Not Your Dad's Fast Casual: Industry Night, May 18, 2023
Welcome to another Industry Night with Nycci Nellis. If you follow me on Insta - and you should @nyccinellis - you know I have been out and about. And it has been a week of incredible eats:
-The Napa Valley Vintners were in town pouring their incredible wines all over town. And I wasn’t just at one event, I was at two! First, 25+ winemakers poured at the Duck & the Peach - side note - I did record a show there with several of them — and then I was invited to the Smithsonian for an incredible evening honoring the winemakers - Napa Valley Wines in Changing Times with:
-Andy Erickson, Favia;
-Dawnine Dyer, Dyer Vineyard;
-Doug Shafer, Shafer Vineyards;
-and Martin M. Reyes, Reyes Wine Group
They all poured their wines during a glorious sit-down dinner while also chatting about the issues facing that gorgeous region.
-Got a group of Boss Babes at Nobu for an evening of pristine sushi & amazing cocktails
Now, since this is my third show recording this week, that’s the three things I have consumed since the last taping! But just wait until this weekend its chock full of events — White House Correspondents Party at the Ambassador of Japan’s Residence, checking out David Deshaies new Love, Makoto, and another trip up to NYC to celebrate famous alums of the CIA.
Today’s show:
Sahil Rahman & his partner Rahul Vinod are the two behind the wildly successful fast-casual concept, RASA. And honestly, I am feeling a little old sitting here. Years ago when I started in this business I met his father, Surfy Rahman, and Surfy’s business partner chef K.N. Vinod when they opened Indique in Cleveland Park in 2002. These two men were part of an incredible wave of immigrant-owned restaurants in this city that helped change not just the way we ate — deliciously — but also gave people a new point of view when it came to restaurants and the dining scene in this city. Cut to today, Sahil & Rahul have turned the industry on its head with their innovative concept of fine fast casual Indian. I personally love where Sahil’s head is at … tune in ~
"We're not selling Indian cuisine, we're selling happiness, and Indian cuisine happens to be our medium." -Sahil Rahman
“You know, no matter where you start, the most important thing is to start and be relentless”- Sahil Rahman
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode here.
Our Guest:
Sahil Raman
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