Nepali Global Chef Binod Baral’s Culinarily Journey

-Pradeep Pariyar Thapa

Updated: Special: UK-based trailblazing Nepali Chef and food researcher Binod Baral, 43, is one of the elite Nepali chefs abroad. He hails from Pokhara, Nepal but outshines the world over with his signature Asian dishes. Currently, Chef Baral serves as Head of the Asian R&D and Innovation Kitchen at one of the world’s best gourmet companies, DO & CO ‘The Gourmet Entertainment Group’. From world’s 76 airlines to FIFA World Cup 2022 where he led 1100 staffs to serve 4,000 to 6,000 VVIPs and VIPs. His Asian delicacies are staple gourmet to many international events. But, he is more than that-what’s next for his food diplomacy?

His Signature Asian Foods Shine

He frequently travels worldwide to make sure his Asian signature foods are in optimum quality as Do & Co  also runs 32 high-end restaurants, hotels and airport lounges that are based in New York, Chicago, L.A., Boston, Detroit, London, Milan, Vienna, Doha, Kiev, Warsaw, Istanbul, Frankfurt and Munich with the dedicated team of more than 34,000 employees in 29 countries covering 3 continents. No surprise, when Nepalism met Chef Baral, this was his 54th visit to the United States since 2010.

Chef Binod Baral (center) with Pradeep Pariyar Thapa, Editor, Nepalism and Narayan Pariyar, chef of famed New York's restaurant Zuma.

Serving Dignitaries-President to celebrities!

Do & Co serves exclusive private events, large international sport spectacles and catering on board of several dozens partner airlines. For your delight, you might have already tasted his signature Asian delicacies as Do & Co has been gourmet supplier to 76 airlines including British Airways, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad and Cathey Pacific to name a few of world’s best airlines. He had also led culinary team from Do & Co to serve dignitaries and players at FIFA World Cup 2022, Formula 1 Grand Prix, The UEFA Champions League Final, Euro Cup, The ATP Tour, The USA Masters and UK’s famed Chelsea Flower Show where King Charles, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to American actor Morgan Freeman and British football legend David Beckham savored his Asian delicacies.

Chef Baral’s Humble beginning

Chef Binod Baral was born and raised in Bajha Patan-13, Pokhara, Kaski, Nepal. He was born in 1979 to parents late mother Bhumi Devi Baral and father Krishna Prasad Baral, 73 who’s ex-Subedar of India 8 GR Gorkha Army. He has a younger brother and a younger sister. He lives in London with his wife, a daughter and a son.

He studied at Solders Boarding High School, Pokhara. In 1995, he joined family business running gas station in Malekhu. Then he launched River Sound Restaurant at the age of 19 at Prithvi Highway,  Malekhu, Dhading in 1998. His maternal uncle Chhabilal Marahatta, 76, who established Malekhu bazaar 46 years ago which became famous for local Malekhu river fish.

He moved to UK in 1999 as a student of hotel management and completed his Master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Burnel University, UK in 2010. Right after his arrival in 1999, he joined Zaranj Haute Cuisine in Kew Garden and promoted as Head Chef at the age of 20. In 2001, he joined as Head Chef of Okra Restaurant which was opened by first Michelin Star Restaurant, Tamarind’s chefs at Mayfair, UK. In 2002, he joined Delhi Deli as a Head Chef to cater take-away service of Indian foods. In 2002, he became the youngest Group Executive Head Chef of famous The Bombay Bicycle Club at the age of 23 which was then a part of London stock listed company, Clapham House Group. His rise as Asian dishes chef was praised among foodies and in 2009, he joined Global Head Chef (Asian Cuisine) for DO & CO International which is responsible for catering to 76 International and National Airlines, Formula 1 Race, famed Chelsea Flower Show UK and Champion League final.

He is the co-founder of MoMo & Roti, a West London typical Nepali restaurant which promoted as without Tandoor, tikka masala & korma on menu and Zumbura in Clapham, UK, an extension of home-made Mom’s style Indian kitchen. He also served as Culinary Director at the Black Lemon Plant Base Catering in 2017.        

His Involvement & Volunteerism

Chef Binod Baral is proud British Nepali chef and also a writer (340+ articles posted in LinkedIn and writes for The Annapurna Express and charity volunteer.

He’s one of the top 50 chefs “From Bombay to Britain” cook book (2016) which featured his King Prawn Piro Piro signature dish recipes spreading at 3 pages.

He is a Global Goodwill Ambassador of UK for USA-based Global Goodwill Ambassadors organization, Advisor of NRNA ICC Tourism Promotion Task Force, Advisor of Support Nepal UK, Advisor of NRN UK Business & Tourism Committee, Senior VP of Federation of International Nepali Youth Entrepreneurs (FINYE) for UK, Hon. Goodwill Ambassador of Everest Marathon, and the Brand Ambassador of Gurkha Beer (UK).

His brain-child Foodpatro, Nepali culinary app is being developed and Gurkha Connection, online marketplace is in the making. He is also Promoter & Culinary Director of Azure Aviation Academy, Chitwan, Nepal.