Friday, April 26, 2024
Kathmandu: BBC MasterChef Santosh Shah and the finalists of BBC's 'Masterchef the Professionals Rematch 2020' has arrived in Kathmandu yesterday (April7, 2022) to promote Nepal's tourism, food, culture and destinations.
BBC MasterChef Santosh Shah and the finalists team were paid grand welcome by Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management, College of International hotel management students and other professionals Chefs at Tribhuvan International Airport. A huge reception was made amidst traditional Nepali Panche Baja and costumes representing Nepalese culture.
Phurpa Sherpa correspondent of CorporateNepal talked about the purpose of visit and experience for the promotion of Nepal's original food, culture and destination with BBC MasterChef Santosh Shah and the finalists team:
What is the purpose of your second visit to Nepal with the BBC MasterChef team?
I have come to Nepal after one year. As our country, Nepal need a burst in the tourism sector. What can be my role in promoting tourism and revival of tourism. With the message of 'Now Nepal is Open' I have made the plan and got chance to brought masterchefs to Nepal.
The MasterChefs will be going to various places of Nepal for various activities such as fine-dining programs themed at Nepalese Cuisine in Kathmandu, cooking, Wild spices hunting at Bardiya and Everest Base Camp to Kalapatthar.
With the positive message to the world that 'Now Nepal is Open' and most visit to Nepal. And let tourists come to Nepal, as the our main source of income is tourism, so that how i plan to contribute to the country.
When you asked the MasterChefs about visting Nepal, what was their reaction?
Nepal is such a beautiful country, whoever listens about it, says I want to go there. As I told about plan and ask them to visit Nepal, they said wow, we should go to Nepal. With that, they are here with us. Masterchefs are here without any charges from us. To promote Nepal they have also wear chef jacket with the flag of Nepal. They are super excited, and brought their family and children with them.
According to Suresh Singh Budal, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter, organized The MasterChef Finalists' Tour to Nepal to with the initiatives of tourism industry of Nepal by promotion
of Nepalese customary food, culture and the destination under the tourism promotion and revival campaign of Nepal's tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.
PATA Nepal Chapater has taken the initiative to promote the tourism destination and the Nepal's origin food and culture by inviting BBC's MasterChef Santosh Shah to Nepal with finalists team. It would help in the revival of Nepal's tourism, CEO Budal added.
Along with Chef Santosh Shah, BBC's 'Masterchef the Professionals Rematch 2020' finalists, Chef Alex Webb, Chef Bart Van Der Lee and Chef Philli Armitage arrived in Nepal. They will participate in tourism promotion in different places of Nepal. 'We PATA Nepal Chapter, has invited them for the purpose of promoting the destination through Nepal's culture and food.'
The Program will be held for ten days in Nepal.
PATA Nepal Chapter states Masterchef team will be involving in various promotional activities in Nepal for 10 days. As per the schedule, the Chef team will go to Pokhara on 8th April, will return back to Kathmandu on 9th April, then fly to Janakpur on 10th and will participate in the program on 'Mithila Cuisine and Recipes'.
The team also scheduled to take part in the Formal Function and Annual Award Presentation Ceremony during the 45th Annual General Meeting of the PATA Nepal Chapter to be held in Kathmandu on 11th April.
Similarly, on the 13th April the team will fly to Lukla and visit the Everest Base Camp, Kalapatthar. After returning from Lukla, the team will leave for Bardia on the 15th of April.
In Bardiya, Wild spices Hunting program will be organized by Masterchef to discover the food greed and secrets of Nepal along with Tharu culture and food promotion program. The Chef team will return after participating in the Chef Association's cooking competition on the 17th of April.
The Nepal Tourism Board is the main promoter of the program titled 'MasterChef finalist Tour To Nepal' organized by PATA Nepal Chapter. Likewise Srilanka Airlines, Buddha Air, Summit Air, Nabil Bank, Civek Hospital, NATHAM, KGM group of Hotels, Siddhartha Hospitality Community Homestay and Gate College are supporters of the event.
Chef Philli Armitage shared, 'I have never had a welcome like this before like we have in Nepal.' 'Thank you Nepalese people,' She added, 'We are really excited to explore Nepalese food, experience culture and the visit beautiful cities of Nepal.
Chef Bart Van Der Lee also said, visiting Nepal with his family and warm welcome by the Chef and the Nepalese people was incredible moment. 'We are super excited to learn everything about Nepalese cuisine, culture and beautiful country.'
He further stressed, 'We can't stop exploring and also involving with the chefs and will see what we can contribute in hospitality industry in Nepal.'
Similarly, Chef Alex Webb also shared, reception was incredible and he felt really grateful. 'We are super excited to learn about everythings about Nepalese cuisine, culture and see beautiful country Nepal.' It was his first visit to Nepal.
Nepali Chef Santosh Shah living and working in the UK has won the title of 'MasterChef The professional Rematch 2021'. 34-year-old Shah held from Siraha district had presented various Nepali dishes such as curried jackfruit steak, green banana curry, rice crackers, onion salad, tempered grapefruit, sesame and chilli pickle, red yam, aubergine, spiced potato and pointed gourd, pilau rice with nuts, rice puri, or bread, smoked tomato and hemp seed chutneys, sun dried chickpea leaf, mushroom dry curry, and Nepali black lentil.
