Bipin Kandel

Bipin Kandel is a mechanical engineer and entrepreneur who completed his engineering studies on a government-funded scholarship at the Pulchowk campus. Melding his technical expertise with a love for traditional Nepalese roasted corn, he founded Makai Ghar, a corn-centric restaurant brand under the name Thetno, located at Sangam Chowk in Baneshwor. Kandel designed and built a fully automated corn-roasting machine that can roast ten corns at once in under five minutes, utilizing a precise heating gap to ensure they are thoroughly cooked. He also designed the restaurant's unique interior elements, which include a modified cycle and a traditional seating arrangement.

Kandel is passionate about solving fundamental, localized problems in Nepal through technological innovation rather than simply following global trends. His business currently employs three people and focuses on a simple menu that avoids dependency on highly skilled manpower to allow for easier future expansion. Guided by a philosophy of living in the present, avoiding regrets, and maintaining a free mindset, Kandel keeps his future business plans open, considering paths such as expanding outlets, franchising, or supplying his automated machines to street vendors.