The Sultan of Samosas has ignited a cult following in Toronto thanks to its savoury little triangles of stuffed pastry. The Regent Park storefront is thriving, ever busy with customers stocking up on bags of frozen samosas (chicken and paprika, spinach and cheese) or a fresh, crispy assortment to be eaten on the spot with tamarind sauce and coriander-yogurt chutney.
But to owner Reza Mecklai, samosas are about more than just food. To him, they’re part of a larger mission: to bridge cultural divisions in the city, alleviate hunger and homelessness, and connect people to causes and to each other. To Reza, samosas are an “intercultural currency for peace.”
Reza believes that “leadership ought to be the domain of everybody.” He donates samosas to dozens of charities for fundraising events and stays highly engaged in his community (the Regent Park store is located on the ground floor of a mixed-income housing project run by the Toronto Community Housing Commission).
