Help others by eating at The Hungry Buddha

Posted on 13 August, 2014

When you hear the word ‘birthday’, what do you think of? I bet a lot of us think ‘present’ (as in gift), whether it be for ourselves or someone else. Well, The Hungry Buddha just turned three—but rather than receiving presents, the restaurant is giving them—by donating 10 per cent of all its proceeds during August to disadvantaged children in Nepal.

I first met Lachhu and Ben, the owners of The Hungry Buddha, back in August last year. Since then, there have been changes, both in the restaurant and in them.

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The restaurant has seen the addition of a new room, which can be used as a private dining space, or for talks, seminars and functions. It’s simply but beautifully decorated, with the main feature being a wooden sculpture by a local artist, where each plank of wood represents a different mountain in Nepal to scale (plus Mt Kosciuszko, which is tiny by comparison). Nepal has eight of the 10 highest mountains in the world, and the longer you look at the sculpture and try and visualise how many mountains there are and how tall they are, the greater your appreciation is for the terrain and majesty of the country.

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As for the changes in Lachhu and Ben, it’s their confidence in the business, and growth both personally and in how they work together.

“Ben and I are very different people,” Lachhu explains. “While we’re friends and we trust each other, we’ve had to learn to adjust to how the other operates, and to respect their way. But we’re now more and more confident in what we do, how we work together, and what the next steps will be.”

“Running the Hungry Buddha has helped me grow up a lot in the past year,” Ben adds. “We’ve achieved so much, and now it’s no longer a question of ‘can we do it?’ but ‘when?’.”

One such initiative that both are passionate about is helping disadvantaged children in Nepal. Coming from a poor family in Nepal himself, Lachhu has a particular interest in giving these children opportunities.

“We’ve been able to use The Hungry Buddha to host fundraising nights where the proceeds from people’s meals go towards helping school children in remote areas in Nepal,” he explains. “To determine where the money goes, we talk to the Red Cross to identify particular schools, and then the principals of those schools tell us which children and their families are in most need. We then use the money to buy the items they’ll need, like school books and clothing, enough to last them throughout the year. Because we do it ourselves, there are no admin costs, so all the money goes to the children.”

They’ve also used some of their fundraising efforts to open a children’s cricket academy in Pokhara, Nepal. The academy is fully funded by The Hungry Buddha and was borne from Lachhu’s love for cricket and wanting to give children in Nepal the opportunity to play.

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Ben, who comes from quite a different background, says that travelling to Nepal was an eye-opener. “I don’t think lots of people in Australia realise what it’s like in other countries,” he says. “I think they would appreciate what they have more if they saw how others have to live. And hopefully be compelled to help.”

It’s clear from Lachhu and Ben’s enthusiasm that they really believe in the causes they support, and that they’re dedicated to doing what they can, because they can. They’ve also been inspired by others, such as a friend involved with the Room to Read charity, and Sue Driscoll, an Australian who has established a care house in Nepal for disabled and helpless children.

So if you want to help out—and get a good meal in return—visit The Hungry Buddha in August, and know that you’re contributing to a great cause. As Lachhu said to me, it’s a win-win!

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The essentials
The place: The Hungry Buddha
Where: 44 Curtin Place, Curtin (down the stairs between the chemist and seafood takeaway shop)
When: Dinner Monday – Sunday, 6pm-10pm
Food: Nepalese food, including lots of vegetarian, dairy and gluten free options
Drinks: Wine, soft drinks, lassi, Nepalese beer
Contact: Call 02 6285 2425, visit the website or check out their Facebook page.