Today we’d like to introduce you to Amosh Kumar.
Hi Amosh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Amosh Kumar, and my journey as a restaurant owner is something I never could have fully imagined when I first came to the United States from India in 2017.
I didn’t come from a business background, and I didn’t arrive in America with a big investment or a detailed plan to become an entrepreneur. Like many immigrants, I came with hopes of building a better future and a willingness to work hard for it.
My journey in the restaurant industry started from the very bottom.
In 2018, while living in Chicago, I worked as a dishwasher. I spent long hours in the kitchen doing whatever needed to be done. Over time, I started learning other parts of the restaurant business—food preparation, cooking, customer service, managing employees, handling daily operations, and understanding what it really takes to keep a restaurant running.
I didn’t learn the restaurant business from a textbook. I learned it by being there every day—washing dishes, working in the kitchen, talking with customers, solving problems, making mistakes, and learning from them.
Eventually, life brought my wife, Courtney, and me to the St. Louis area. In 2024, we took one of the biggest risks of our lives and became the owners/operators of The Port of Peri Peri in Ballwin, Missouri.
Becoming a restaurant owner sounded exciting, but the reality was much harder than the title.
There were days filled with financial pressure, staffing challenges, equipment problems, long hours, customer complaints, and the constant responsibility of knowing that other people were depending on the business. As a small-business owner, there is rarely a moment when you completely switch off. If something goes wrong, ultimately it becomes your responsibility.
But those challenges also taught me what ownership really means.
For me, The Port of Peri Peri became much more than a restaurant. It became part of my identity and part of our community. Courtney and I have worked hard to create a place where people don’t simply come to eat—they feel welcomed.
One of the greatest joys of this journey has been seeing relationships grow around our food. We have had opportunities to serve local schools, universities, businesses, churches, Muslim organizations, community events, fundraisers, families, first responders, and many other groups throughout the St. Louis area. Every catering order, fundraiser, community partnership, and returning customer reminds me why we continue doing this.
I believe a local restaurant has a responsibility beyond making a profit. If the community supports us, we should find ways to support the community in return.
That philosophy has become an important part of how I approach business.
My entrepreneurial journey has also continued to grow. In 2026, we began developing Cardamom Café, a food-truck concept that allowed us to experiment with another side of food and hospitality, including flavors and street foods that connect with the culture and memories I grew up around.
When I look back, the distance between where I started and where I am today sometimes feels unbelievable.
I came to America in 2017. In 2018, I was washing dishes in a restaurant in Chicago. Today, I help operate a restaurant, serve hundreds of customers, work with organizations throughout the community, participate in major catering and community events, and continue exploring new opportunities in the food business.
But I don’t consider my story finished.
I still work inside the restaurant. I still cook. I still talk with customers. I still worry when something goes wrong, and I still get excited when someone tells me they loved their meal. Being an owner has never made me feel that any job in the restaurant is beneath me, because I remember exactly where I started.
The biggest lesson this journey has taught me is that success doesn’t always begin with money, connections, or perfect circumstances. Sometimes it begins with simply being willing to say, “I’ll try.”
That has been my approach throughout this journey.
Try when you don’t know everything.
Learn when you make mistakes.
Keep going when business gets difficult.
Treat people with respect.
Remember the people who supported you.
And when you finally have an opportunity to help someone else, don’t forget to do it.
I am proud of how far we have come, but I am even more excited about where we can go from here. My goal is not simply to own restaurants. I want to build businesses that create opportunities, bring people together through food, support the community that supports us, and leave something meaningful behind.
From washing dishes in Chicago to becoming a restaurant owner in St. Louis, my journey has taught me that where you start does not have to determine where you finish. Sometimes all you need is an opportunity, hard work, people who believe in you, and the courage to keep saying, “I’ll try.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Going from a dishwasher to becoming a restaurant owner came with financial pressure, long hours, staffing challenges, equipment problems, customer expectations, and many personal sacrifices.
There were times I questioned whether I had made the right decision, but every struggle taught me something. I learned that being an owner doesn’t mean just having a title—it means being willing to cook, clean, wash dishes, solve problems, listen to customers, and show up again the next day.
The struggles have made me stronger and more grateful for every customer, employee, and opportunity that has helped us get where we are today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Port of Peri Peri in Ballwin is more than just a restaurant to us—it’s about bringing people together through fresh, flavorful food and genuine hospitality.
We specialize in flame-grilled Peri Peri chicken, prepared with our signature Peri sauces ranging from Lemon & Herb to extra spicy. Our menu also includes wings, rice bowls, wraps, burgers, lamb chops, falafel, paneer, and several vegetarian and gluten-free options. We proudly serve hand-slaughtered Zabiha Halal chicken.
What sets us apart is the personal connection we try to build with every guest. We are locally operated, and you will often find me in the restaurant cooking, serving customers, or simply talking with families. We want people to feel like they are visiting us, not just another restaurant.
What I’m most proud of is the reputation we are building within our community. We have had opportunities to serve local schools, universities, churches, organizations, corporate events, fundraisers, and families throughout the St. Louis area.
For us, success isn’t only about how much food we sell. It’s about how many relationships we build, how consistently we serve great food, and how much we can give back to the community that supports us.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I believe both good luck and bad luck have played a role in my journey, but I’ve learned that what matters most is what you do with the situation you are given.
I’ve been fortunate to meet people who believed in me, supported our business, and opened doors at the right time. At the same time, there have been difficult moments when things simply didn’t go our way.
For me, luck may create an opportunity, but hard work, consistency, faith, and the courage to keep going are what turn that opportunity into something meaningful. I feel very fortunate to be where I am today, but I also know how much work and sacrifice it took to get here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.myperiperi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portofballwin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1bDF659Rgk/
