New executive chef Kamal Silva joins Westin Bayshore, Vancouver

With 22 years of extensive culinary experience in some of the most renowned kitchens in the world, Chef Kamal Silva brings a diverse blend of multicultural flavours to his new role as executive chef at The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver.

Silva’s experience at five-star hotels, most recently as director of food and beverage at the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa in Singapore, has set him up for his new role, overseeing The Westin Bayshore’s restaurants and lounges—including its brand new H2 Rotisserie & Bar—as well as in-room dining and catering for the 70,000-square-foot conference centre.

Born in Sri Lanka and trained at the Asia Lanka Vacation Education Centre, Silva’s career has taken him not just to Singapore, but to Saudi Arabia, Alberta and British Columbia, in roles with: the Fairmont Dubai, UAE; Le Meridien Hotel, UAE; Inter-Continental Hotel, Al Bustan Palace, Oman; the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge; the Fairmont Chateau Whistler; the Fairmont Vancouver Airport; and, the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, BC.

In addition to Silva’s ability to manage food and beverage operations with sales worth more than $30 million annually, his skills have won him many awards. While in Dubai, Time Out Dubai awarded the restaurant of which he was head chef, the Best Global Restaurant Award in 2006/2007. He became a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in 1996 in Bahrain, was awarded Employee of the Year by Le Meridien Hotel in Dubai in 1997, and, between 1993 and 2001, led teams that won numerous gold, silver and bronze medals at the Emirate Salon Culinary competition and the Salon Culinary Food Exhibition of the Middle East.