Everest Kitchen first to be part of Healthy Restaurant Program

Everest Kitchen was presented a certificate by the Division of Public Health Services as the first restaurant to be included in their CNMI BIBA Healthy Restaurant Program. The program identifies restaurants and menu items which are approved by local dietitians based on nutrition standards set forth by various health agencies. (Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)

Everest Kitchen is the first restaurant in the CNMI to be part of the CNMI BIBA Healthy Restaurant Program launched by the Division of Public Health Services.

Representatives from DPH presented a certificate to Everest Kitchen owner Laxmi Shrestha Thursday in recognition of their achievement.

“It is an honor to present this certificate to Everest Kitchen,” said CHCC chief executive officer Esther Muna said, “This restaurant is a pioneer for providing the CNMI public with more nutritious options through the healthy restaurant program, and clearly marking these menu options with the BIBA logo contribute directly to a healthier CNMI.”

DPH director Margarita Torres Aldan said it is important for the community to have these options available to them and noted that aside from being healthy, Everest’s menu is reasonable.

“It’s really important because one of the barriers that our community says to us is where do we go, where do we go for healthy choices or that it is expensive,” Aldan said.

Shrestha thanked DPH for the recognition that was awarded to her and her restaurant.

Everest Kitchen’s food is made from scratch daily and influenced by authentic Nepalese and Mediterranean cuisine. Located in Garapan, they currently operate through lunch hours but plans to serve dinner again soon.

As part of the BIBA Healthy Restaurant Program, Everest Kitchen now has the BIBA logo on their menu beside food items that were approved by local dietitians.

“The BIBA logo is a brand that can be trusted by the public so restaurant patrons can make the healthy choice the easy choice while dining out,” said Aldan said.

DPH developed the program so that local participating restaurants can provide clearly marked healthy menu options to their patrons.

CHCC dietitians along with staff from the DPH developed specific nutrition standards for recipes, which use guidelines and definitions set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and the Whole Grains Council.

Recipes are analyzed by these BIBA nutrition guidelines that specifically monitor calories, fruit and vegetable servings, grains, proteins, dairy, sugars, fats, and sodium. Further, participating BIBA restaurants agree to serve water free of cost and pledge to one commitment of health such as providing healthy side dishes or reducing sugar sweetened beverages.

“We hope the community will support Everest Kitchen and the other participating restaurants, and that the restaurants not yet participating in the BIBA program will follow their lead,” Aldan said.

According to local project assistant Jessica Lorfing, the BIBA program is currently processing applications from Caravan, Tropical Blendz, and Shirley’s Coffee Shop. They are planning to implement it at twenty restaurants in 2016.

Loyalty cards are available for patrons who consistently order BIBA menu options. For every five BIBA entrees ordered, the sixth entrée is 10 percent off. Patrons can also help raise awareness for the program by taking a photo of their food and either posting it to the CNMI REACH Facebook page or link the photo to the hashtag #oneplateatatime.