Spice Routes: The Cardamom Challenge to Benefit Urban Harvest at Ismaili Center, Houston on June 7, 2026
Event to Feature Culinary Tasting and Competition, Art Collection Tours, and “The Bazaar” Marketplace
On June 7, the newly opened Ismaili Center, Houston will host Spice Routes: The Cardamom Challenge, bringing together more than a dozen chefs including Shawn Gawle, Suu Khin, Micah Rideout, Maham Qureshi, and more to reinterpret one of the world’s oldest spices through inventive tasting bites.
The event will be held from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at the Ismaili Center, Houston (2323 Allen Parkway with event entry on W. Dallas at Montrose).
The ticketed indoor festival will also serve as the formal debut of the Center’s permanent art collection.
Guests will experience chef-driven tastings with people’s choice voting, a judged “Chopped” style culinary competition, curated exhibitions, architecture and garden tours, family programming, and The Bazaar, a vibrant marketplace featuring artisan goods, specialty foods, crafts, and cultural vendors including Cacao & Cardamom, Soft & Salted, Vintage Allison, and the Westheimer location of Qamaria Yemeni Coffee Co.
Tickets are $75 for adults and $25 for children ages 3–12. Children ages 2 and under are free. Complimentary garage parking is included.
Participating chefs include Barbacana (Chef Christian Hernandez), Bludorn (Chef Aaron Bludorn), Burmalicious by Suu (Chef Suu Khin), Camaraderie (Chef Shawn Gawle), Casa Kenji (Chef Bigler Cruz), Chef’s Table (Chef Paul Friedman), Doc’s (Chef Jose Avila), Duckstache Hospitality Group/Doko (Chef Michael Castillo with owners and chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee), Love Croissants (Chefs Omar Pereney and Diana Nadira), Osteria di Mercato (Chef Mauricio Alvarado), Savoir (Chef Micah Rideout), Shakkar (Chef Maham Qureshi), Thai Cuisine & Sushi Bar (Chef Junnajet “Jett” Hurapan), and Tindulu (Chef Reshmanth Gummadi) will reinterpret one of the world’s oldest and most widely traveled spices through inventive sweet and savory tasting bites.
“Food creates a powerful entry point for connection,” said Rozina Mussani, Director, Ismaili Center, Houston. “Spice Routes reflects the Ismaili Center’s mission of bringing diverse communities together through shared cultural experiences that encourage dialogue, discovery, and mutual understanding.”
Reflecting cardamom’s path across cultures and cuisines, the event offers guests a culinary journey paired with curated zero-proof cocktails and specialty beverages with the support of Cut Above Spirits, Tenfold Coffee Company, and Saint Arnold Brewing Company.
“Houston’s food culture reflects the richness and diversity of the people who call this city home, and this event captures that spirit beautifully,” said Janna Roberson, Executive Director of Urban Harvest. “To see chefs interpreting a globally traveled ingredient like cardamom while bringing people together around food, learning, and community is especially meaningful, and we’re grateful to be part of an experience that supports Urban Harvest’s work across Houston.”
For more information and to purchase, visit https://events.ismailicenter.org/event/the-cardamom-challenge/.