About
Gourmet Galle, a 12 week-long gourmet festival up and down the south coast of Sri Lanka. As a partner to the incredibly successful Galle Literary Festival. Since 2005 the Galle Literary Festival has become one of the most anticipated literary events in south Asia.
Gourmet Galle show cases amazing celebrity and world-renowned chefs along the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The dinners take place in exquisite homes and the finest boutique hotels carefully curated to make each weekend its own unique and incredible event.
Don’t miss out!
Festival Team
Geoffery Peter Dobbs
Festival Founder
Born just a week after Stalin died, Geoffrey lived for 14 years in the Soviet Union, 4 years in Poland and 2 years in the former Yugoslavia, with interval years in India, Italy and England. Of Anglo-Irish and Australian parents, his father was a diplomat and mother a journalist turned best selling author. It was during a holiday, whilst living in Hong Kong, that Geoffrey first discovered Ceylon. He bought the Island of Taprobane in Weligama and opened several hotels. Geoffrey has since been credited with spearheading the boutique hotel industry in Galle, Sri Lanka.
Following the tsunami Geoffrey set up the charity Adopt Sri Lanka, which spent over 4 million dollars alleviating the plight of many Sri Lankans.
After founding the Galle Literary Festival in 2005 to drive tourism and literary excellence in Sri Lanka, he was honoured by the President of Sri Lanka for services rendered to tourism and for the work he did following the Tsunami.
Giselle Harding
Festival Director
Born to Trinidadian/British parentage, the island of Ceylon has many familiarities for Giselle. Moving to Galle from Dubai a few years ago, Giselle and her husband Joseph De Alwis, opened Wild & the Sage; a quaint independent bookshop on the south coast. The shop quickly established itself as an arts and literary hub, hosting author talks, children’s story time, workshops and bookclubs.
Prior to this Giselle studied Design at Central St Martins and then Camberwell. She went on to pursue a career in the international events industry, working on Olympic Ceremonies, World Expo’s and many UAE Government projects. Along with her love of the written word, Galle Literary Festival has long been a dream and she hopes to nurture the charm already established by the festival and ensure its a staple on the international events calendar.
Gourmet Galle Manager
Eliane has spent many years between Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Switzerland, Italy and the UK. Having studied at the LSE and Stanford University, worked with the ICRC and UNICEF before moving into broadcasting and media; PR and advertising. She has set up radio stations in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and launched satellite radio channels with WorldSpace in Singapore. A long stint in hospitality, building and setting up a boutique property in Sri Lanka, Sri Villas.
Eliane brings her expertise, her knowledge of Sri Lanka, and her love of food. In her spare time, she can be found in the kitchen devouring cookery books.