Today we’d like to introduce you to Devi States.
Hi Devi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey to opening Everest Cafe & Bar began with my professional work in the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division at the City of St. Louis Department of Health. As part of my role, I conducted community health needs assessments across the city. Through this work, I found that stroke, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes were among the leading causes of death, impacting many of my neighbors and our community. These conditions are closely tied to diet, lifestyle, and access to health education.
That experience inspired me to open Everest Cafe & Bar with a clear purpose: to turn public health knowledge into everyday practice. Built on the belief that food is medicine, we are committed to promoting healthier lives by offering fresh, heart-healthy, nutritious meals to our customers.
Everest Cafe & Bar is more than a restaurant. It is a welcoming community space focused on education, prevention, and connection. Since 2004, we have supported the health and well-being of our neighbors not only through food, but also through action. In addition to serving healthy meals, I regularly offer free blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screenings, along with diabetes education and healthy cooking guidance.
Beyond St. Louis, I am also the founder and Executive Director of the Himalayan Family Healthcare Project (HFHCP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing healthcare and health education in remote regions of Nepal.
Thank you for being part of the Everest Cafe & Bar community. Your support helps us advance health, compassion, and connection—both locally and globally.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey has not been a smooth road. I had to build and sustain a business while staying grounded in a mission rooted in public health—advancing nutrition and diabetes prevention through everyday food choices. One of the biggest challenges has been changing perceptions and habits. Many people are accustomed to convenient, less healthy food options, so encouraging a shift toward fresh, heart-healthy meals takes time, education, and trust. Creating a space where food is not only delicious but also purposeful—supporting long-term health—has required persistence and community engagement. There have also been financial and operational challenges, particularly in maintaining high-quality, nutritious ingredients while keeping meals affordable and accessible. Like many small businesses, we have faced economic pressures over the years, but our commitment to “food with purpose” has guided us through those difficult times.
Despite these obstacles, each challenge has strengthened my resolve. Seeing the positive impact on our community’s health and awareness—especially around diabetes prevention—continues to reaffirm why Everest Cafe & Bar exists.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Owner and Executive Chef of Everest Café & Bar in St. Louis and the Founder and Executive Director of the Himalayan Family Healthcare Project (HFHCP), a nonprofit that has provided healthcare and health education to remote communities in Nepal since 2010. My work is rooted in one purpose: to serve others and improve lives through health, education, and compassion.
I specialize in chronic disease prevention, especially Type 2 diabetes, by bringing public health into everyday life. At Everest Café & Bar, I created more than a restaurant. I created a space where food becomes a tool for healing. We serve fresh, heart-healthy meals while also offering free screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, along with diabetes education and healthy cooking guidance. For me, this work is personal, because I have seen what lack of access to health and education can do.
I was born in a remote region of Nepal, where access to basic healthcare and education was extremely limited. After losing both of my parents at a young age, I became homeless and lived on the streets of Kathmandu for nearly two years. During that time, survival was uncertain, but I held onto one dream: to go to school and one day help others.
My life changed when I met Dr. James States, an American physician who had completed a successful climb of Mount Everest in 1983. In an extraordinary act of compassion, he brought me to the United States. That moment did not just change my circumstances, it gave me a second chance at life.
Through faith, resilience, and determination, I pursued education with purpose. Today, I hold multiple advanced degrees, including a PhD in Technology with a healthcare concentration, a Doctor of Health Science (DHSc), a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Master of Social Work (MSW), and a Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics, and I am currently completing my Doctor of Education (EdD) at Vanderbilt University. But education, for me, has never been about titles. It has been about transformation and service.
What sets me apart is not just my academic background, but my lived experience and how I apply what I have learned. I have built a bridge between local and global impact. Everest Café & Bar supports healthier lives here in St. Louis while also helping fund healthcare access for underserved communities in Nepal through HFHCP.
What I am most proud of is turning my pain into purpose, transforming a journey that began with loss and hardship into one that creates opportunity, health, and hope for others.
As I often say, I do not pursue education to impress. I pursue it to serve. I learn to lead so I can lift others, just as I was once lifted.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are many meaningful ways to support and collaborate with my work, both locally and globally.
One of the most important ways to support us is by supporting Everest Café & Bar. Simply choosing to dine with us makes a real difference. Many restaurants have come and gone over the years, but we have remained since 2004 because our work is driven by something greater than business. We are committed to promoting health, serving our community, and supporting our nonprofit mission to bring healthcare and education to remote regions of Nepal.
Everest Café & Bar is not just a place to eat. It is a mission-driven space where food, health, and education come together. Your support allows us to continue offering fresh, heart-healthy meals, free health screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, and ongoing health education for our community.
We also welcome partnerships and collaborations with healthcare organizations, schools, universities, and community groups. Together, we can host workshops, health education programs, and community events focused on nutrition, diabetes prevention, and healthy living.
On a global level, individuals and organizations can support or collaborate with the Himalayan Family Healthcare Project. This includes volunteering, partnerships, advocacy, and financial contributions to expand access to healthcare and education in remote regions of Nepal.
What makes this work unique is the connection between local action and global impact. Supporting Everest Café & Bar helps improve lives here in St. Louis while also extending care and opportunity to underserved communities in Nepal.
At the heart of it all is a shared purpose: to serve others, improve health, and create lasting change.
Websites:
- Everest Cafe & Bar: www.everestinthegrovestl.com
- Himalayan Family Healthcare Project: www.himalayanhealthmo.org/
