The night I met Arati
“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world… she walks into mine.”
It’s one of the most famous lines in cinema, spoken by Rick in his bar, Rick’s Café Américain, in the film Casablanca. Whenever I hear it, I can’t help smiling - because in my own small way, something very similar happened to me… and with very much the opposite of that brooding melancholia that Rick oozes throughout the scene.
Of all the restaurants, in all the cities, in all the world… Arati walked into mine.
And how lucky was I that she did? The restaurant in question was Kilroy’s of Kathmandu, and we had only been open a few months.
Thanks to some favourable reviews and a handful of celebrity diners (~ I’m looking at you Rajesh Himal!), it was already gathering a little momentum across the city… not to mention the climbers and expedition teams passing through Kathmandu on their way to scale the Himalayas – something I later reflected on in cooking for the Everest generation.
The open kitchen, the garden setting, and the sense of occasion also helped as our understated, yet vibrant atmosphere enveloped guests away from the hustle and bustle of the city beyond.
Around that time an enterprising Radio DJ approached us with an idea. Being as Saturday night - 13 February 1999 - would be the night before Valentine’s Day, she wanted to host a large ‘Valentine’s Eve’ party at the restaurant and sell tickets across Kathmandu. It sounded like fun - and in true Kilroy’s fashion, we said yes.
On the night itself, over 300 guests descended on us like a rock festival. For me it was the least romantic event ever, and yet it totally worked! We were on a roll.
With live band energy filling the garden and dining rooms we had celebs, hot girls, cool dudes, and even a few diplomats dancing, mingling and playing mischief. What a great night to be a restaurateur, I thought ,as I stood in the kitchen doing what most cooks do best on a Saturday night - keeping an eye on the service and making sure everything ran smoothly. At some point during the evening, I was told that a guest wanted to speak to the chef.
That guest was Arati.
Having sold some tickets for the organiser, she came along with her friend and was looking forward to the party. She had heard about Kilroy’s in the press and was curious about the food - but the fixed party menu wasn’t quite what she had expected. (Every ticket came with a meal of Dal Bhaat and a drink!)
So she asked if the chef might prepare something different. Being the chef patron, that request came straight to me.
Introducing myself at her table, I was instantly smitten, so I prepared one of my signature dishes - Jasmine Tea-smoked Quail Breast on Salad of Oriental Dressing, if I recall - and brought it out to her personally. It seemed the least I could do for someone who had taken the trouble to ask. We chatted briefly. After I retreated to the kitchen, one of my team said they thought she may have been a Nepali celebrity actress and that I should get my photo with her for some publicity. So, before she left I cheekily suggested we take a photograph together.
When I mentioned her movie career, she laughed and handed me a business card. As it turned out, Arati was working across town as Guest Relations Manager at a casino in Kathmandu, leading a team of more than sixty people in her department! I was so embarassed. And happy too, As I wouldn’t have taken the photo otherwise. I mean, who does that!?
A few weeks later we met again. This time at her casino when she was on duty, and our conversation flowed effortlessly. So, I invited her for dinner at Kilroy’s to properly enjoy my cooking from the menu. Dessert was on the menu.. as was a cheeky foot rub which she enjoyed as our romantic evening played out. Before long we were dating, and the story that began on a crowded Valentine’s Eve night quietly turned into something much more meaningful.
In October 2000 we were married at the Bhadrakali Temple in the heart of Kathmandu, surrounded by family and friends. Our daughter Jade was born in a private hospital in Putalisadak, Kathmandu and later we travelled to the United Kingdom where we celebrated again with a big fab Irish church wedding.
As I write this, it has been twenty-seven years since that unexpected evening at Kilroy’s. Looking back, it’s one of those moments that reminds you how unpredictable life can be. An unexpected restaurant booking. A menu request. A quick conversation between courses. And somehow, two became three because of it.
Looking back now, it feels even more fitting that the story of Kilroy’s – and the idea of bringing it back to Kathmandu one day – began with that simple moment across a restaurant table.
Over the years our story has appeared in the press, both in the UK and in Nepal, including a feature about Nepali and international couples joining hands and hearts. You can read that article here.
And recently we returned to one of the world’s most romantic cities to celebrate that chance meeting once again. If you’d like to see how that story has unfolded twenty-seven years later, you can watch our short travelogue here.
As Rick famously says in Casablanca: “We’ll always have Paris.” For us, it all began on a Valentine’s Eve in Kathmandu.
~ Thomas 🙏
Thomas and Arati Kilroy over the years….
