18/02/2026
JAYAFLAVA: CELEBRATING SRI LANKA
A Bold New Culinary Travel Series Celebrating Sri Lanka Through Food, Culture and Cool
Los Angeles / London / Colombo — A vibrant new television series, Jayaflava, is set to bring the sights, sounds and sensational flavours of Sri Lanka to global audiences. Hosted by Sri Lankan-born cookbook author Tasha Marikkar and directed by award-winning storyteller Afdhel Aziz, Jayaflava: Celebrating Sri Lanka is a cinematic culinary journey across one of the world’s most exciting emerging travel destinations.
Beyond recipes, Jayaflava reframes Sri Lanka as a place of innovation, artistry and optimism. From electric tuk-tuk rides in Jaffna to cocktails in Asia’s 50 Best bars, from jungle crab hunts to UNESCO-listed Galle Fort, the series captures a nation reclaiming its narrative through creativity and cuisine.
Inspired by Tasha’s acclaimed cookbook Jayaflava (HarperCollins), the series is described in the show guide as “a mouthwatering culinary tour of Sri Lanka” that brings together “the history, traditions, ingredients and spices of this island nation through easy-to-follow, delicious recipes”
The Jayaflava Guide to Sri Lanka will initially air on National Geographic India on Friday nights at 8pm (reaching an estimated 17 million people in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives) and is in the process of being sold to major channels in the UK, US, Europe and Australia.
A Love Letter to Sri Lanka
At its heart, Jayaflava is a love letter to Sri Lanka from two old friends who joined forces to celebrate the best of its culture and cuisine.
A born-and-bred Sri Lankan who has spent much of her life between Sri Lanka and the UK, Tasha Marikkar brings a deeply personal lens to the series. As outlined in the show guide, her heritage spans Colombo Moor, Colombo Chetty and Sinhalese roots, making her a powerful representative of the island’s rich diversity
“I wanted to create a Sri Lankan cookbook — and now a TV series — that finally felt like the Sri Lanka I actually grew up in, and the Sri Lanka I keep coming back to: messy, multicultural, funny, generous, and full of flavour. So much of what the world sees is a postcard version of the island. Jayaflava is the real one — the food, the people, the stories, and the places that make Sri Lanka impossible not to love,” said Tasha.
After four years researching and rediscovering Sri Lankan recipes, her mission is simple: to teach the world how to cook Sri Lankan food — and to love it as much as she does.
Los-Angeles based director Afdhel Aziz is best known for his award-winning documentary about legendary Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa ‘The Genius of the Place’ that played internationally at prestigious film festivals such as Newport Beach, and the Architecture and Design Film Festivals in Toronto and New York.
Also born and raised in Sri Lanka, he brings cinematic storytelling and global cultural insight to the project, crafting a series that blends travel, food, art and social history into an energetic, visually rich format. Afdhel said, “This is not just a food show. It’s a story about identity, resilience and the joy of rediscovering home. Tasha and I love our country so much and we wanted to represent it to the world as we see it: a Sri Lanka that is modern, multicultural and magnetic.”
Sri Lanka: The Moment Is Now
The launch of Jayaflava comes at a pivotal time for Sri Lanka. According to Google Trends data featured in the show guide, UK search interest in “Sri Lankan Food” has risen by +150% over the past two years, while searches for “Sri Lanka Holiday” have increased by 173%.
As global travelers and food lovers seek new destinations and cuisines, Jayaflava positions Sri Lanka not just as a place to visit — but as a culture to savor.
This is why major Sri Lankan hotel and tourism groups such as Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Mastercard and Flying Ravana Adventure Park banded together to sponsor the show’s initial run on National Geographic India, to reach the South Asian tourism market.
What Makes Jayaflava Special
Each episode focuses on one iconic dish while exploring a key city, uncovering where to eat, where to stay and why the destination matters culturally. Jayaflava journeys across multiple locations per episode, blending cooking demos, cultural deep dives, and cultural interviews exploring Sri Lanka’s ethnic communities
Episode 1: Kotthu — Colombo
Featuring BBC DJ and bestselling author Nihal Arthanayake, this episode dives into Sri Lanka’s most beloved street food while exploring Colombo’s nightlife icons like Pilawoos and Aluthkade, as well as conversations with artist Vicky Shahjahan.
Episode 2: Hoppers — South Coast & London
With Chef Karan Gokani of the globally renowned Hoppers restaurant, the episode traces the dish that took Sri Lankan cuisine to the world, as well as conversations with Saskia Fernando from SFG and a visit to the Palmyrah Restaurant in Colombo.
Episode 3: Good Times — Hiriketiya
Booker Prize winner Shehan Karunatilaka joins Tasha as the show explores Sri Lanka’s iconic coconut spirit with Rockland’s Amal de Silva Wijeyratne, and the seaside dining scene in restaurants like Smoke and Bitters (Asia’s 50 Best) shaping the island’s new cool.
Episode 4: Crab Curry — Jaffna
Featuring Chef Dharshan Munidasa of Ministry of Crab (Asia’s 50 Best), this episode explores Tamil culture, Jaffna’s resilience (in conversation with Jeeva Pillai Essex) and the art of perfect crab curry
Episode 5: Coconut — Puttalam
From family kitchens at the Bethany 101 Villa to live-fire restaurant Gini, Tasha uncovers how the humble coconut anchors Sri Lankan cuisine and identity
Episode 6: Lamprais — Galle
With Chef O Tama Carey of Sydney’s Lankan Filling Station, and Sri Lankan food influencer Kamal Uncle, the finale explores Dutch influences, Muslim heritage and the layered history wrapped inside the iconic banana-leaf parcel
