From a hospitality business to becoming a Baker!

Bhesh Bahadur Khadka has a routine of waking up early in the morning to make sure everything is ready for the day for his shop. The baker says he makes sure everything is perfect before opening the doors to welcome his customers.

However, before turning into a baker, Khadka says he was into the hospitality business!

Recalling the time he was into the hospitality business he says, “I roamed all around the world, from China to Germany and even to the Middle East. I used to go around for my work and supply them ceramics.”

I asked, “Why a baker? And why did you name the bakery ‘Filipino Bakery’?

Khadka explained, “As I said I went around for work but when I reached the Philippines, I noticed something different there. I was really surprised when I learnt that people there eat a lot of sweets, from breakfast to lunch. For us Nepalis we are big fans of spicy food but there, they have sweets in everything from their curries to their desserts.”

“So when I came back to Nepal before the pandemic hit, eating cakes here was not satisfying enough. It was almost like ‘Did you eat cake? I ate.’ I never got the taste I was looking for. People say ‘when you want something to be perfect, do it yourself’. That’s when I took the chance and started my own bakery. And now I can feel the happiness of sharing another culture and taste to the people in my own country,” he shares.

Filipino Bakery, which is located at Naxal, Kathmandu sells all bakery items from fresh cakes and cookies to breads.

They make authentic Filipino desserts with a little twist, and the minute you get inside the bakery, the aroma hits you.

It is hard to find places with good, eggless cake but at the Filipino Bakery one want be disappointed.

Kahdka says they only use eggs for cakes that really need it, like Black Forest, and Chocolate cake!

My first experience at the bakery was a friendly one.

After work before grabbing a bus to return home, I always used to check out the bakery and seeing all the lights and cakes from the outside I used to think ‘I have to go there’!

And the day I was able to, I met Khadka by the door welcoming customers. He was so nice, with a big smile on his face explaining what the items on the shelves were.

They have varieties of cheesecakes, from Tiramisu to New York, you can get them all.

The cheesecakes are so creamy and rich!

Khadka also introduced me to a bread made by yam which has cheese stuffings called ‘Ube Cheese Pandesal’.

If you ask me I still do not know how to pronounce it but it tasted real good.

But since the pandemic, Khadka said, it has been a hard journey.

However, the baker is still hopeful, saying, “I have been in the business sector for a while now. And I know it is never the same. Sometimes the sales hit the roof and sometimes it is hard to get even one customer. But I am glad that I am doing what I love and will keep doing so.”