Episode 432 - Ali Mesghali and Stephen Kaplan of Rumi's Kitchen

from What's Eric Eating · host What's Eric Eating

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Ali Mesghali and Stephen Kaplan of Rumi's Kitchen. The pair speak with Eric about what led to the creation of Rumi's Kitchen, the tough early day's of the concept, the Persian influences, the passion for the concept as the restaurant has evolved, the beverage program, why Houston was the right next market for them, Houstonians welcoming reception, the future of Rumi's in Houston, what's important for them heading into year 2 in Houston, and more. Plus, Ali talks about his early days in the culinary industry, wanting to showcase Persian cuisine, his favorite dishes on the menu, how their flavors on Rumi's are different compared to other Persian restaurants, developing a Persian brunch, and why competition is important.Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at [email protected]. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Texas Roadhouse Plans First Houston-Area Outpost of its Casual Burger Spot Houston Entrepreneur Serves Up Italian-Inspired Market Near Rice Village Creative Montrose Pizzeria Will Shutter After Only a Year-and-a-Half Houston Pizzeria Unveils Indulgent Caviar Pizza for the Holiday Season

NOW PLAYING

0:00 32:59

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Visionary Archetypes for Worldbuilding

Apr 15, 2026 ·28m

Bringing it all together.

Mar 31, 2026 ·54m

Why is the vendor role so contentious in the cyber ecosystem?

Mar 27, 2026 ·14m

But what do you really want?

Mar 24, 2026 ·42m

Strategic approaches to talent: A practical guide.

Mar 20, 2026 ·42m

Mid season reflection with Kim Jones.

Mar 17, 2026 ·41m

Similar Podcasts

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SMILE! Creatives Club Media Lights, Camera, Smile, is a podcast for anyone with a dream to share something with the world, out of the overflow of themselves - be it their mind, their heart, their personalities, and much more. Each of us are alive in this moment in time, with an innate ability to have ideas and create various things to benefit both ourselves and the people around us for a reason, and here, you will find the encouragement, the inspiration, and the motivation to do just that. Hosted by Cicily, founder of Creatives Club, she dives into various topics surrounding creativity and business. Exploring entrepreneurship for creatives in a corporate reality, sharing tips and tricks in a media centered company, answering questions regarding what a creative actually is are just a few of the things discussed on this podcast. Be encouraged to create for yourself as Cicily gets vulnerable by pivoting the camera to herself for the first time.To submit questions for Cicily to answer, or have her address certain t Solving for Change MOBIA Technology Innovations Solving for Change welcomes business and technology leaders to share stories of bold business transformation within complex organizations. In an era when technology and markets are changing around businesses, the key to staying competitive is to evolve in response to those changes. MOBIA’s Mike Reeves and Marc LeBlanc investigate business transformation, deconstructing the challenges, ambitions, and market disruptions that drive companies to embark on transformation journeys, and exploring their unique approaches to achieving meaningful outcomes. What sparks leaders to pursue business transformation? How do they overcome the challenges along the way? What are the keys to creating enduring change? Through in-depth conversations with business and technology leaders, Mike and Marc answer these questions and explore how businesses evolve by pulling four key transformation levers: people, process, technology, and culture. CISO Perspectives (public) N2K Networks This season on CISO Perspectives, host Kim Jones explores some of the challenges of leading through uncertainty. We explore the complexity of the changing nature of regulation and working with the federal government, the evolution of privacy and fraud, and how emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing are changing cyber. When you don’t know what questions to ask, you’re afraid to ask, or don’t know who to ask, CISO Perspectives provides the foundation for learning in this brave new world. NEWMORROW SESSIONS - A PodCast Series on the Future of Hospitality Mario C. Bauer, Florian Schneider, Axel Weber & Dr. Tillman Bardt The Newmorrow PodCast is more than a podcast — it's a platform for open dialog on the future of our business, a platform for those building what doesn’t exist yet. Here, we share and embrace our passion for the hospitality industry, but we won’t romanticize the journey. We ask the tough questions, confront uncomfortable truths, and prepare for a future that resists easy answers. We believe that the tougher and wilder times become, the more openly, honestly and humanely people need to talk to each other and act together. We believe, openness, togetherness, and truthfulness should also be cornerstones of a professional community to develop our utopian idea of „open source“. This is a space where visionaries don’t just imagine the future — they wrestle with the paradoxes that shape it: success vs. happiness, data vs. instinct, stability vs. reinvention. Join leaders, entrepreneurs, and thinkers as they share not what made them — but what’s actively shaping them, now and next. So tune in

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of What's Eric Eating?

This episode is 32 minutes long.

When was this What's Eric Eating episode published?

This episode was published on December 19, 2024.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this What's Eric Eating episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!