CHEFS FORUM
A TASTE OF HOME
David Cruse reflects on the origins of his passion for Sri Lankan cuisine
Q: What inspired both of you to return to Sri Lanka in 2013 – and how did that time shape your vision for Spicy Wicket?
A: After running The Knox Tavern for nearly 30 years, we were burnt out. We had always wanted to spend 12 months in Sri Lanka but the timing was never right. So with our two older children now attending university, we decided it was now or never.
We enrolled our younger kids at Elizabeth Moir School in Colombo, packed our bags and left for what was meant to be a 12 month break.
The first six months were amazing – the kids settled into their new school and we explored the country every weekend and on poya days. But soon, we needed a purpose.
That’s when Upali Dharmadasa approached me to help him realise his dream of opening a traditional Sri Lankan restaurant in his former home. Amazingly, there were very few middle-class local eateries in Colombo – it was either five-star hotels or roadside kadés.
Upali’s Colombo definitely filled a gap in the market.
Q: How did the experience of running Upali’s Colombo prepare you for launching in Melbourne?
A: Upali’s was a huge success with both locals and tourists. After two years, my wife and children were homesick for Australia. So we decided they would return home and begin expanding Upali’s into Melbourne.
I was meant to continue running the Colombo operation for another 12 months but due to Upali Dharmadasa’s ill health, I ended up commuting between the two branches for another five years.
My wife Cathy handled most of the Melbourne operations while I ran Colombo. I designed all the menus for the Colombo restaurant, so I already knew what worked and what didn’t.
We essentially brought the same concept to Melbourne with a few minor tweaks.
Q: Why was it so important to you to keep the focus on authentic Sri Lankan flavours rather than following the global fusion trend?
A: The whole world was doing fusion. From the very beginning, Upali Dharmadasa was committed to keeping everything authentic, and we’ve stayed true to that because it works.
Even though we have since split the two restaurants and rebranded in Melbourne, we haven’t changed the concept. The majority of our customers in Melbourne are Sri Lankans looking for a little piece of ‘home’ – and they can find that in our food.
Q: What dish on the Spicy Wicket menu best represents Sri Lankan cuisine?
A: For me, it has to be the Lamprais.
The majority of our customers in Melbourne are Sri Lankans looking for a little piece of ‘home’ – and they can find that in our food
Q: Has the understanding of Sri Lankan food in Melbourne’s dining scene evolved since you opened in 2015?
A: In the early days, Sri Lankan restaurants would market themselves as Indian, Malaysian and Sri Lankan because Australians simply didn’t know enough about our cuisine.
Today, Sri Lankan food stands proudly on its own merits and people love the diversity it offers.
Q: And what inspired you to bring in the cricket theme?
A: Like all Sri Lankans, I’ve always loved cricket. Over the years, I have been fortunate to build strong friendships with many players, and they would often give me shirts and bats to display at the pub we ran.
All the memorabilia had to go somewhere and cricket lovers are always fascinated with the collection. So when we rebranded, the whole cricket concept came naturally – and that’s how the Spicy Wicket restaurant and 12th Man Bar came to be.
Q: Finally, how do you envision Sri Lankan cuisine evolving globally in the next decade or so?
A: I think it will go from strength to strength. The world is in love with Sri Lanka right now and it’s time for our country to shine.
The different influences of Portuguese, Dutch, Tamil and Sinhalese have all been rolled together to provide a cuisine that is quite unique. We are also producing some incredibly talented chefs who have a deep understanding of spices and the flavours they can create.
