Vogue
In Downtown New York, a Persian New Year Dinner With a Twist
A Journey of Love & Resilience
How one chef turned recipes into hope, and a kitchen into home
My love affair with food started in Tehran, in my grandmother's kitchen. I was just a kid, but I was mesmerized - the way she'd coax flavors from simple ingredients, the stories she'd tell while stirring a pot of ghormeh sabzi. By 15, I was running my own little cafe, bottling homemade jams, and serving dishes that tasted like home.
Life took an unexpected turn in 2014. I left Iran with my three children, first to Turkey, then to New York in 2016. We arrived with hope in our hearts and not much else. After some challenging months in a shelter, I found my footing at Eat Offbeat, a beautiful organization that gives refugee chefs like me a chance to share our heritage through food.
Every dish I cook carries a piece of my journey - the warmth of my grandmother's kitchen, the resilience of starting over, the joy of sharing Persian culture with new friends. I've been blessed to cook for companies like Columbia, HBO, and Google, and to share my story on Good Morning America and NPR.
But the real magic? It's watching strangers become friends over a shared meal. That's what keeps me cooking.
"Food is not just sustenance - it's a bridge between cultures, a vessel for memories, and an expression of love."
- Chef Nasrin Rejali