Aruna moved to Hamburg with his family when he was just eight years old, and when you talk to him, it’s hard to imagine he wasn’t born on Hafenstraße in St. Pauli.

After school, he completed his culinary training at the renowned “Überseebrücke” restaurant, right in the vibrant harbor district. He worked in several top restaurants and held head chef positions. He even owned a food truck. His passion lies primarily in Italian cuisine, and he continuously hones his skills, perfecting his risotto and picking up fluent Italian along the way.

In 2014, he visited Sri Lanka and fell in love with a piece of land in Bentota, a charming town in the well-developed southwestern part of the tropical island. The purchase contract was signed quickly, but the only obstacle was that the land, despite its beauty, was incredibly wet. Over the next 25 years, with his family’s help, Aruna gradually drained the near-swamp. Hundreds of loads of sand and soil were trucked in and spread across the plot. A first house was built—specifically, the one where Aruna’s mother, a resolute former police officer and proud matriarch, moved in. She planted the first tree on the now-dried land. A red coconut palm-tree.

As the palm grew over the years, so did Aruna’s vision for what would emerge there: a guesthouse that is luxurious yet unpretentious, complete with a restaurant small enough for Aruna to prepare his international dishes (almost) all by himself. In 2019, the time had come. Aruna packed his life in Hamburg into a shipping container and set off for Sri Lanka, with his girlfriend (now wife) Kathrin by his side. Together, they began building the “Villa.” Aruna oversaw the construction, designed the garden, built the guest rooms, and planned the restaurant. 

Speaking of the restaurant: it features an open kitchen and only a limited number of tables—seven in total. The name was quickly decided: “7 Tables.”

“I don’t actually cook Sri Lankan cuisine,” Aruna laughs. “I’m not really skilled at it.” The menu at “7 Tables” is European-oriented, with regional influences. “I draw from everything I’ve cooked and learned throughout my culinary career. Whether it’s a seafood risotto from the ocean out front or pasta, or something more barbecue-like, I decide that anew every day.” Aruna shows me his kitchen with a sweep of his laptop. It’s brightly tiled and almost feels like a normal home kitchen. “I want people to feel comfortable here, to create a cozy atmosphere, not for it to look like a 
0815 hotel.” 

On the counter, fruits and vegetables lay scattered. I spot carambola, jackfruit, mangoes, and unusual zucchinis. “All of this comes from here,” Aruna explains. Every morning, he hops into his car or onto his scooter to shop—either at local markets or directly from farmers in the area. “And if the fish looks especially good, we might even serve sushi,” he says. “The clientele here is very international; there are many large hotels, and quite a few Europeans spend part of the year here. The area is filled with Ayurveda retreats, which attract affluent tourists.”

Finally, we address the all-consuming topic of the moment: COVID-19. 

Aruna had visited the EAT CLUB last fall, even preparing his father’s famous fish curry for us. He just made it back to Bentota right before the first lockdown.

“Sure, we think about COVID. Who doesn’t? Kathrin couldn’t return to Hamburg because of it; fortunately, she can work remotely from here.” I have to ask if it complicates their plans for the “Red Coconut Villa.” “Actually, things are progressing as planned. I cook in the restaurant a few days a week, but only by reservation, which helps with planning. We hope to open the guest rooms by mid-December. There are plenty of tourists coming from Colombo who want to indulge in something nice.”

“You know, in Hamburg, I would definitely feel much more stressed—not just because of COVID, to be honest. But you’ve seen a glimpse of my dream. I’ve achieved what I always wanted. I won’t let this virus derail my plans. You can count on that.”

Eatclub Article, 2020