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.

Today we talk with Tariq and Jalel of the Islamic Services of America, a major certifier and educator in the global Halal industry. We take a deep dive into Halal certification, the complexities involved in creating Halal standards especially when you consider differences in Madhahib, and even broach more modern topics of discussion, including lab-grown meats, and cannabis.

In this episode, we discuss Halal Meat Certification with Shaykh Jabir Tarin of HFSAA, the Halal Food Standards Alliance of America. HFSAA is a well-known and respected Halal certifying body that started in the San Francisco Bay area, and now certifies Halal restaurants across many metropolitan areas of the US. We talk about the process of getting certified, explore differences between hand and machine-slaughtered Halal, and reflect on how far the Halal meat industry and food scene have come over the last few decades.

Critically acclaimed writer and director Imran J Khan shared his time, witty insight, and keen humor with us during this episode, where we laughed, cried (not really but almost), and talked about his latest film, 'Mustache'. More than just the movie, we discussed the deeper themes of belonging, acceptance, and if giving up red meat from your diet truly ostracizes you from the Desi Muslim community or not (it does, it totally does).

Join us as we continue season 3, an exploration of the food industry. We got the opportunity to interview the legend, Ike of Ike's sandwiches. On the first day of operation in 2007, Ike Shehadeh did not sell a single sandwich in his small, hole-in-the-wall Ike's Place in San Francisco's Castro District. Now 15 years later, the man behind the goateed cartoon logo has built over a 90-unit empire and expansive menu catering to every diet preference. We talk about his life, his business, and more...including how YOU can get a sandwich named after you on the menu too!