The Tikka Stand has been a part of the Canberra food scene for 10 years this September. Photo: Bally Sohal Photography.
Canberra’s very own Tikka Stand has come a long way since their first forage event in 2015, so far in fact that a whole decade has passed, and they are inviting Canberra to celebrate the milestone.
Owners of Tikka Stand, Hemant and Honey Khiani, will be hosting a Braddon block party on 6 September from 5 pm, and there are free meals on offer for the first 250 customers.
The two Tikka Stand food trucks, located outside of Waves Car Wash, will be the base for the celebration, and the duo have far more than just killer Indian food planned, with Bollywood dancing, DJ Sunny, eating competitions, fire performances from Blaze Brigade and Lucky Wheel prizes all on the agenda.
Canberra’s first and only Hindi radio station, Radio Manpasand, will be there covering the event, and Hemant and Honey can’t wait to share their achievement with the Canberra community.
“It feels truly humbling to invite Canberra to join us in celebrating this significant milestone. Over the past decade, what began as a simple passion has flourished into a bond with the community that has supported and embraced us,” Hemant shares.
“Marking 10 years with the people of Canberra is not only a celebration of Tikka Stand, but also a thank you to every person who has been part of this journey.”
The Tikka Stand churns out delicious Indian food and a little fusion, like their Indian burger flavours. Photo: Supplied.
It’s an achievement that may never have happened had Hemant not taken a long shot and done what many Canberrans dream of doing – he ditched his career as a public servant to chase his passion for food.
It’s a passion that stemmed from his childhood with his father, Inder Khiani, owning India House Restaurant, one of Canberra’s early Indian restaurants, which was popular with Belconnen locals for many years.
“I grew up in the restaurant, working with my parents day in and day out, learning the operations of a small business and following in their footsteps,” Hemant explains.
Inder Khiani, one of Canberra’s early Indian restaurateurs. Photo: Supplied.
Having turned away from restaurants when he pursued his career in the public service, Hemant says that his passion for food never waned, in part kept alive by his wife, Honey, who is an incredible cook.
Combining their talents is what led to the first iteration of Tikka Stand, which started life as a food marquee and eventually evolved into the two substantial food trucks that they now roam Canberra in.
Always looking for the perfect location, the business has been in a range of locations around the city. They joined the ANU pop-up village in 2017 and later the Co-op in Dickson before settling on their current home on Braddon’s Rainbow Roundabout, where their fast and tasty Indian cooking brings in the crowds.
With two trucks operational, the Tikka Stand team have also become a staple of Canberra’s busy and vibrant festival scene. They are regulars at the National Multicultural Festival, Floriade and the Royal Canberra Show.
If their 10-year commitment to the Canberra food scene is anything to go by, the block party is set to be an unmissable event, especially if you can nab one of those free meals.
Tikka Stand Food Truck is located at 15 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Details of the block party can be found on their Facebook page.
