Eating at Tibet Kitchen is like going home for Mom's cooking, Tibet style. And Tibet Kitchen is, indeed, a family affair. Open since 2007, the restaurant is owned by Gawa and his wife, Bhuti, whose sister Lhaze has been the chef since 2008. Joining Lhaze in the kitchen is her son, Chogyal. Completing the crew, Jimmy, another nephew, mans the counter, taking orders and explaining the different menu items to customers.
Like many Tibetans, Gawa, Bhuti, Lhaze and Chogyal were all born and raised in India. Gawa moved to Los Angeles in 1994, thanks to an immigration lottery; family members in New York sponsored Bhuti's move to the US. Visiting a friend in Boulder in 1995, Gawa decided to stay, preferring the peaceful environment and natural beauty of Colorado to the noisy, crowded city of LA. Lhaze moved to Boulder in 2008 to live near her sister, Bhuti; Chogyal followed in 2011. While Jimmy said he has been to Tibet once, Lhaze and Chogyal, like many Tibetans living in India and the US, never have.
Gawa created the concept of Tibet Kitchen about 5 years ago. He realized there were no restaurants serving Tibetan food in Boulder that were actually owned by Tibetans. He felt Boulder "need[ed] authentic Tibetan food" to show Americans what it's really like as well as to serve the Tibetan community which, Gawa said, has grown from about 25 Tibetans in 1995 to about 300 today. Gawa has clearly developed community through food as he greets regular customers, both American and Tibetan, by name and asks them about their latest doings.
When asked how food in Tibet is different from food in India, Nepal and China, Lhaze smiled and said that Tibet doesn't grow as many vegetables as these other countries "because it [Tibet] is so high. We cook what we have." Since Tibet Kitchen is located in Boulder, however, Lhaze and Chogyal make use of the many vegetables available here in their entrees.
Lhaze's favorite dish to cook is momos, Tibetan dumplings, because they're "different...There are so many rice dishes already...momos are unusual." Chogyal said he prefers to make Chili Chicken. When asked why, he leaned back in his chair and answered with a wink and a grin, "Because I like chicken, and I like spicy food!"
Chogyal said he learned to cook from his mother, Lhaze, who said she learned from her mother while she was growing up. Using recipes and cooking techniques passed down from one generation to the next is what makes Tibet Kitchen unique in this era of restaurant chains and corporate ownership.
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