Meet Amir Hajimaleki!

Chef Amir Hajimaleki has over 20 years of experience in the culinary industry as a notable chef. His career started with his studies at Le Cordon Bleu, followed by his many years leading Kona Grill in both San Antonio and Dallas, to finally opening his two restaurants in Austin, District Kitchen + Cocktails and Oasthouse Kitchen + Bar. Both restaurants have received recognition as farm-fresh, culturally inspired neighborhood restaurants. District was included in Opentable’s list of “Top 100 Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in America,” and Oasthouse was recognized as the “Best New Restaurant” in CultureMap’s 2016 Tastemaker Awards. Hajimaleki is consistently pushing boundaries on classic Southern cuisine by incorporating flavors and traditions he’s learned from his Iranian heritage and previous studies into his menus. Inspired by his travels to Japan, Hajimaleki showcased his Umami Burger on behalf of the James Beard Foundation and Blended Burger Project at this year’s Austin Food & Wine Festival, serving attendees a combination of Texas Wagyu beef patties mixed with other Japanese-style ingredients.