Samir (Aasif Mandvi), a sous chef at an upscale New York restaurant, becomes frustrated with his boss (Dean Winters) and quits. His dreams of studying French cooking in France are shattered after his father becomes ill and he must take over his family's Indian restaurant, Tandoori Palace in Queens with two chefs who don't know what they're doing, an old fashioned wall and business being terrible since the only customers are Samir's uncles sitting at a table playing cards. Samir doesn't know what to do because his knowledge of Indian cooking is limited until he meets the larger than life gourmet chef and taxi driver Akbar (Naseeruddin Shah). Samir's world is transformed via Akbar's cooking lessons, the magic of the masala and a beautiful co-worker, Carrie (Jess Weixler). While his mother (Madhur Jaffrey) tries to get him to settle down with a nice Indian girl and his father, Hakkim (Harish Patel) is convinced he will amount to nothing. Samir, Akbar, and a kitchen staff first update the restaurant's look and then with knowledge of eccentric characters concoct the most magical and mouth watering dishes in what soon becomes the best little Indian restaurant in New York City with booming business. However, Akbar moves to Akron, Ohio and it is up to Samir to run the restaurant. Meanwhile, Hakkim plans to sell the restaurant to Ahmed. Samir and his uncles along with Carrie still manage to keep up the business and make it better. Eventually, Hakkim calls off the deal and the movie ends with Hakkim hugging Samir.