Nepalis these days avoid oily and spicy food and are more attracted toward fresh and green vegetables instead of meat, according to people involved in the food and beverage industry.[break]
Dwarika Pyakurel, owner of Everest Catering and Party Palace who has spent almost two decades in the food and beverage industry, shared the changes he has seen in the eating habits in the last few years. “As people ask for light foods that are less oily and spicy, we have designed our menu accordingly,” said Pyakurel.
Pyakurel said that people these days are drawn toward grilled items rather than the fried ones, eat plain rice instead of pulau and invariably look for chapatti or naan.
“These days no party is hosted without chapatti, naan and fresh vegetables as people have become health conscious with the increase in different types of diseases,” Pyakurel shared.
With the increase in diet-related diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis in Nepalis, which are mostly associated to the consumption of oily and spicy foods, people these days have switched to plain foods.
Chandra Sekhar Rana, manager of Anamol Banquets and Events, who has been in the catering business for more than a decade, said there is marked shift in the way people chose food at gatherings or parties.
“There was a time when people ordered deep fried, spicy and mostly meat items. But these days the scenario is different as people order plain and light foods,” said Rana.
By Rana´s estimation, the days of mutton items are numbered. He said that people these days mostly prefer fish and chicken over red meat.
Rana echoed Pyakurel and said that there has been a rise in the consumption of chapati, naan, fresh vegetables, and green salads during parties. “If we go back only five years, people ordered pulau, meat items and oily foods. But these days people prefer either plain rice or more vegetable items,” said Rana.
Caterers say that the demand for fresh vegetables and salads has noticeably increased and that it shouldn´t come as a surprise if the demand for these items overtakes the demand for meat in the coming days.
COURTESY: YAK & YETI HOTEL
“We have noticed that people have now become careful about what they eat. People prefer baked or grilled items rather than foods that are deep fried,” said Deependra Singh, director-food and beverage at Hotel Yak and Yeti.
Singh said that as the restaurant going culture has increased in the recent years, Nepalis are more aware about foods and the negative impacts of improper diet on health.
He said earlier people didn´t bother too much about the menu and left it to the caterers. But these days they decide on the menu only after discussing it with their family members and friends.
“Not only the main course, they want to know what caterers plan to include in the desert. If there are five different items for desert, those hosting the party request us to make two sugar free items,” said Singh.
“Food related diseases such as kidney and heart disease, hypertension, increasing cholesterol level, etc., have increased among Nepalis. As a result people have become health conscious and started avoiding fatty, salty and spicy foods,” said Ratna Bahadur Thapa, president of Chefs Association of Nepal (CAN) and kitchen executive and banquet chef at Hotel Yak and Yeti.
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INTERVIEW
Ratna Bahadur Thapa President of Chefs Association of Nepal (CAN)
As someone with decades of experience in food and beverage industry, what changes have you seen in the food consumption habit of Nepalis?
I have worked in Nepal as well as in foreign countries. In the last five years, I have seen a radical change in the choice of food Nepalis prefer. Earlier, most people loved deep fried and spicy foods but these days´ people prefer less fatty, less spicy and light foods.
What has led to these changes?
As people these days are very busy, they have no time for exercise. Besides, people these days prefer vehicles even for short distances rather than walk. People now have become aware of food related diseases so they have started consuming healthy foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits.
What kind of foods people order while hosting banquets?
Currently, there has been change in the menu people order for the banquet they are hosting. They order food items with less fat and spices, green vegetables, fresh juice, skinless meat, and prefer white meat over red meat.
Most of the people think that food that are fried and are spicy tastes good. Do you think this concept has changed in the present days?
It´s true that Nepalis think that foods that are oily and spicy are much tastier. But it seems that this notion is changing. People now understand that food becomes tastier not because of oil and spices and have started preferring natural food with less oil and spices. By natural food I mean typical Nepali food such as millet, dhindo, legumes, etc., which has health benefits. People these days prefer organic vegetables, grilled and baked items over deep fried ones and fresh juices over carbonated beverages.
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