Fast Casual Nation
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Tinku Saini, CEO and co-founder of Tarka Indian Kitchen, to explore how the Austin-based brand has spent nearly two decades cracking the code on fast casual Indian food.
April 14, 2026
In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Tinku Saini, CEO and co-founder of Tarka Indian Kitchen, to explore how the Austin-based brand has spent nearly two decades cracking the code on fast casual Indian food.
They discuss how the chain started as a full-service brand and pivoted to a fast casual service model before growing to a nine-location brand in Texas. They also chat about fresh-to-order curry operations, supply chain lessons and the brand’s upcoming bowl launch and catering push.
