Musselburgh's Gurkha Bar & Restaurant named Best Restaurant in East Scotland at Spice Awards

Harka Karki, head chef at Gurkha Bar & Restaurant in Musselburgh, took part in a cook-off before judges at Glasgow City College and heard that the restaurant had won the title at a gala event at Crowne Plaza Hotel on Monday.

He was also delighted to be a finalist for Scotland’s Best Curry in the competition’s Scottish Curry Championships, while the North High Street restaurant was a finalist for 'Best Restaurant in Scotland'.

The Spice Awards “recognise and reward the best across Indian and Asian cuisine in Scotland”.

Mr Karki, who is from the mountainous part of Nepal, cooked the Gurkha’s signature dish, Chicken Achari, with Achari sauce made from 18 different fresh seeds of herbs.

Harka Karki, head chef at the Gurkha Bar & Restaurant, with the Best Restaurant in East Scotland award at the Spice Awards 2022

A spokesperson for the Spice Awards 2022 said: "Judges where blown away with the taste and flavour of the dishes presented at their recent visit to the Gurkha Bar & Restaurant."

Restaurant manager Ghana Bhandari, a member of Musselburgh Rotary Club, said that the team was focusing on winning more awards, listening to customers and taking part in "bigger challenges" in the future.

He thanked all their customers who "empowered" them to be "very competitive".

He said that the key to their success was the "satisfaction of customers".

Mr Bhandari paid tribute to Mr Karki, saying he had "huge potential". He added that Mr Karki had worked in the same Dishoom restaurant chain with BBC Masterchef champion finalist Santosh Saha in the past.

He said Mr Karki had a "huge passion" to cook food on a "high professional level".

"Nepali culinary is different level now than ever before," said Mr Bhandari.

Holding aloft the 'Best Restaurant' accolade is Ghana Bhandari, general manager at the Gurkha Bar & Restaurant

When not cooking, Mr Karki is a keen volleyball player and was recently named player of the tournament in a competition in Aberdeen organised by the Nepali Himalayan Association Scotland (North).

He also supports various charities in Nepal and Scotland.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he made and delivered free meals to people in the Musselburgh community.

Mr Karki is supporting the restaurant’s involvement in sponsoring solar-powered digital education in the mountainous part of Nepal. The project is being co-ordinated by Mr Bhandari in Scotland and funds are being raised by the Nepali community in Scotland, including through initiatives such as marathon runs.

Dr Mahabir Pun, founder of the National Innovation Center in Nepal, who is known for his extensive work in applying wireless technologies to develop remote areas of the Himalayas, also known as the Nepal Wireless Networking Project, was welcomed on a visit to Scotland in April during which he visited the restaurant.

A charity event is being planned at the restaurant and will raise funds for the centre.