Kathmandu. BBC Master Chef Santosh Sah is going to America in July, after which he is scheduled to go to Germany. He has been promoting Nepali food around the world for a few years and has plans to visit various countries. The visit to America in July will be his third visit and his fourth to Germany.
His journey, which started in London after becoming BBC Master Chef in 2021, is now spreading to various countries. Active with the aim of spreading the identity of Nepali food around the world, he is now busy traveling to various countries. After winning BBC Master Chef, his praise increased all over the world. The discussion about the millet kheer he made in the competition increased even more. Many wanted to taste the food he made. With that in mind, a special program was organized for him in London for four months. This was his first ‘pop-up’.
‘After I became a BBC Master Chef, many people started looking for me. At that time, I was working in an Indian restaurant. There were no Nepali dishes on the restaurant’s menu, so the program was organized in London,’ said Chef Sah. His demand was such that the tickets for the program were ‘sold out’ within two hours of the opening of the sale. The pop-up was organized for different dates. On average, only 20 to 22 people were allowed to participate in an event. The 600 tickets reserved for the program, which was to run for four months, were sold out in a matter of minutes. After the London program, an invitation came from Scotland for a pop-up in the same year. In Scotland, the Nepali community had organized a special program in a Nepali restaurant. Chef Sah also showcased his culinary skills there.
Some time later, a special event was organized in London for the four winners of Master Chef. An eight-course menu was prepared, with two courses for each. His popularity grew with successive events. Demand for pop-up events started coming from different countries. Sah felt that this could be a suitable medium to spread Nepali cuisine around the world. After that, Sah planned to continue traveling the world without limiting his culinary skills to just one hotel or restaurant. At that time, he had planned to start a restaurant in Nepal under the name of Mithila Thali and do business there, but he also thought that the program of promoting Nepali cuisine around the world should continue.
He organized pop-up events in Germany and Switzerland in 2022. During his first visit to the US, pop-ups were organized in 14 places. In which all the tickets were sold out at the beginning. In this series, Sah completed pop-up programs in four cities in Australia and five in New Zealand. Now, pop-up programs in Canada and Japan are on his schedule.
Sah, who started his world tour cooking Nepali food, also organized pop-ups on a private level in Nepal. Some time ago, he organized a special pop-up for the wedding anniversary of Nepal’s only dollar billionaire Binod Chaudhary and another for Chaudhary’s guests at Mithila Thali. ‘I will continue to organize pop-ups in Nepal as long as time allows, and some programs have been organized for various organizations and individuals,’ said Chef Sah.
He has also done pop-ups for charity. The money collected from the charity pop-up held among foreigners in Switzerland was brought to Nepal and spent on the deaf and hard of hearing. The money was used to provide hospitality training to the deaf and hard of hearing in Pokhara. In addition, a pop-up was organized at Annapurna Hotel in collaboration with Gate College and PATA for the construction of a canteen at Beltar Hospital in Udayapur. There were more than 200 people in it. The money collected from that was spent on the construction of the hospital’s canteen.
According to Saha, the menu changes from place to place as per the needs during his world travels. But Newari parivar ba: i.e. bara and sandheko bhogte are among the dishes he never misses. One of the most common responses he receives during his travels is his style of serving Nepali food. ‘They are surprised that Nepali food can be served in such a creative and sweet way,’ said Sah. ‘I have given a modern touch to various dishes in Nepal, and they are very happy to taste the old taste in a new style.’
Sah’s Juju Dhaou (curd) dish is loved by many. Juju Dhaou has a smoky flavor, Himalayan honey, boiled water, guaran flower, jam and jerry crumbled, and is a favorite dish of most people. Also, hemp leaf pakodas are loved by many. Hemp leaf pakodas are mixed with chilies, chaat spices. Similarly, raw banana phulaura mixed with meat dal and yak cheese is also one of Sah’s best dishes. Sah still remembers the outspoken praise he received from those who ate his millet kheer at the Mom: Festival held in the US during his world tour. He has prepared menus ranging from 10 to 17 courses at most places. He serves Newari, Madhesi and other cuisines with a modern flavor.
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