Chef Gyanendra Sharma and his wife, Tara Poudel, had always dreamt of owning a restaurant as a retirement project, and after the pandemic, they decided to expedite that dream and open Aama Nepalese Cuisine in 2022. The couple, both born and raised in Nepal but living in Calgary at the time, chose Cochrane as the ideal location for their restaurant because of its mountainous backdrop that reminded them of Nepal’s Himalayas.
The Cochrane community responded with enthusiasm, and the restaurant quickly gained popularity. In 2023, it hosted the Momothon: Race to Everest Base Camp Vol. I contest to show appreciation for the support from the community — the lucky winner won a trip to Nepal.
The contest was so popular that the couple brought it back for Vol. II. Anyone who orders Aama’s Momothon menu will have a chance to win an all-expense-paid trip to hike to Everest Base Camp.
Authentic flavours
Aama takes pride in the authenticity of its dishes. Nepal has a large diversity of food and culture, and the menu’s offerings reflect popular dishes from its various regions and groups. Customers can enjoy Himalayan stew, traditional thali (a platter of various foods like curry, rice and lentils) and Nepal’s iconic street food, momos.
Momos are Nepalese dumplings, and Aama makes them entirely from scratch. You can choose from yak, chicken, goat, pork, veggie or paneer veggie for the filling, and expect each momo to be hand rolled in made-in-house dough.
Momothon: Race to Everest Base Camp Vol. II is the perfect excuse to try different momos. For an entry, you must order the Momothon menu, which is $49.99 and includes 18 momos — you choose your preferred fillings — in three different cook styles: deep-fried in Tandoori sauce and chilli sauce, and steamed. The menu also comes with six spring rolls and easily feeds two people.
“We want people to know what Nepali food is. Everybody knows about Mount Everest, but they don’t know about the people, the food and the culture,” says Poudel.
From the Canadian Rockies to the Himalayas
“The main goal of the contest is to connect people and cultures,” explains Poudel. “It’s how we tie traditional momos in Alberta to the Himalayas.”
Aama will choose the winner of Momothon: Race to Everest Base Camp Vol. II in early 2026, so you have plenty of time to enter and get a taste of Aama’s momos. In fact, you have time to return for multiple entries. The winner will get a fully paid trip to Nepal to hike to Everest Base Camp and discover Nepalese culture. For everyone else, Aama does a great job of showcasing Nepal’s warm hospitality, right in Cochrane.
The restaurant is built on five value pillars: food, culture, community, service and gratitude. Sharma and Poudel have tied them all together through a restaurant that recreates the warm feeling that comes from a home-cooked meal, made with love. Aama brings the community together by sharing Nepalese culture.
For more information about Aama and Momothon: Race to Everest Base Camp Vol. II, visit aamanepalesecuisine.ca.
This content was produced for the advertiser by RedPoint Media for commercial purposes. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Avenue staff.