the Ritz-Carlton, Regency and Hilton. Gerard became a culinary celebrity at a very young age pioneering the introduction of hand-made, gourmet chocolates in Sri Lanka. Nobody does it better than Gerard Mendis.