Known for his Michelin-starred restaurant Cheek Bistro and Cloudstreet he founded in Singapore with his wife Manuela Toniolo, Sri Lankan chef Rishi Naleendra’s new restaurant Kotuwa has finally opened. Scheduled for earlier this year, the opening got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a desire to bring Sri Lankan cuisine to Singapore, 35-year-old chef Rishi Naleendra opened his restaurant at the 4-star Wanderlust Hotel in Singapore’s Little India district. Naleendra said he was inspired by his mother’s cooking and the recipes of Sri Lankan locals while curating the menu he wanted for Kotuwa.

The owner originally planned to have Sri Lankan chefs in the kitchen, however, in line with COVID-19 restrictions, Cheek Bistro’s Malaysian sous chef Alan Chan took the reins. “It’s definitely different from the food I used to cook before, but I’m enjoying learning and understanding it” says Chan.