After graduating from St Xavier's in Kathmandu, unlike most Nepali men Jaya Thapa decided he liked to cook. It was a passion nurtured since helping his mother around the kitchen. A brief stint as waiter at the Soaltee cemented his commitment and in 1975, the hobby turned into profession when he won a scholarship to France.

In wine country, he studied hotel management and was exposed to the finer points of French culinary culture. It was there that he also met his Chilean wife, Gladys Burgos and accompanied her to South America. Barely three years later, Jaya was homesick and his wife wanted to get to know his family in Nepal. So, eight years after leaving Nepal, Jaya returned with his wife and two daughters, Edna and Carina.

La marmite, a French restaurant that Jaya established in 1982 in Kathmandu became a big hit. Inclined to stay but feeling insecure about his children's education, he moved back to Chile in 1987. "I sacrificed my love for my country for my children's future," Jaya confesses, "but the plan was always to come home once they were in college." True to his word, he returned to Kathmandu in 2004. Initially, the Thapas found it hard to adjust but the closely-knit Latino-Nepali family had strong bonds. "It was either all of us or none at all," Jaya says.

The family runs a Hispanic restaurant in Bhatbhateni called Delicia. There is a certain symmetry in all this because in Santiago, Jaya ran an Asian restaurant called Shangrila.

Jaya is devoted to his children. "I missed their childhood because I was so busy. I don't want to miss the rest of their lives," he says. Happy to be back in Kathmandu, he knows he's made the right decision. His children are discovering their roots and learning Nepali. The eldest daughter has shown interest in the business and Thapa plans to hand it over to her eventually.

Jaya is happy with his laidback life and although his clientele is growing, doesn't want to expand his restaurant for now.

(Aarti Basnyat )