Foodies and TikTok enthusiasts alike have found a new star in the kitchen: Chef Kaiser Lashkari, whose candid videos have amassed a staggering viewership with his culinary wisdom on Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Lashkari, chef and owner of Himalaya restaurant in Houston, has been setting the record straight on everything from the proper terminology of "naan" (it's not "naan bread") to why you shouldn't say "chai tea" (it's just "chai"), as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
His TikTok fame came as an unexpected twist in Lashkari's 20-year long culinary journey. The chef's approachable social media demeanor turns complex flavors into easy-to-digest content, educating his audience one spice and snack at a time. According to the Houston Chronicle, Lashkari had no idea his content would resonate with millions. "Not in a million years — I didn't think it would get this kind of response," he said. But beyond the virality, the heart of his mission is simple: correcting misconceptions about the food he grew up with and loves.
Lashkari's efforts go beyond social media. He has been shaping the culinary landscape along Hillcroft Avenue for decades, an odyssey that reflects his ambitious spirit just as much as his James Beard Award nomination or the spotlight on Anthony Bourdain's show. As told to the Chron, Lashkari's next big project may see him stepping away from Himalaya's kitchen to launch a culinary school — a testament to his lifelong dedication to food and education.
Born into a lower-middle-class family in Karachi, Pakistan, Lashkari's pivot from the path toward medicine to one searing with spices and savory dishes could have been seen as controversial. Coming to America with little but a dream, the chef worked through financial constraints and cultural shifts early on. Lashkari's commitment to authenticity and culinary excellence has set Himalaya apart, cementing its status in Houston's food scene. Indeed, the love story between him and his wife Azra played no small part in the restaurant's success. Azra, once skeptical of her husband's infamous chicken hara masala, "challenged her husband to make it sharper," which evidently paid off in flavor dividends.
As Lashkari told the Houston Chronicle, his efforts aren't about publicity for Himalaya, which has become a culinary landmark over the past two decades. "I am doing this because I want to tell the people about certain misconceptions that people have about Indian food." And so, through the screens of smartphones and the plates at his restaurant, Lashkari is educating palates and enriching cultural understanding, one TikTok video and serving of chicken hara masala at a time.
