Well, past dawn breaks when Chef Sagar starts thumping the kitchen floor of Everest Cuisine, that very well-known Nepalese-Indian restaurant in Silicon Valley. With more than two decades of experience and the lineage of culinary masters that have shaped the craft in his mind, he preps for a day of creative cooking and cultural culinary fusion.
Rituals start scrutinizing stocks of fresh spices, checking vegetables and fruits delivered early that morning from local farms, and meats and seafood for quality. In the walk-in freezer is the flavor of his homeland, Nepal – dried herbs, chutneys, and pastes that he will transform ordinary dishes into sublime creations.
As his crew of master chefs enters, he starts discussing the menu for the day: the number of preparations to be undertaken the night before, VIP guest orders being special requests, seasonal ingredients that should be highlighted, and client events requiring personalized catering. His team is throwing in suggestions on which delegations of preparation to make and to whom particular tasks are to be assigned in an effort to ensure that the services would go off on time.
Chef Sagar donned the whites and stepped into his territory-the kitchen. The excitement and heat of the stoves now charged up his spirit as raw ingredients were transformed into delicacies before his eyes. As he shifted the recipes and techniques with them, memories of being a young apprentice in his uncle’s roadside dhaba at Kathmandu began to flood back.
The world-renowned Titanic Momo recipe involves careful craftsmanship in rolling the thinly delicate dumpling wrappers by hand and rubbing into the ground lamb and onion the secret blend of spices. These and many other dishes, such as Artichoke Pakoras, Tapioca Pudding, and Roasted Eggplant Raita, soon fill the air with aromatic clouds of flavor reminiscent of the mountains of his homeland for Chef Sagar.
With orders piling in, Sagar ensures each of his dishes is carried out to perfection. His team balances flavors, textures are refined and presentation is refined. No detail escapes his observance eye-whether it is a misplaced garnish or a sauce that needs to be reduced. All those years of professional experience and even sharpened taste buds gleaned from all that globetrotting hone down on imperfections that may slip evaded by untrained sensibilities. The results speak for themselves: satisfied diners remark in social media posts of tastes that transport them to the Himalayas.
The upscale yet unpretentious ambiance and warm hospitality at Everest Cuisine further augment Chef Sagar’s culinary vision. He delights in the guests enjoying his creations while savoring the culture he so dearly loves. He finds great joy in seeing celebrities and business executives, all having his food.
This is further complicated by the challenge of a high-volume restaurant, fluctuating orders, ingredient shortages, and people issues, making him remain vigilant throughout service. However, this same challenge fuels the passion for the fine art of cuisine through continuous innovation by Chef Sagar, because every refined dish sends an opportunity to elevate culture through the science of flavor.
As the last course is finalized and the dining room begins its leisurely exodus, Chef Sagar breathes a heavy sigh of contentment. What he has done here will bring smiles to those blessed enough to taste it. Another day in Silicon Valley, yet he has somehow transported himself to the summit of Mount Everest with each dish he’s produced. The tradition endures, and culture prospers – one sublime mouthful at a time.
Chef Sagar leaves the kitchen with a smile on his face while his exhausted yet happy team members look up to him with a glass in their hands in appreciation of the night they had. Dawn is gone, and night has taken over the place, yet it will be a new day at Everest Cuisine as far as Chef Sagar knows by tomorrow. With renewed inspiration, he thanks his team and heads for home already planning the next great cultural fusion destined to entrance diners and transport them to the Himalayas via flavor.
