Charith N. Silva, the creative force behind Sri Lanka’s most subscribed YouTube channel Wild Cook Book, has earned a spot on the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 list under the Arts category, which includes subcategories like Art & Style and Food & Drink.
Silva, celebrated for his rustic outdoor cooking style and fusion of traditional Sri Lankan flavors with global influences, began his YouTube journey in 2020 during the pandemic. His channel, Wild Cook Book, has since grown into a massive platform featuring over 600 videos, amassing more than 10 million subscribers and over 4 billion total views — making it the first Sri Lankan channel to reach this milestone. In recognition, he received Sri Lanka’s first-ever YouTube Diamond Play Button in March 2025.
Silva’s engaging culinary content has also earned him a loyal following of more than 2.3 million on Instagram. In November 2024, he expanded his brand by launching Wildish, a restaurant in Colombo that brings his unique cooking style from screen to table.
This year’s Forbes list also includes notable culinary talents like Ardy Ferguson of Hong Kong, known for blending cultural influences in his cuisine, South Korea’s Sungjun Kwon, the winner of Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars 2024, Winston Lau from Hong Kong, and Putu Wiranatha of Indonesia.
Charith N. Silva’s rise marks a new chapter for Sri Lankan digital creators, setting a powerful example of how passion and innovation in food can reach and inspire a global audience.
