A dad who escaped civil war has “finally fulfilled his dream” after moving to the Wirral.
Jeevan Kandel, who lives in Moreton, fled his home country of Nepal in 2001 after experiencing “horrific war crimes and brutality”. The 37-year-old said despite the Nepalese Civil War not being documented much in the West, the war was “as bad as war gets”. The conflict made the dad-of-two realise how “precious” life is and spurred him on to follow his passion for working with food.
The dad-of-two said: “I had so many happy memories as a child in Nepal – I could see the Himalayas from my bedroom window and I’d play cricket. I used to help my mother cook using fresh herbs and spices and this is where I developed my passion for cooking. It was such a beautiful life until the civil war started whilst I was doing my GCSEs and they made me join the army at 15.”
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“The Nepalese Civil War was as bad as war gets. My friends died, unspeakable things happened and there was a constant threat of death. I was one of the lucky ones who managed to escape to India and that experience made me realise that life is precious so I followed my passion of working with food, having always dreamed of having my own restaurant.”
Jeevan came to Wirral with his wife and two daughters in 2016, following an eight-year stint as senior chef at the acclaimed Dishoom in London. After a couple of chef roles locally, the opportunity arose to take over Fajitas at Moreton Cross – a Mexican restaurant that had failed due to a 0-star hygiene rating.
Despite the previous bad reputation, Jeevan has turned the restaurant around – rebranding it as Piri Siri. Open seven days a week and found on Hoylake Road, the venue prides itself on offering “colourful Mexican food” including classics such as burritos, tacos and chimichangas.
Jeevan added: “Moving to Wirral is the best thing that could have happened to me. My wife and kids love it here and we are now proper Wirralians. To have my restaurant has always been my dream and when this came up in 2022 I jumped at the chance. I decided to call it Piri Siri after my daughters Pirity and Siristy. It has been a big gamble to take it on but the customer reviews make it all worthwhile.”
The business owner recalled how he plied his trade with chefs internationally and mastered various cuisines — falling in love with Mexican food and using his knowledge of herbs and spices from back home to put his own “unique twists” on the dishes.
Jeevan said: “It’s been a big task and a big risk taking on this restaurant, especially in the climate with energy bills and the cost of living, but after what I experienced in Nepal I feel like anything is possible. If you stay strong, work hard and follow your dreams you can achieve anything. I would like to say a big thank you to the people of Wirral for the welcome my family has received and for believing in me.”
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