“When we started out, people were not very respectful towards this profession,” shares Thapa, who is not just a chef himself but also a trainer.
Almost four decades ago, he had started out as a trainee cook. With time, hard work and patience, he was promoted to supervisor at Yak & Yeti. Later, he got the opportunity to work abroad as well which was beneficial for his long and fruitful culinary career.
“I’ve served personalities like the late King Birendra along with eighteen other members of the Nepali royal family, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, and the Sultan of Oman,” he reminisces with a small smile.
He, who considers kitchen to be the heart of any hotel, says that cooking is one of the toughest jobs on earth. A chef needs to be physically laborious, mentally alert and socially benign in order to perform the duties efficiently.
At first, someone who cooked in the hotel’s kitchen was simply referred to as a “cook” or a “baawarchi.” The word “chef,” according to him, has been originated from France, the motherland of many dishes in the world. The tall hat and the unique white coat is the international uniform of a chef. The main purpose of the hat is to prevent strands of hair from falling in the food. And the white coat is an indicator of the sanitation that is required of a chef working in the kitchen.
“We should have our hair trimmed short and our faces clean shaved. Also, we’re supposed to be in good health while we’re on duty,” says Thapa.
Thapa has witnessed gradual and continuous changes in the scenario over the years in Nepal and abroad in the culinary business. There used to be very few Nepali cooks in the international kitchens until a couple of years ago, he remembers. But these days, things are different and Nepali cooks are increasing in number and efficiency worldwide, may it be Asia or Europe. People have actually started taking formal courses, attending trainings and workshops and gathering clear ideas about the demands, responsibilities and etiquette of the kitchen before getting into this field.
“A chef is held responsible if the food is bad or in case someone falls sick after eating it. In that way, we’re as important as doctors. If they cure diseases, we prevent them,” he smiles.
Bhashwor Ojha
After dedicating almost four decades of one’s life to this profession, he perceives it as a good one to be associated with. However, he still feels that people need to work on their perception regarding those who work at hotels and restaurants, particularly the ones that work in the kitchen. Dignity of labor, he believes, is a really an important concept.
“Unlike in Nepal, chefs are treated with more respect abroad. They have fixed working hours and are paid well. Those things are still lacking here,” insists Thapa.
In a recent chitchat with The Week’s Nitya Pandey, Thapa talked about his experiences as a chef, the demands of his work and the
upcoming Dashain’s platter.
What are the job descriptions of a banquet chef?
The concept of a banquet chef is a recent one in Nepal. At deluxe hotels, there is a different chef for all kinds of food items. For instance, we have a pastry chef for dessert who is assigned a different kitchen. Chefs have their own ranks. Personally, my specialization is Cold Kitchen. I look after stuffs like salad and cold meat. Other than that, as a banquet chef, my job is not just to cook and stay in the kitchen all the time. Whenever there’s a banquet being held at the hotel, I’m responsible for garnishing and serving as well. In addition, I also face the guests’ queries and confusions regarding the food on their plate and take their comments and suggestions, if there are any.
What are the main qualities that a chef is required to have?
A chef should be hardworking, physically healthy, disciplined, patient, polite and diligent. One can’t become a good chef overnight. It requires years of training and practice to become an efficient chef.
How has your experience been at the Chefs’ Association Nepal?
I’ve been the president for almost two years now. We also conduct trainings and workshops for the upcoming as well as existing chefs. I always feel that proper grooming is necessary for chefs, just like the others. Nowadays, our chefs are doing well in other countries as well. We’re bringing in good remittances. We’ve become more confident and professional. All this has been possible because of the academic and professional courses that are being available in the past days.
Dashain, a major Nepali festival, is knocking at our doors at the moment. What do you suggest is the best way to cook?
In Dashain, meat delicacies are our main cuisines. But most of the times, we tend to spoil the meat’s taste by putting in too much oil or spices. We should always remember that meat too has its own taste and it shouldn’t be buried under too much oil and spices. So when we cook meat, we must be careful that the meat’s original taste is retained and not lost under too much cooking, spicing up and garnishing.
How do we eat healthy during festivals?
Again, when it comes to meat, white meat is always considered healthier than red meat. Also, we have this age-old system of slaughtering goats at one’s own place and consuming the fresh meat. Frozen meat, stored in little pouches at temperature below zero degrees is always the best for consumption. Also, when shopping for fish, one should feel it properly. If it’s soft, it’s stale. For vegetarians, tofu, broccoli, mushrooms, beans and paneer can be good substitutes to meat and fish. But whatever food we eat, if we plan to cook it first and eat it at a later time and hour, it’s very important to reheat it well.
What suggestions do you have for aspiring chefs?
It’s a good place to be at. Cooking may be your hobby or passion but you can always take it up as your profession. And once you’re good at it, you’ll never have to stay idle. As I always say, a good chef never retires.
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