The Artistic Foodies

In Episode 30, we talk to Umar Atallah Khan about Mustache, the coming-of-age film by writer/director Imran J. Khan, and its upcoming screening events in Austin. We also discuss the growth of Muslim communities in the Bay Area, Austin, and the UK, along with Umar’s work with the Ihsan Collective, which brings art, music, and creative programming to Austin’s Muslim community.

We sat down with Abbas Rattani (Mipsterz, Minara) to dive deep into themes of belonging, art, and being "too Muslim and not Muslim enough" at the same time. Also: a Paris café, a peanut butter jam session, and one very memorable anthrax joke.This episode is sponsored by Deccan Morsels in Fremont, CA.

Abbas and Irfan sit down with Muhi Khwaj and Gus Annan to talk about building Muslim community: the short-term needs, the long-term vision, and the third spaces where it all comes together. The conversation flows through the rich history of coffee in Yemen, today’s coffee culture trends, and why the Muslim community has found something deeply familiar in a good cup. This episode also features the story of coffee by Omar Offendum and a personal reflection on Yemeni coffee culture from Hisham Hussain.

In this episode, Irfan and Abbas sit down with the legendary Narjis Sheikh, who is a Toronto-based novel writer as well as a community organizer with a deep passion for helping people make their dreams come true. In this episode we talk with Narjis about her journey of social entrepreneurship, the ups and downs of a founder's experience in creating out of nothing, and the immense value of having the support and backing of your community.

Devon Avenue: where the spices are bold, the art is vibrant, and the stories run deep — sometimes too deep. In this unforgettable episode of The Artistic Foodies Podcast, we explore the cultural heartbeat of Chicago’s South Asian community through food, history, and a dark local mystery. From the heated debate over Ali’s Nihari vs. Sabri Nihari, to the rich legacy of Tahoora Sweets, to the chilling discovery of bodies found above the beloved kulfi shop — Diwan-e-Devon blends flavor with folklore, and crime with culture.

In this episode, we’re joined by the multi-talented Shahjehan Khan, an actor, writer, musician, and host of the acclaimed podcast King of the World. We dive into his roles playing a character in Mortal Kombat, the new Hulu series Deli Boys, and his journey as a founding member of the trailblazing Muslim punk band The Kominas.

In this episode, we sit with the founder of Boycat, an app that has redirected over $170 million from unethical brands, evolving from a boycott tool into a gamified ethical marketplace. Check out the app on your app stores and tune in for the interview.

Aymann Ismail is an accomplished journalist with a deep passion for stories that pertain to American Muslims, a passion that is explored in the upcoming docuseries “American Muslims: A History Revealed”. Join us in this episode as we discuss the history of Muslims in the US, journalism as a Muslim, and a deep dive into the history of the only food created exclusively by American Muslims: the Bean Pie!

Join us in this intimate chat with the OG Muslim comedian, practitioner of ‘protest comedy’, lover of jazz music, and our latest guest of honor: Preacher Moss. We talk about the art form of comedy, his history on building the Muslim comedy scene, as well as pontificating on the current and future states of comedy from within the Muslim community. This episode was sponsored by Tandoori Grill in San Jose.

What is cannabis, why is it relevant to the Muslim community in the West, and is cannabis consumption even Halal? Is this a modern debate within the Muslim community, or a tale as old as our religion itself? What are Islamic scholars saying about cannabis consumption and industry? Are the health benefits true or is there no value to the plant? What can you do if you know someone whose developed an unhealthy habit? We sit with all these questions in our discussion with Ishaq Ali, a cannabis industry veteran and co-founder of Halal Hemp. Tune into the episode for a deep dive into this topic, and journey with us as we explore these questions.