LISBON:-  Noted Nepali chef Tank Sapkota in Portugal has launched a special campaign with the aim of promoting Nepali food, culture and tourism in Nepal.

On the occasion of completing 30 years since he came to Portugal, Sapkota has launched the ‘Journey to Nepal’ campaign through his Nepali restaurant ‘Caja Nepalija’ (Nepali Kitchen) in the capital Lisbon.

As part of the campaign, a charity dinner has also been organized to support helpless and orphaned children in Nepal and Portugal. The dinner, which will be held as an annual event, will include a visual presentation reflecting Nepali cuisine, culture, and the natural beauty of Nepal. It is also said that there will be musical and cultural performances by Nepali artists.

According to Chef Sapkota, the aim of the ‘Journey to Nepal’ campaign is to promote tourism to Nepal by introducing the Portuguese community to Nepali culture, traditions, cuisine and natural beauty. The program includes cultural performances, music, dance and visual exhibitions of Nepal along with Nepali cuisine.

According to him, an effort has been made to provide the participants with the experience of visiting Nepal by presenting Nepali dishes, flavors, dance, music and traditions on one platform. He said that the main objective of this campaign is a cultural journey to introduce the nature, culture and food of Nepal, the ‘Land of the Himalayas’, closely.

The charity dinner menu includes dal bhaat, gundruk, samosas, maam, chicken specials, tama-bodi, goat meat and other traditional Nepali dishes. The dishes have been prepared using a combination of ingredients brought from Baglung and ingredients available in Portugal, according to the organizers.

The program was reportedly attended by high-ranking officials from various government agencies in Portugal, businessmen and media personnel. Nepali Ambassador to Portugal Prakash Mani Poudel also attended the dinner. He said that Sapkota’s campaign will make a significant contribution to promoting Nepal’s tourism through Nepali food and culture.

Nepali artists Durga Thapa, Arjun Sonam and others, dressed in cultural costumes, gave cultural performances at the event. Chef Sapkota said that the aim is to introduce Nepal to the international community through food, culture, tradition and tourism. “Nepal is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Its culture, nature and food have their own characteristics,” he said. “This campaign has been launched with the aim of getting Portuguese citizens to know Nepal closely and increasing the number of tourists.”

According to him, the participants in the program were interested in learning about Nepali food, dishes, cooking styles, and the culture and traditions associated with it. He said that Nepali hospitality, lifestyle, and cultural experiences were also presented.

Sapkota, from Baglung, who arrived in Portugal in 1996, has been operating four restaurants in Lisbon. He has received various awards and honors for his outstanding contribution to the culinary arts. He also launched a campaign to feed around 10,000 people free of charge in Lisbon during the COVID-19 pandemic.