Chef Vikas Khanna integrates girl with Down syndrome into restaurant operations

Mysha Rizvi, a young girl with Down syndrome, participates in daily activities at Bungalow, a restaurant in New York co-founded by chef Vikas Khanna.

Mysha began visiting the restaurant during the summer and continued her visits on Saturdays after school. She moved from being a shy visitor to an active participant in the workplace. She helps the team by arranging flowers, assisting at the dessert counter, and preparing mango desserts.

She also takes on hosting duties and interacts with the guests who dine at the establishment. Regular customers eventually recognized Mysha and began bringing her gifts. Her involvement with the restaurant grew to include personal milestones, such as participating in a sheermal-making competition in November 2024. During that event, she competed against actor Aamir Khan and won. Vikas Khanna also shared a video in July 2025 showing him painting her nails and gifting her earrings and nail polish.

Mysha expressed a goal to open a doughnut shop with Khanna that would include space for cats and dogs. The restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition in 2024. Her experience at Bungalow serves as an example of how workplaces can provide meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities to contribute and build confidence.