The art of the upscale culinary collaboration reaches a new level this spring as two of Houston’s most exciting chef-led hospitality groups come together for a one-night-only dinner in The Woodlands. On Monday, April 20, Kokoro Handroll Bar will host a special omakase collaboration featuring Chef Jassi Bindra of Kahani Social Group's Amrina alongside Chefs Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee of Duckstache Hospitality.

An overhead view of an elegant tasting menu from Amrina. Every dish and the flatware is different, some featuring mushrooms, curry, seafood, steak, or naan bread.

A tasting menu from Amrina

A 3/4 shot of Chef Jassi Bindra on a competitive TV cooking show. He's posing with his arms crossed, wearing a black turban and a bright red uniform with "CHOPPED" over the breast pocket. Purple lights and stage smoke fill the background.

Chef Jassi Bindra | Photos courtesy of Amrina

THE COLLABORATORS

Bindra, executive chef of Kahani Social Group, which includes the acclaimed Amrina in The Woodlands, is currently in the global spotlight as a competitor on Season 23 of Top Chef. Meanwhile, Duckstache Hospitality, the Houston-based restaurant group behind Kokoro Handroll Bar, Kokoro Sushi & Yakitori, Doko, Bar Doko, Aiko, Himari, and Handies Douzo, expands its footprint with the recent opening of its third Kokoro Hand Roll Bar in Dubai and making the list for Middle East & North Africa’s The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

THE COLLABORATION

For this special evening, guests can expect a menu that fuses Chef Bindra’s bold Indian flavors with the refined Japanese techniques that have made Pham and Lee’s sushi concepts some of the most sought-after in Houston. Dishes will feature A5 Wagyu, Hokkaido uni and scallops, Spanish bluefin tuna, oysters, Kaluga caviar, and seasonal fish sourced from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, paired with curated sake selections.

“Chef Jassi is someone we’ve admired for a long time,” said Chef Patrick Pham, co-founder of Duckstache Hospitality. “His approach to flavor and storytelling through food is incredibly inspiring. Bringing his Indian perspective into the world of sushi is something we’re really excited about, and it’s a special moment for Kokoro to collaborate with a chef who is pushing culinary boundaries in Houston.”

A view of the Kokoro handroll bar from the back of the dining room. Three chefs prepare dishes along the inside of the bar; four guests are seated on the opposite side. Light pours in from tall windows in the front.

The main dining room of Kokoro Handroll Bar

EVENT DETAILS

Reservations are now available on OpenTable for two limited seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., offering diners an intimate opportunity to experience the work of two restaurant powerhouses gaining national and international attention. The dinner is $300 per person, all-inclusive, and will take place at Kokoro Handroll Bar (24 Waterway Ave, Unit 110, The Woodlands, TX 77380).