KATHMANDU: Worldwide fever of the FIFA World Cup 2022 is at its peak with the quarter-finals taking place later tonight. The entire world is zoomed into the globe’s considerably most popular sports event. The captivating global event, which takes place once in four years, is not only presenting football but a multi-verse euphoria.
Qatar – the host country, the first one to do so in the Gulf region, of the global sporting conclave is offering more than just soccer. The multicultural delights offered by the Middle East country in the event have imparted a message of advancing global diversity in unity. As argued, the gastronomic delights along with high-class hospitality and offering of diverse cuisines to foreign dignitaries have added cultural values to the World Cup. With this, Qatar has grabbed a maiden golden opportunity to promote its food cuisine, culture and tradition across the globe.
Though Nepal is not partaking in any of the tournaments underway in Qatar, it may be a proud moment to know that a Nepali national has become a centre of attraction in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It is not however related to any genre of the sport of football but to a promising leadership in offering cuisine to foreign dignitaries.
Binod Baral, a London-based Nepali chef and food researcher is leading a team that has already served dignitaries, from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to American actor Morgan Freeman and British football legend David Beckham during many games of the ongoing World Cup. And, he is preparing to serve many more dignitaries in the games that are to follow until the final on coming December 18.
Baral and his team came to Qatar two months ago to undertake food research and take over the important responsibility of developing the menu for dignitaries. “We initiated a preliminary research to identify the most favourite and frequent consuming dishes in Qatar,” he said. “It gave us some insightful findings that helped us take empirical decisions and put them into action. Our team decided to focus our services, mainly around three food items, first Qatari cuisine, second Indian cuisine (most preferred) and third western food considering attendees from diverse cultures, traditions and tastes,” Baral shared.
Originally from Pokhara in Kaski, Gandaki Province, Baral is heading the research and development department and innovation kitchen at the World’s Best Gourmet Entertainment Group, (DO & CO International), an Austria-based multi-national company. The company was awarded the contract for carrying out food research and developing a menu as well as catering cuisine services to the distinguished guests and attendees of the event. The official website of the company states that the company through its three business segments — airlines catering, international event catering and restaurants — is now providing its services for 76 airlines across the world.
Baral said, “Qatar Airways which is an official airline partner of FIFA World Cup 2022 is one of the service recipients of our company.” He further shared that he was handling around 1,100 staff including 550 kitchen staff in the company to deliver food service throughout the global event.
[caption id="attachment_31377" align="alignnone" width="1000"]
Binod Baral, a London-based Nepali chef and food researcher, prepares food for VVIPs/VIPs/foreign dignitaries at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Baral is heading the research and development department and innovation kitchen at the World’s Best Gourmet Entertainment Group, (DO & CO International), an Austria-based multi-national company that has been awarded the contract for carrying out food research and developing a menu as well as catering cuisine services to the distinguished guests and attendees of the event. Photo: RSS[/caption]
After conducting the research, the team members received training on Qatari dishes and flavours from Chef Aisha Al-Tamimi, a distinguished personality of Qatar who has also been serving cuisine to the crew members and passengers of Qatar Airways, Baral narrated. Her engagement as a trainer was how the host country was putting efforts to serve delicacies to the dignitaries being careful of their tastes and local Qatari flavour. It was also how to translate the research findings into action taking into consideration the different tastes of the special guests.
“Then after, our team started preparing dishes. It also involved the process of dish preparation, development and workshop. The workshop included different sets of activities such as how to present the food products, examine the taste and receive feedback for improvements”, he said while explaining rigorous research and development procedure.
“The menu was finalised only after the designated representatives of the Qatar government and the World Cup approved the quality and taste of the food products,” Baral said, adding, “Being cognizant of the host country’s priority to promote local food and flavour, we had also placed focus to use local products such as local chicken, vegetables, beef and spices.”
“We were pre-informed of the arrivals of VVIPs/VIPs/foreign dignitaries in the football tournaments. Acting on the information, our team prepared the cuisine accordingly and took the items to the stadium through chiller vans after maintaining locally and internationally-stipulated standards,” Baral explained.
He noted that they developed a country-specific menu and food items accordingly for the VVIPs/VIPs on the pre-scheduled date of their tournaments featuring their nations. “For instance, our team developed a menu and served fish and chips as British favourite dish when England or other European countries were featured in the tournament.
Likewise, we prepared Tagine with Cous Cous when Morocco was playing in the tournament. For the dignitaries from Argentina or Brazil, we served them with one of the best beef. We developed a menu of Saudi Arabia's national dish Kabsa for Saudi Royals and other VVIPs/VIPs,” he informed.
After completing all security screening processes, our team serve the food to the dignitaries. “We served food and beverages to a number of dignitaries, including Saudi Arabia Royal family members, Turkish President Erdogan, Indian Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, American actor Morgan Freeman, British football legend David Beckham, and Arsenal football club manager Arsene Wenger in the opening ceremony of the World Cup, on 20 November 2022,” Baral shared.
Baral is an established name in the culinary world as a spice pundit and has so far earned his fame as ‘more than a chef’. In his twenty-plus years of career in the culinary world, he has worn several hats from that of a writer, a charity worker, a food researcher, a food consultant, an entrepreneur, founder of many social causes, Goodwill and Brand Ambassador of products and organisations to name few.
He is a Global Goodwill Ambassador of the UK nominated by Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA) and a Co-Founder of MOMO & ROTI in London. He is also the Brand Ambassador of Gurkha Beer and is an advisor to Support Nepal UK, a charity-based organisation registered with the Charity Commission of England.
“Food connects people, culture and country. Through my multiple engagements with this conviction, I am working to connect Nepal with the United Kingdom and the rest of the world through cuisine, culture and philanthropy,” he said. Very indeed, he is promoting Nepal in the globe through food diplomacy. All in all, ‘Baral is born in Nepal, made in Great Britain Chef". As a recognised spice pundit, he is not only offering cuisine to the dignitaries in the FIFA World Cup but also expanding gastronomic delights in a multi-cultural milieu.
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Binod Baral, a London-based Nepali chef and food researcher, prepares food for VVIPs/VIPs/foreign dignitaries at FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Baral is heading the research and development department and innovation kitchen at the World’s Best Gourmet Entertainment Group, (DO & CO International), an Austria-based multi-national company that has been awarded the contract for carrying out food research and developing a menu as well as catering cuisine services to the distinguished guests and attendees of the event. Photo: RSS[/caption]
After conducting the research, the team members received training on Qatari dishes and flavours from Chef Aisha Al-Tamimi, a distinguished personality of Qatar who has also been serving cuisine to the crew members and passengers of Qatar Airways, Baral narrated. Her engagement as a trainer was how the host country was putting efforts to serve delicacies to the dignitaries being careful of their tastes and local Qatari flavour. It was also how to translate the research findings into action taking into consideration the different tastes of the special guests.
“Then after, our team started preparing dishes. It also involved the process of dish preparation, development and workshop. The workshop included different sets of activities such as how to present the food products, examine the taste and receive feedback for improvements”, he said while explaining rigorous research and development procedure.
“The menu was finalised only after the designated representatives of the Qatar government and the World Cup approved the quality and taste of the food products,” Baral said, adding, “Being cognizant of the host country’s priority to promote local food and flavour, we had also placed focus to use local products such as local chicken, vegetables, beef and spices.”
“We were pre-informed of the arrivals of VVIPs/VIPs/foreign dignitaries in the football tournaments. Acting on the information, our team prepared the cuisine accordingly and took the items to the stadium through chiller vans after maintaining locally and internationally-stipulated standards,” Baral explained.
He noted that they developed a country-specific menu and food items accordingly for the VVIPs/VIPs on the pre-scheduled date of their tournaments featuring their nations. “For instance, our team developed a menu and served fish and chips as British favourite dish when England or other European countries were featured in the tournament.
Likewise, we prepared Tagine with Cous Cous when Morocco was playing in the tournament. For the dignitaries from Argentina or Brazil, we served them with one of the best beef. We developed a menu of Saudi Arabia's national dish Kabsa for Saudi Royals and other VVIPs/VIPs,” he informed.
After completing all security screening processes, our team serve the food to the dignitaries. “We served food and beverages to a number of dignitaries, including Saudi Arabia Royal family members, Turkish President Erdogan, Indian Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, American actor Morgan Freeman, British football legend David Beckham, and Arsenal football club manager Arsene Wenger in the opening ceremony of the World Cup, on 20 November 2022,” Baral shared.
Baral is an established name in the culinary world as a spice pundit and has so far earned his fame as ‘more than a chef’. In his twenty-plus years of career in the culinary world, he has worn several hats from that of a writer, a charity worker, a food researcher, a food consultant, an entrepreneur, founder of many social causes, Goodwill and Brand Ambassador of products and organisations to name few.
He is a Global Goodwill Ambassador of the UK nominated by Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA) and a Co-Founder of MOMO & ROTI in London. He is also the Brand Ambassador of Gurkha Beer and is an advisor to Support Nepal UK, a charity-based organisation registered with the Charity Commission of England.
“Food connects people, culture and country. Through my multiple engagements with this conviction, I am working to connect Nepal with the United Kingdom and the rest of the world through cuisine, culture and philanthropy,” he said. Very indeed, he is promoting Nepal in the globe through food diplomacy. All in all, ‘Baral is born in Nepal, made in Great Britain Chef". As a recognised spice pundit, he is not only offering cuisine to the dignitaries in the FIFA World Cup but also expanding gastronomic delights in a multi-cultural milieu.
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Published Date: December 9, 2022, 12:00 am
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