Today's Special is a 2009 independent comedy film loosely inspired by Aasif Mandvi's play, Sakina's Restaurant.

His dreams of studying French cuisine in France are shattered after his father becomes ill and Samir must take over his family's Indian restaurant, Tandoori Palace in Queens.

The restaurant has two chefs who don't know what they're doing, an old-fashioned wall and faltering income since the only customers are Samir's uncles sitting at a table playing cards.

Samir's world is transformed via Akbar's cooking lessons, the magic of the masala and a beautiful co-worker, Carrie (Jess Weixler).

Meanwhile, his mother (Madhur Jaffrey) tries to get him to settle down with a nice Indian girl and his father Hakkim (Harish Patel) is convinced his son will amount to nothing.