“Namaste, mera naam Rinchen hai aur mein Kolkata main cloud kitchen chalata hoon.” Meet Rinchen Wangdi Bhutia, the man behind the popular cloud kitchen, Rinchen’s Momo, in Kolkata. Originally from Sikkim, Rinchen has become a viral sensation on Instagram, not just for his daily vlogs but also for his delish momos. My Kolkata caught up with Rinchen to delve into his journey to fame.
Journey from Sikkim to Kolkata
Rinchen came to Kolkata from Sikkim in 2016, after completing his higher education from Sikkim Manipal University, Gangtok, and joined a BPO. After working for a year at the call centre, he shifted to the aviation sector as ground staff. But soon, he realised he needed a change. In 2019, he moved to the banking sector, but his true calling lay elsewhere. “I enjoyed the opportunities the city offered me but I was not satisfied with my career. After three years in the banking sector, I gave up on my job in October 2023 and went back to Sikkim,” said Rinchen, whose last role was that of a customer support executive. For three months, he stayed unemployed and during this period he brainstormed about his next career move. With a love for cooking, he started creating cooking reels in his spare time.
Born into a traditional Sikkimese family, the art of making momos were at Rinchen’s fingertips. According to him, “Everyone in Sikkim knows how to make momos. I have always seen my mother do it and learnt by observing her techniques carefully in the kitchen. I started my video-making journey by showcasing how to make momos.” Elder brother to two younger siblings, Rinchen was getting good views on his reels, but that wouldn't fetch him any financial support in the long run. With this thought in mind, the virtual foundation of Rinchen’s Momo was laid.
“I realised I had to move back to Kolkata to begin my cloud kitchen. In Sikkim, people wouldn’t buy my momos because they can just make theirs at home. Also, you don't have delivery apps. I came back to Kolkata and started researching on how to set up a cloud kitchen. I got help from my friends. I applied for the licences and in a few days my Sikkimese momos reached the customers.”
Juggling vlogging and a cloud kitchen
Rinchen’s rise to fame was meteoric, thanks to his innocence and simple vlogging style that captured hearts not just in Kolkata but across the country. At present, he has two Instagram accounts — @rinchen_momo for his cloud kitchen business and @vloggingkitchen for his daily vlogs. The former has about 66k followers while the latter boasts of a massive 324k audience. All in just four to five months!
Rinchen makes colourful momos by adding colours of different veggies
The 32 year-old attributes his fame to the city’s love for momos. “Kolkatans love momos, alongside their phuchkas. If you step out, you’ll find a momo stall in every nook and corner of the city. When I started taking orders personally, people loved the authentic Sikkimese momos — a perfect juicy, meaty filling wrapped in a thin sheet. I tried making momos in different shapes and adding colours using beetroot and other vegetables. That’s how the rose momos got popular.” Recently, after joining Zomato, many of his fans-turned-customers have attested that his momos sell out quickly. Despite being a one-man army, Rinchen tries to accommodate as many orders as possible, both offline and online. “I do everything alone. Initially, I used to go to the market and buy everything. Now, I get the chicken delivered from my local vendor but I still go to the market for other things. Cutting, chopping, cooking and packing are all on me without any helping hand.”
From prepping for his orders to making meals for himself, Rinchen’s daily vlogs sums up his day in a reel. Living in Kolkata for more than eight years, the Sikkimese boy couldn’t help but fall in love with Bengali cuisine too. His viewers often catch him relishing Bengali food in his regular meals. Sharing his favourites, Rinchen said, “Bengali cuisine has so much variety. One vegetable is used in so many different ways! My recent favourite is shukto. It is such a wholesome dish with so many vegetables. Healthy, tasty and perfect for the summers!”
When not cooking, the pet and plant parent spends time playing with his dog Jelly and gardening on his terrace.
Any reality show up next?
Over the past few months, many of Rinchen’s reels have gone viral, attracting the attention of talent scouts from various reality shows. He has already been approached by a few popular cooking reality shows. “A popular channel in the region is coming up with something and they want me on the show. I would love to be on one, but now I am focusing on my cloud kitchen,” he shared. The home chef spends most of his time vlogging and cooking, and both give him the ultimate satisfaction he was looking for all these years.
Rinchen with his parents and siblings
The social media star from Sikkim has been already tasting his fair share of popularity when he goes out and people approach him for a selfie. He is certainly making his folks and family proud. Rinchen said, “My mother is very happy and so are my siblings. My father, who is a teacher, doesn’t understand Instagram. Sometimes he jokes, wondering why I’m not pursuing a ‘proper’ job and instead, cooking and making videos (laughs).”
Rinchen’s Momo started in December 2023, initially offering steamed momos. Over time, he expanded the menu to include pan-fried momos, veg momos, fried momos and some delish Korean dishes, like Korean noodles, Korean chicken leg piece etc. The success still seems surreal to him. Summing up his journey so far, Rinchen said, “I am blessed and overwhelmed by the love of my viewers and customers.”