He received a gold medal in every category he entered and even took home two trophies for snaring the most points in the professional culinary category during last week's Agricultural Exhibition.

Southampton Princess chef de partie (pastry) Leel Rohan Dissahayake arrived in Bermuda almost four years ago from Sri Lanka after beginning his culinary career as a pastry chef following courses in cookery at Ceylon Hotel School in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

At the Princess he is responsible for all types of pastry work including cake decorations, chocolate work, show pieces, desserts, pastries, petit fours and bakery.

Last week he entered several delicious looking pieces in four of the six categories -- showpiece pastry, special occasion cakes, butter sculpture and cold sweets -- which won him high praises as well as several gold medals he proudly displayed around his neck for The Royal Gazette .

Because he also received the most points for each category he entered, Mr.

Dissahayake took home two trophies -- one of which was his main incentive for entering the show for the fourth time.

And he even got daring and placed himself in a category he had never tried before -- butter -- which landed him with not only a gold medal but also a best in class.

Mr. Dissahayake's last Agricultural Exhibition gold medal was awarded him in 1994 for his cold sweets presentation.

"Last year I won a bronze and silver medals in different categories but I did not enter butter sculpturing.

"This year I gave myself more time for the show because I wanted to do well, and I entered the categories that allowed me to make things in advance because with the hotel being busy, I needed time to do my work too,'' Mr. Dissahayake said.

"This was also my first time doing a butter sculpture and I just told myself that I could do it. I had to make a frame and then apply the butter. The sculpture represents a fight between a mermaid and an octopus. I had a lot of Award-winning chef From Page 27 Mr. Dissahayake said it took him two to three hours a day for seven days to complete the sculpture. "I was happy, it turned out well.'' He added: "I have a special touch for the artistic qualities in pastry. In Sri Lanka the job of a pastry chef is very demanding.

"I like to experiment with pastries and for the exhibition I made things like fruit moulds which I had not done before. I like to try different ways of making things.'' On how he got into the pastry making profession he added: "When I was doing a hotel course learning about main meals and desserts I realised I had more talent in pastry. I especially like making and decorating cakes.

"I do the cakes for all the Southampton Princess restaurants and for banquets and I really enjoy making wedding cakes, I like to do the fine things. It's hard work but when you see the finished product it makes me happy.'' Mr. Dissahayake came to Bermuda because he was told that it was a great place and he could gain some good experience.

"I like to go to different places to learn how to do new things,'' he added.

He also said he studied chocolate and sugar decoration at the International School of Confectionary Arts in Washington D.C. which came in very handy when making his exhibit for the showpiece.

"The showpiece was hard work and I knew I would get a gold medal. I didn't think I would get one for the butter sculpture.

"The show stopper was made entirely out of candy. I used all different types of sugar and colouring. I wanted to incorporate all the ways I have learned to make candy into one piece. I used lights to melt the sugar then I made a figure and shaped it, that was hard because you often burn your hands.'' Asked whether he will enter in next year's competition Mr. Dissahayake said: "I will enter next year because I always like to do something new.'' Photos by Tony Cordeiro TOP CHEF -- Southampton Princess Hotel pastry chef Leel Rohan Dissahayake shows off some of his award-winning creations.

SWEET PARADISE -- Southampton Princess pastry chef Rohan Dissahayake combined his talents in candy making to create this tropical paradise.

BEST IN BUTTER -- Pastry chef Rohan Dissahayake's butter sculpture, a fight between a mermaid and octopus. It won him a gold medal.