The renowned chef Kumar Chalise is one of the leading forces in showcasing the cuisine of Nepal to the world. Chef Kumar, who was born in Kathmandu, has trained and worked around the globe but always retains a passion for promoting the food of the south Asian nation that sits on the southern slopes of the Himalayan mountain ranges.
SCF sat down with Chef Kumar, part of the Nepal Tourism Board delegation attending the FoodTrex London conference held during the 2019 World Travel Week, to discuss his fascinating career and ambitions for the future…
Why did you become a chef?
I am the first chef in my family. In our culture, cooking is not a prominent business activity. Coming from a professional family, everybody laughed at my career choice, thinking it a job for domestic staff but I have a passion for cooking. In 1988 I started training then took an apprenticeship at a hotel. Job offers followed and I joined the Delight Hotel in Thamel, Kathmandu.
What was your ‘big break’?
I left Nepal to work in the Dubai Grand Hotel then the Gulf Inn in the UAE before joining a cruise liner. This gave me status back home and I eventually became an Executive Chef for the well-known Jambudeep Banquet restaurant chain in Nepal. This made me famous while also enabling me to prove my talents. Now my family supports me! I am also sharing my experience and knowledge as a cookery instructor for a diploma programme – while also wanting to continue to learn more myself.
What is special about Nepalese food?
We have our own ‘secret’ ingredients found only in the Himalayas mountain areas. I have written three books to tell the story of these ingredients. We have four food cultures: pure vegetarian for Hindus who don’t eat meat; Hindus who do not eat beef; the Islamic tradition with halal dishes; Buddhists who eat meat but do not slaughter animals; and also a small Christian community who eat anything!
What’s your favourite Nepali dish?
Ghugee chamera ko masu: fermented bean curd cooked with lentils and vegetables. It’s made with Himalayan spices, including tumeric, cumin, chilli, salt and dimbur (Sichuan pepper). Fermented food is authentic, healthy and pure.
Your favourite Nepali drink?
Tokla is a famous Nepali brand of tea drunk black with sugar. Tokla masala tea includes a mixture of natural ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper. Ilam tea comes from high up in the Himalaya mountains and is drunk black with sugar. Traditionally, nobody uses milk unless you have a cow. Raksi is our home-made ‘fire water’ produced from millet, maize or rice. It is a clear spirit drunk neat or with a little water (if you are a beginner!). Raksi warms us up in the mountains.
What is your ambition for Nepalese food?
I would like to open a ‘farm to fork’ cookery school if the right resources are available. It would teach culinary students how to grow ingredients and care about the produce. This helps create respect for the ingredients. The school would have a restaurant so students learn by doing. I want to also bring food lovers from around the world to learn about our cuisine and create heritage site to celebrate what we cook.
Images courtesy of Chef Kumar Chalise
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