We spoke to chef Rajiv, TEMP ambassador and founder of the award-winning Nepalese dining experience, Rajiv’s Kitchen.
Firstly, please tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in Nepal until I was trusted enough to expand my horizon and that’s when I decided to come to London for my undergraduate degree. I always had this unexplainable connection to the UK and used to be teased as an “English man” as my fake English accent would come out after a couple of pints. I do consider London my home away from home. I am very highly motivated, considerably laid back and tend to survive by focusing on positive aspects of life with this enormous love inside me that begs to burst out; which reflects on the food I cook and serve.
What inspired you to become a chef?
I have always found cooking quite fascinating and has always been my passion. I am a nerd so I associate cooking with science; the reaction and fusion of flavours and how the use of spices and simple ingredients work together. After working in a corporate world for a couple of years, I decided it wasn’t for me and that’s when I swapped suit & tie for an apron. Mum said I was born in the kitchen ( truth) so I guess becoming a chef was written in the stars!
How did the concept of Rajiv’s Kitchen come about?
I started my culinary journey with supperclubs (and still enjoy hosting them). I grew up in a big family, with lots of cousins, aunts and uncles. We used to have friends and family over for lunch or dinner, sometimes multiple times a week. When in London, I missed the evenings of sitting around in a dinner table, laughing and having a banter with friends & family whilst enjoying the delicious feast. Hosting supper clubs helped to relive those special and precious moments and I wanted to give our guests a similar experience; an experience they will cherish for rest of their lives.
What do you enjoy most about hosting pop ups?
I see pop ups as an extended version of supperclubs. Pop ups have helped me to build my skills and confidence. We are social creatures, so both pop ups and supperclubs are the most fun way to meet people from all walks of life and forge new friendships.
Pop ups in particular have helped to build a business relationships and learn more about the new food trends. But most importantly, I get to serve the food that I grew up eating, sometimes with a modern take on those classics. Supperclubs and pop ups have given me an opportunity to bring much needed attention to Nepalese cuisine which still gets lost in translation as a hybrid of Chinese and Indian cuisine so it is imperative for me to put Nepalese cuisine on the culinary world map for what it is; a cuisine with its own unique identity and celebrated heritage.
What projects have you been working on over lockdown?
We as human beings are programmed to adapt to new environment and changing situations for survival and progression so when the pandemic first ensued, we all had to find a way to adapt, one way or another. We were fully booked for pop up residencies and private supperclubs throughout 2020 and the first half 2021. But due to the ongoing pandemic, they were all cancelled or postponed, understandably. We had our first child during the beginning of first lockdown as well so adapting to a new lockdown lifestyle wasn’t just about my business. Quickly adapting to a new business model was a slight struggle to start with, but we’ve got into the rhythm of it now. As everything has been moving to digital, we’ve been hosting virtual private cooking classes as well as our weekly takeaway service during the lockdown.
The team at TEMP are excited to be working you. What do you have planned for your TEMP pop ups?
First of all, I would like to thank the TEMP team for this opportunity and and providing a platform for us to continue what we enjoy the most doing. There are few projects that we have been working on for TEMP pop up, including running themed pop ups and special supperclubs in collaboration with other upcoming and talented chefs as well as hosting charity events to raise funds for local and international charities, just to name a few!
We can’t wait to bring a range of Rajiv’s Kitchen dining experiences across our venues later this year! You can follow Rajiv’s story at @rajivskitchen.
Register an interest with TEMP to get started on your own pop up venture.