Meet Rahul Sahota, Indian entrepreneur whose Arizona restaurant has no freezers or microwave: 'Came to America, no English, no money, just a dream'

Indian restaurateur Rahul Sahota believes he has revolutionized Indian food in Arizona on a small scale as his Indian restaurant does not have a freezer or microwave. He does not use seed oils, food dyes and is now the proud owner of the first drive-through restaurant of Arizona catering to the Indian population and also those who love Indian foods.Sahota came to America from a small village in Punjab. “No English. No money. Just a dream, and the grit of a father’s work ethic passed down through generations,” his message on the website of Tikka Drive read.“My family and I worked every job in the kitchen, saving every dollar while learning the restaurant business from the ground up. We opened a small 12-table restaurant in Arizona. No investors. No marketing. Just heart, hustle, and handmade dishes,” he wrote.

‘75% of customers did not want to…’

Sahota said his work experience in Indian food sector in the US made him understand that 75% of the customers did not want to dine in. They just wanted their Indian food and to go. That sparked the idea of a drive-in restaurant and after two years of work, it became a reality.“We keep our menu small on purpose with only six main dishes because we don’t have freezers or microwaves in the restaurant. Everything is made fresh, and you’ll never be served frozen food here. We’re proud to be setting a new standard for the Indian food industry with food cooked in ghee, no seed oils, no artificial food coloring, fresh naan, fresh lemonade, and a drive-thru experience without compromise. We are here to raise the bar and set the standard,” he said in a Fox 10 Phoenixinterview.“This is my American Dream story,” he said.

‘Nos do not define you’

Sahota said when he was raising money for his restaurant, mostly he heard no. But he did not give up. “And if this inspires even one person to take the next step toward their own dream, or if I can help guide or consult anyone on their journey, that is exactly why I started Tikka Drive Business Club, a nonprofit created to help inspire and mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs. The nos do not define you. What you do after hearing them does,” he said.