London-based food writer and cookbook author Meera Sodha is set to explore the relationship between Sri Lankan cuisine, culture and architecture during a culinary residency with Heritance Hotels and Resorts from 23 October to 5 November 2026. The programme spans Heritance Kandalama and Heritance Ahungalla, two properties associated with architect Geoffrey Bawa, and brings together local ingredients, culinary collaboration and the island’s distinctive landscapes.
Celebrating the connection between food, culture and the timeless architecture of Geoffrey Bawa at Heritance Kandalama and Heritance Ahungalla.
Some journeys are shaped by the places we visit, while others are defined by the flavours, stories and people we encounter along the way. At Heritance Hotels and Resorts Sri Lanka, these elements come together in experiences that celebrate Sri Lanka’s rich heritage, distinctive landscapes and vibrant culinary traditions.
Heritance Hotels and Resorts Sri Lanka is delighted to announce its collaboration with Meera Sodha, the London-based bestselling food writer, columnist and television personality, whose work explores the stories and cultures behind the food we share. A passionate admirer of Geoffrey Bawa, Meera will be in Sri Lanka from 23 October to 5 November 2026 for a culinary residency across Heritance Kandalama and Heritance Ahungalla, presenting a special opportunity to explore the relationship between architecture, place and culinary creativity.
A storyteller with a passion for flavour
The author of four acclaimed cookbooks, Meera has built an international following through her thoughtful approach to food and its cultural connections. Since 2017, she has written a weekly food column for The Guardian, with her work also appearing in The Washington Post, The Times and Observer Food Monthly.
Her debut cookbook, Made in India, was named one of The Times’ Books of the Year, while Fresh India received the Observer Food Monthly Best New Cookbook Award in 2017. Through her writing, Meera brings together ingredients, traditions and personal stories, inviting readers to discover the meaning and memories behind a meal.
In the spirit of Geoffrey Bawa
For Meera, this journey holds another point of connection: her admiration for the work of Geoffrey Bawa. His architecture, celebrated for its sensitivity to landscape, natural materials and the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces, offers a distinctive lens through which to experience Sri Lanka.
At Heritance Kandalama, Bawa’s architectural vision is closely intertwined with the surrounding forest, rock and lake. At Heritance Ahungalla, the coastal setting offers a different expression of his approach, shaped by the rhythms of the ocean and the tropical landscape.
Together, the two properties offer a compelling backdrop for a conversation between design, nature and the island’s culinary identity.
A meeting of culinary creativity and Sri Lankan hospitality
From 23 October to 5 November 2026, Meera’s culinary residency at Heritance Hotels and Resorts Sri Lanka will bring her together with the resort chefs to explore Sri Lanka’s ingredients, flavours and culinary traditions.
During her stay at Heritance Kandalama, Meera will collaborate with the resort’s chefs on a specially curated culinary experience, bringing her perspective as a food writer into conversation with the island’s ingredients, flavours and traditions.
The programme also includes an intimate cocktail and canapé evening at Heritance Ahungalla, creating an opportunity to share ideas and celebrate the connections between food, culture and place. Through her storytelling, the experience will extend beyond the table, capturing the details of the destination and the inspiration behind each moment.
Discovering Sri Lanka through a different lens
For Heritance Hotels and Resorts Sri Lanka, this collaboration is an invitation to see the island through the eyes of someone who finds meaning in both the everyday and the extraordinary. From the architecture and natural surroundings to the ingredients and traditions that shape a meal, each experience offers another way to connect with Sri Lanka.
As Meera shares moments from her journey with her audiences in the UK, India and beyond, the collaboration will celebrate the spirit of Heritance Hotels and Resorts Sri Lanka: a sense of place, a respect for heritage and the belief that the most memorable experiences are those that bring people and stories together.
Meera Sodha to Explore Food, Place and Architecture with Heritance Hotels & Resorts in Sri Lanka
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FAQs
1. Who is Meera Sodha?
Meera Sodha is a London-based food writer, bestselling cookbook author and television personality. Her work explores food, culture, ingredients and the stories behind the meals people share.
2. What is Meera Sodha doing in Sri Lanka in 2026?
Meera Sodha is scheduled to take part in a culinary residency with Heritance Hotels and Resorts Sri Lanka from 23 October to 5 November 2026. The programme connects food, local culinary traditions, culture and architecture.
3. Which hotels are included in Meera Sodha’s Sri Lankan culinary residency?
The residency spans Heritance Kandalama and Heritance Ahungalla. Both properties are associated with architect Geoffrey Bawa and offer different settings for exploring Sri Lankan hospitality, landscape and design.
4. When is Meera Sodha’s culinary residency in Sri Lanka?
The residency is scheduled for 23 October to 5 November 2026, according to the announcement described in the article.
5. What will Meera Sodha do at Heritance Kandalama?
At Heritance Kandalama, Meera will collaborate with the resort’s chefs on a specially curated culinary experience inspired by Sri Lankan ingredients, flavours and culinary traditions.
6. What event is planned at Heritance Ahungalla?
The programme includes an intimate cocktail-and-canapé evening at Heritance Ahungalla. The event is intended to bring people together around food, culture and the sense of place associated with the destination.
7. Who was Geoffrey Bawa?
Geoffrey Bawa was a renowned Sri Lankan architect associated with tropical modernism. In the article, his work provides the architectural connection between the two hotels and the surrounding natural landscapes.
8. How does Heritance Kandalama reflect Geoffrey Bawa’s architectural approach?
Heritance Kandalama is presented as a property where architecture and the surrounding forest, rock and lake form part of the experience. Its design connects the built environment with Sri Lanka’s natural landscape.
9. How is Heritance Ahungalla different from Heritance Kandalama?
Heritance Ahungalla offers a coastal setting shaped by the ocean and tropical surroundings, while Heritance Kandalama is associated with forest, rock and lake landscapes. Together, they provide different settings for the residency.
10. What is the main theme of Meera Sodha’s collaboration with Heritance Hotels and Resorts?
The collaboration explores the relationship between culinary creativity, Sri Lankan food traditions, cultural heritage, architecture and landscape. It aims to tell the stories behind the destination as well as the food.
11. Which cookbooks has Meera Sodha written?
The article describes Meera as the author of four cookbooks. Her official books page includes Made in India, Fresh India, East and Dinner.
12. Why is this collaboration relevant to UK food audiences?
Meera Sodha is based in London and writes about food and its cultural connections. The residency offers her UK audience a way to discover Sri Lankan ingredients, culinary traditions, architecture and hospitality through her perspective.
