Incredibly Delicious Persian Recipes to Try Right Now

Come take a bite with recipe developer Omid Roustaei. [Today On The Spruce]( [The Spruce Daily]( [Take a Bite With Food Photographer Cara Cormack ]( [Take a Bite With Recipe Developer Omid Roustaei]( Welcome back to our newsletter series, “Take a Bite With,” where we take you behind the scenes of The Spruce Eats and showcase the incredibly talented people who contribute to our site. Today’s guest is the ardently passionate [Omid Roustaei](, who is a recipe developer and culinary instructor. Check out his incredibly delicious recipes for [Persian herb, bean, and noodle soup](, [classic Faloodeh](, and [grilled kebabs](. You were previously in a career in biotechnology before you transitioned into the culinary space. What prompted you to pivot and become a personal chef, culinary teacher, and recipe developer? I had the incredible opportunity to work in cancer research in my former career. This led me to become interested in the ways food can be a cancer-preventing and fighting resource. I began to search for more meaning and new directions in my personal and professional life until, one day, I quit my job, packed up my truck, and moved to Boulder, Colorado to attend a plant-based improvisational culinary program. One of the best decisions of my life! What have you recently worked on that you are especially proud of and why? Raising over $10,000 for local and international refugee organizations in the past 12 months. As an immigrant myself, though not a refugee, I have felt particularly connected to the Afghan and Ukrainian refugee crises. My small contribution, in the form of food activism, has been to collaborate with other chefs and teachers to deliver online fundraising cooking classes. Where do you look for inspiration for recipe development? Imagination is my inspiration! Beyond cookbooks, food magazines, and social media, I find most of my inspirations in my own kitchen, cooking with whatever I have on hand. I am always thinking about food and how different flavors, textures, scents, and ingredients can come together to develop a dish. What is the best artistic advice you’ve received? In addition to developing and writing recipes, I also do my own food photography for my blog and social media. The best advice I have received has been to find my own point of view that offers a signature look and perspective, but still offers enough diversity to keep the photos interesting. If you could have lunch/dinner/drinks with one person in the food industry, who would they be and what would you eat? I would like to sit with Chef José Andrés, who—as an immigrant, culinary ambassador, and visionary humanitarian—has been a tremendous inspiration to me. His exhortation to “build longer tables, not higher walls” deeply resonates with me. We could nibble on tortas with cheese and [membrillo](, which are all some of my favorites! Fast Facts: Favorite celebration meal Sabzi polo mahi— a combination of light and fluffy basmati rice layered with a medley of fresh herbs and served with saffron-glazed, pan-fried fish. Explore more of Omid’s recipes on his [site]( and follow him on Instagram [@thecaspianchef](! Victoria Heydt Editorial Project Manager, The Spruce Eats [READ MORE]( [Today On The Spruce](#) [Herb, Bean, and Noodle Soup]( [Herb, Bean, and Noodle Soup]( [Classic Persian Faloodeh]( [Persian Grilled Kebabs]( [Persian Grilled Kebabs]( [Herbed Rice Pilaf With Pan-Fried Fish]( [Today On The Spruce](#) The Spruce Eats on YouTube [10 Iftar Recipes for Ramadan]( [10 Iftar Recipes for Ramadan]( [Watch & Learn]( [Today On The Spruce]( [Spruce Eats Banner]( [Today On The Spruce](#) Did somebody forward you this email? [Sign Up for The Spruce Eats Newsletter!]( Have feedback? Send us an email at contact@thespruceeats.com, subject line: Newsletter Feedback. [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( Follow us: You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to The Spruce Eats newsletter. [Unsubscribe](page=spruceeatsprefnew) © 2022 Dotdash.com — All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy.]( A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005