The Sporkful This Afghan Restaurant In Houston Tastes Like Home
May 11, 2026
Omar Yousafzai, Houston restaurateur who founded Afghan Village and helps newly arrived Afghan refugees. He talks about opening a community hub around palau and kabobs, how his defense-contracting past influenced the restaurant, training cooks with his mother, feeding people who cannot pay, and his kids pitching in in the kitchen.
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Contractor Years Sparked Restaurant Idea
- Omar’s work as a defense contractor recruiting Afghan linguists brought him to Bagram and Camp Phoenix where local food was shared with U.S. personnel.
- Those shared meals inspired Omar’s idea to open an Afghan restaurant back in Houston.
Restaurant Born From Base Feasts
- Omar decided to open Afghan Village after watching American contractors at Camp Phoenix rave about Afghan food and seeing how it brought people together.
- He signed a lease in Houston despite little cooking experience and learned on the job with chef Ghulam and his mother’s late-night guidance.
Kitchen Chaos Turned Into Partnership
- Omar recounts early chaos: hired chefs quitting and then training the next one himself to avoid dependency.
- He offered Ghulam part ownership and learned recipes from his mother who critiqued flour, salt, and spices.