By Fathima Rukaiya,
In the heart of Colombo’s food scene, there’s a name almost everyone knows, Harpo. But as he says it with a grin, “There’s no one called Harpo.” And yet to everyone, from restaurateurs to regulars, he’s simply Harpo.
The name came from childhood. “One of the Marx Brothers, Harpo, had curls and I resembled Harpo. When I went to college, my brother called me Harpo. And the name stuck.” That nickname would one day become a powerful brand, but Harpo’s story begins long before restaurants.
The Early Days – Music, Hustle and Hotel Life
“I studied at St. Thomas’s College. I was not a great student. I hardly went to school… but I always wanted to do stuff with people. Hanging out. Making people happy.”
That drive to engage with people pulled him toward entertainment. Harpo started out as a DJ, at a time when tourism was booming in Sri Lanka. “I used to finish school, get into the bus at the Fort railway station, put my Walkman on… and I used to end up in Aluthgama. Run into a small shop there. Have a quick shower. Eat a hopper. Get onto a push cycle with my records in my haversack and go DJing at Bentota Beach, Neptune Hotel… I’d take the bus back at 4 a.m., end up at home at 6, shower and go to school or work by 7.”
Despite the exhaustion, he loved every minute of it. “I did that. Because I loved it.”
Eventually, this passion led him to become the first entertainment manager at a five-star hotel in Sri Lanka; a rare achievement at the time. “My daughter was born there. And here I am now. First entertainment manager of Sri Lanka. From a DJ. Boom.”
He later worked at Hilton, helped open Millennium Park, and was even called to China and Osaka for international hotel assignments. “I was fortunate enough to be able to go and work in China as an entertainment consultant in one of the Hiltons… and then they said, okay, we want to take him to Osaka.”
But after the 2004 tsunami, he made a bold move: “I decided to give my resignation. I said, enough of working with corporates. I’ve done my thing and now I’m going to set up my own company.”
20 Years of Harpo’s Legacy – A Look Back Through Q&A
1. What first inspired you to launch The Commons Coffee House and The Bayleaf back in 2005? What was your original vision behind starting your own business?
When Harpo started his own business, it wasn’t with a massive team or a long-term plan. It began with a practical approach to hospitality.
“So when I set up my own business, the first thing was Commons. My company was basically managing other people’s headaches… I managed Commons”. Then I bought the business. And that’s how The Bayleaf and The Commons came about.”
He offered to run restaurants for others who were passionate about food but lacked operational know-how back then.
2. What were some of the biggest hurdles you faced in the early years, and how did you manage to overcome them?
Launching in 2005 meant operating during a very turbulent time in Sri Lanka.
“We set this up during the war. In 2005. There was hype of the war going on. The challenge was setting up business during the war. You know, bombs going off. Roadblocks. The tsunami. Things are not easy.”
But Harpo pushed forward.
“Saying that if there’s a will, there’s a way. And if you focus you can do it. We focused and we did our business.”
When the war ended in 2009, they expanded. Then came the Easter Sunday bombings. “And everything went down the tube. You know. Everything happened.”
Then came COVID.
“No gas, no lights. So, we had to innovate. We got local suppliers. The menus became smaller. We downsized our menu. 18 months was crazy because you couldn’t step out of your house. Luckily, we have our delivery company. So, we used to deliver food. We did curfew passes. It was a nightmare.”
Through all of this, Harpo credits his team.
“What kept me through all this was a great team. The staff around me. It’s not easy to retain people for 20 years.”
He also helped lead the Colombo restaurant community through tough times.
“Then the Colombo City Restaurant Collective. I was the first president. During COVID, during the Aragalaya years, we became a voice. We lobbied with ministers. And today it’s a recognized body. The voice of the restaurant.”
“You have the bad days; you have the good days. That’s okay. That’s why you’re in business. But we fought that. And overcame that. With my team.”
3. Twenty years in the business is a major milestone. What do you believe has been the key to your long-lasting success?
“My people. My people and my loyal clientele… Customers. Consistency. Nice ambience. Innovative.”
Harpo points to the power of a strong team and an ability to evolve while staying consistent.
4. How has Sri Lanka’s dining culture changed over the past 20 years, and how have your restaurants evolved with it?
Harpo has witnessed and contributed to the transformation of Sri Lanka’s dining landscape. When he first started, promoting a restaurant, it was limited to print media.
“It has evolved. Obviously, it has evolved with the new social media. TikTok, Instagram… When we started, we used to just do press releases.”
He recalls a time when Facebook didn’t even exist in the country, and the only way to build buzz around a restaurant was through newspaper coverage and word of mouth.
“Now the food industry in Sri Lanka is growing. But what we have done, we have kept innovating stuff. Like I said, 22-inch pizza, 19-inch pizza, roti karatte (cart)… That’s innovation.”
5. Was there a moment you realized your restaurants had truly become part of Colombo’s food culture?
“You’re right, it’s become part of the culture. We support the arts. We sponsor shows. People finish at the theatres; they come to our restaurants.”
He paints a picture of Colombo’s nightlife and cultural activities being deeply intertwined with his restaurants. Whether it’s catching a show at the theatre or winding down at one of his spaces after. But he didn’t stop there. Harpo extended his impact into education and social change.
“I had a hotel school too… We helped train and find jobs for poor kids. That’s something we did.”
Harpo’s Hotel School ran for 8 years before the pandemic forced its closure. It served as a training space for underprivileged youth, providing them with hospitality skills and employment.
6. Out of all the dishes and ideas you’ve launched, what surprised you most with its popularity?
“Actually, the chef thought I was mad when I said let’s do a 19-inch pizza”
His chef initially resisted the idea, thinking it was impractical. But Harpo was determined.
“Then I said I’m going to do 22. He said, no, sorry, sorry. I can’t do it. I said you have to do it.”
He pushed through the doubt and skepticism to create something that didn’t exist in the local market: Sri Lanka’s largest pizza, complete with 22 toppings.
“And now we have the biggest pizza. We have 22 toppings.”
7. After all these years, what’s one lesson you’ve learned that you wish you had known in the beginning?
Despite all his success, Harpo stays humble about how much he still has to learn.
“I’ve learned a lot of lessons over the years. And I’m yet to learn it. There isn’t a day that I don’t learn… It’s a very volatile business you’re in. But it’s a super business if you like people.”
8. How do you keep coming up with fresh ideas after two decades in business?
Inclusivity is part of the Harpo brand. You don’t need to be wealthy or fancy to enjoy his spaces. That simplicity, backed by genuine hospitality, is what sets him apart.
“What inspires me is people. Concepts. If you look at all my restaurants, they’re different… You don’t have to wear a Versace to come to my restaurant. We are simple, casual. And I’ve got a good set of people working for me. That’s why I’m able to run eight restaurants. And not forgetting I have one overseas as well.”
9. What does reaching the 20-year milestone mean to you, both personally and professionally?
Unlike others who see work as a burden, Harpo genuinely enjoys what he does. That joy hasn’t changed even after two decades.
“As much as I say, I’m going to work… I don’t have that feeling after 20 years.”
He continues because he loves the energy and interactions that come with hospitality.
“It’s a fantastic business. You meet people of all walks of life. From the top celebrities to everybody you see and meet and greet.”
10. What’s next for you and your team? Any new projects on the horizon?
“The future will be franchising overseas, expanding. Commons is a very scalable brand. We’ll open more Commons in Sri Lanka. Pizza: we want to franchise that too. Expand our footprint across other countries.”
“The opportunities are there. Finding good people is very important. And to find good people… it’s very difficult to find good, honest people.”
Looking ahead, Harpo has his sights set on international growth, expanding The Commons and Harpo’s Pizza into new markets. But he notes that human capital, good, honest people is the real challenge ahead.
A Story of Resilience, Reinvention & Real Passion
From spinning records on the beach to serving pizzas across continents, Harpo’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, creativity, and people-first leadership. Despite wars, bombings, pandemics, and economic collapse, his brand has stood strong, fueled by a love for what he does and the people he serves.
“There’s never a dull moment. Meeting, greeting, firefighting. That’s hospitality. That’s what I love.”
