Everest Inn, located in Blackheath, London, is renowned for offering the finest Indian and Nepalese cuisine in the area.
With a strong reputation for culinary excellence, Everest Inn Blackheath, along with its sister locations, has received numerous awards over consecutive years, consistently recognised for serving high-quality dishes. The restaurant artfully blends progressive ideas with traditional integrity, creating a unique dining experience that honours the rich culinary heritage of Nepal and India.
In an interview with Asian Voice, Yadav Bhandari, the co-founder of the establishment discussed:
What inspired you to establish Everest Inn?
This business means everything to us. It's a family-run venture founded by my brother and I in 2004. We come from a background in the hotel and hospitality industry in Nepal, so it's in our blood. During our university years in the UK, after completing our master's degrees, we decided to start our own business and launched Everest Inn, offering Nepalese cuisine that blends traditional flavours with a modern twist.
Our goal was to bring a piece of Nepal to the UK, showcasing award-winning recipes and our rich culture. What makes our restaurant unique is our commitment to the local community. We don't just operate as a business; we actively contribute through various initiatives, such as supporting local charities, schools, and the NHS. This engagement has made us quite popular with the locals. The inspiration behind Everest Inn stems from our deep-rooted passion for hospitality, something we've grown up with in Nepal.
What are some unique flavours that you offer that are very inherently Nepali?
We've taken traditional dishes and adapted them slightly to suit different palates, balancing the traditional Nepalese flavours with a mix of spices, herbs, and ingredients. For example, in Nepal, river fish is very popular, and we've brought that recipe to the UK. We have a dish called Lakeside Fish that has become quite popular here. We also feature some Gurkha dishes, using a blend of ingredients and spices. While about 75-80% of our spices and ingredients are sourced from the UK, we import around 20% directly from Nepal. These include unique herbs and spices from the Himalayan range, which grow at different altitudes. The key is our chef’s ability to blend these spices, creating a distinctive taste that sets our restaurant apart from others.
Food is such a powerful marker of cultural evolution and identity. How has your culture shaped your life decisions and your choice to share it with others through this restaurant?
Our cuisine plays a central role in showcasing our culture, just as other cuisines do. We often host events, such as Diwali celebrations, where we welcome our guests with traditional items like topis, tikkas, bindis, and scarves. During these events, we offer seven or eight-course dinners, each paired with carefully selected wines. Our guests not only enjoy the food but also experience our traditions, including singing, dancing, and traditional attire. This is how we blend culture with cuisine. I’ll also provide some additional information about the past activities we've organised to promote our cuisine, culture, and tourism. Since 2004, we've expanded to six branches—one in London, three in Kent, one in the Midlands, and one in Scotland. We've been fortunate to host prominent figures like Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Joanna Lumley, and footballer Sol Campbell. Additionally, the Immigration Minister once visited our kitchen to cook a Nepalese dish.
As you reflect on your journey with Everest Inn, what accomplishments are you most proud of, and what are you looking forward to in the future?
What we are most proud of is how we engage with our regular and local customers, making us a popular choice in the community. Our success isn't just about running a restaurant; it's about contributing to the community and showcasing our food, cuisine, culture, and traditions. We take pride in being one of the favourite restaurants in our locations, where we serve as a vital platform for sharing our heritage. Serving nearly 600 to 800 customers a week, including celebrities, footballers, and local professionals, allows us to showcase our culture in a way that few other businesses can. Recently, we even had the opportunity to connect with Number 10 Downing Street, further highlighting the impact of our work.
