Chef Pasang Lhamu Sherpa

Chef Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was born in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal, in the Everest region, an area widely known for its strong cultural traditions and deep connection to Himalayan heritage. Growing up in this mountainous region, she was surrounded by Sherpa culture, traditions, and community values that later became an important inspiration in her professional journey. She completed her early schooling in her hometown before moving to Kathmandu to pursue higher education and broaden her opportunities.

After arriving in Kathmandu, Pasang continued her studies and completed her higher secondary education before enrolling at Pashupati Multiple Campus, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2023. She is pursuing her masters in sociology now. During her college years, her family started a small café business called New Sherpa Restaurant and Café. What began as a family initiative gradually became a turning point in her career. While studying, Pasang began helping at the café, assisting with daily operations, customer service, and kitchen work. Through this hands-on experience, she developed a natural interest in cooking and hospitality.

Working closely with the café exposed her to the importance of food not only as a business but also as a way of sharing culture and identity. As she spent more time in the kitchen, her curiosity about culinary techniques and baking grew stronger. To develop professional skills, she completed a three-month professional bakery and pastry training at Utpala Academy of Hospitality Management in Boudha. She also completed a one-month in-service training at the Chef Association of Nepal, where she gained practical exposure to professional kitchen standards and culinary practices. She is an ethnic cuisine advocate for sherpa cuisine and establishing herself as ethnic cuisine chef in the industry.

For the past four years, Pasang has been actively involved in managing and operating New Sherpa Restaurant and Café, a family-invested business in Kathmandu. In this role, she oversees restaurant operations, manages customer service, and works to promote Sherpa and Himalayan cuisine. Her work focuses on introducing authentic flavors from her community while maintaining a warm hospitality style that reflects Sherpa traditions.

Beyond the restaurant, Pasang has also been actively involved in cultural and community activities. She has received several recognitions for her participation and contributions in cultural programs and community initiatives. In 2019, she was honored by the Himalayan Sherpa Culture Center for her participation and speech delivery in the Samde Sherpa Memorial Speech Competition organized during the Gyalpo Lhosar celebration. The same year, she was recognized by Lokhim Sherpa Kiduk in Solukhumbu for serving as a trainer in a one-month local Syabru training program, helping young people learn traditional dance and cultural expression. She has participated in many events where she can promote expose sherpa cuisine. She is also associated with Chefs Association of Nepal as a member to represent sherpa community through sherpa cuisine.

Her involvement in community representation continued over the years. In 2021, she represented the Sherpa community at the 5th International Mountain Day cultural program organized by the Nepal Mountaineering Association in Kathmandu, promoting Sherpa identity and traditional dress. In 2024, she again participated as a community representative during the 50th Golden Jubilee celebration of the Nepal Mountaineering Association. Most recently, in 2026, she received a certificate of appreciation from the Hotel Association Nepal for contributing to the cookbook Living Flavors, a publication dedicated to promoting Nepal’s indigenous cuisines during HAN’s Diamond Jubilee celebration.

Through her work in hospitality, Pasang has developed strong skills in restaurant management, Sherpa-style hospitality, team coordination, customer service, and cultural presentation. She is also passionate about public speaking, community training, and promoting indigenous food traditions.

Today, Chef Pasang Lhamu Sherpa continues to lead and manage her family’s Sherpa café while actively promoting the food culture of her community. She believes that traditional cuisine carries the stories, values, and identity of a people. Her goal for the future is to develop her Sherpa restaurant into a more professional culinary space that can represent Himalayan cuisine at a higher level while preserving its authenticity.

With a strong commitment to cultural preservation and community engagement, Pasang hopes to continue sharing Sherpa food traditions with a wider audience and contribute to the growing recognition of indigenous cuisines within Nepal’s culinary landscape.