Abbas Dhanani (left) and Rafael Nasr are two Houston cooks who wish to uplift one another, and different restaurateurs, by means of collaborations.
This story is a part of our “Causes to Love Houston” package deal, printed within the Spring 2025 concern.
Southern hospitality actually shines within the metropolis of Houston. Whether or not by means of teamwork cleanup after a pure catastrophe or help for a new native restaurant, you may at all times depend on the hospitality neighborhood to be there for each other. Abbas Dhanani of Burger Bodega and Rafael Nasr of Craft Pita, for example, uplift one another—and loads of different cooks—by means of pop-up collaborations. The motive? They only need everybody to succeed.
How did you meet and start working collectively?
Nasr: Considered one of my very shut Lebanese associates went to high school with Abbas at UH. He used to speak about Abbas loads and be like, “Hey, I’ve this buddy. You guys are very comparable, you each like sports activities, you each like meals, you guys want to satisfy.” Abbas simply got here in in the future, and we hit it off proper off the bat.
Dhanani: The primary time I went to Craft Pita, I used to be an enormous fan, and like Raffi mentioned, we hit it off. Then, when it was time for me to actually begin desirous about my idea, the primary particular person I informed was Raffi, as a result of I knew Raffi would actually provide that help that I would like. He’s actually been right here because the starting.
Though you provide completely different cuisines, each are fast-casual ideas. In different cities, this could be seen as cutthroat competitors, however Houston is completely different. Why do you suppose it’s necessary to work collectively relatively than in opposition to one another?
Dhanani: The sense of camaraderie in Houston that you’ve is not like another cities. I’ve had associates from different cities come to Houston and say, “Wow, we shouldn’t have this in any respect.” Everybody’s one another’s largest cheerleader [here], and I feel it form of actually speaks to Houston as a metropolis.
Nasr: I feel a part of it’s Houston’s measurement. There’s 11,000-plus eating places within the metropolis of Houston, and I don’t see a burger restaurant on Washington [Avenue] as my competitors. I see it as a chance to perhaps achieve some prospects that won’t find out about Craft Pita. I feel particularly for Abbas and I, being fast-casual eating places, we’ve finished numerous collaborations with very famend cooks on the town, and I feel it provides us a chance to perhaps achieve some enterprise [we] could not have had earlier than.
Dhanani: I feel the cool a part of [collaborations], is you may even see your favourite chef in a lightweight that you just may not see in any other case. Such as you gained’t see Chef G of Avenue to Kitchen or Chef Mayank [Istwal] of Musaafer making a burger of their eating places, however we give them that chance.
What are collaborations like between your two ideas?
Dhanani: Craft Pita is the primary [official collaboration] we ever did. It laid the groundwork for all of it. I knew that the primary one I needed to do was with Raffi, due to our historical past and him being there from the beginning. We’re at all times sharing completely different concepts, whether or not or not we have now a collaboration on the books, so it simply makes it that rather more thrilling. The primary time we sat collectively we had been like, “Alright, how can we put a pita and a cheeseburger collectively?” And it doesn’t really feel like work at that time. It’s simply two greatest associates messing round and making an attempt to determine issues out, after which it simply occurs to go on a menu.
Nasr: Abbas and I are at all times exchanging concepts and we’re sending one another concepts for one another’s idea. I feel we respect it as a result of you already know, you’ve got your individual thought of what it is best to promote on the time, however it’s good to have somebody who understands what you want but additionally thinks otherwise than you.
What else do you suppose makes Houston’s culinary scene distinctive in comparison with different cities?
Dhanani: I feel for me, Houston has a lot that different cities don’t provide. You may actually eat from any continent, any nation on the earth, in Houston. I feel that training half that Houston has to supply—I feel that cooks and meals individuals usually don’t take it without any consideration, and I feel that additionally provides to the togetherness.
Nasr: I at all times say for those who drive down Westheimer, you will get each delicacies on the earth. I feel [there is] the affordability side of it. Individuals eat out loads right here. They find out about completely different sorts of meals, and I feel that’s one of many issues that makes Houston distinctive. As somebody of two completely different cultures, my mother is from Peru and my dad is from Lebanon, however I’m as Texan because it will get, and Abbas is the foodie, sneakerhead, Pakistani man—there are lots of people like us, and that permits for individuals to need cool experiences like what we provide at these collabs.
