One Woman Kitchen

Nasim Alikhani of Sofreh - A Sense for Persian Authenticity

This might sound like a movie pitch:

A young woman leaves Iran after a revolution, comes to America to start a new life, becomes a mother, who was always cooking and more than 35 years later—with no professional training and against all odds, opens an acclaimed restaurant in New York at age 59, becoming the driver of a trendy new cuisine in Manhattan.

For now, it’s not a movie. It’s the life of Nasim Alikhani, founder of Sofreh. Nasim joins Chef Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.

In this episode:

• How from the minute it opened , her restaurant has has been pretty much impossible to get into
• How its popularity is as much a product of Nasim's particular brand of hospitality as of the delicious food
• The importance placed on entertaining guests in Iran
• How Nasim  almost didn’t make it through to to the restaurant’s opening day
• Her strong vision of every aspect of the restaurant and why it makes the guests feel transported
• How Nasim's deep spirituality has permeated her business
• The way a touching poem from her father has meant everything
• The importance off Nasim's acute sense of smell
• Typical Iranian food, always tea, eating a lot
• Why Nasim didn’t want restaurant to look like a typical one 
• Why an open kitchen, and bright, inviting atmosphere, smells
• An extension of home and parties
• A lot of care and time in these dishes
• The difference her solid prep team makes
• Timing. And rhythm, a prepaid service
• The challenges of opening her first restaurant age of 59
• Always preparing for a restaurant in her mind
• Barberries
• The value of a beautifully well done rice as a satisfying meal
• The risk of starting down the restaurant journey or carrying the burden of not following through
• Iranian vs. American women in food, and in general
• The legacy of tiny meatballs
• Giving everything you can

 

Food Writer and Author Priya Krishna - Chonk, Culinary Diplomacy, and Indian-ish

When you consider women to watch in the world of food, one must be Priya Krishna, a once want-to- be diplomat turned food detective. She is a contributor to the NY Times, Bon Appetit, The New Yorker, and the book “Indian-ish.”

She offers a new spin on the Indian-American kitchen, her journey to an extraordinary story about an immigrant family, thoughts on nourishment, about nabbing a coveted  job at an early age, why discipline and hard work are crucial ingredients, her efforts to not give into imposter syndrome, and why being a food writer is not as easy or glamorous as it seems. Priya joins Chef Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.

In this episode:

• Rozanne on meeting Priya at a birthday for 99-year-old female culinary icon Cecelia Chang
• How food traditions are passed down orally in India, not generally written down or cookbooks
• Her mother doing innovative things, integrating Indian tastes into many dishes
• Priya's exciting new book "Indian-ish"
• And Indian version of a grilled cheese sandwich
• The incomparable "Chonk" (tempered spices, can be fried in oil)
• The issue of recipe theft
• Writing for the NYTimes, New Yorker, and more
• Priya on starting as a writer using food from school dining hall
• Why Priya thought she would become a diplomat
• Culinary diplomacy?
• Writing and what makes Priya valuable
• Identity as a home cook, writer, recipe developer, hard worker, methodical
• The issue of "imposter syndrome"
• Insecurities and strengths
• The importance of determination and of writing great emails
• The concept of nourishments  -- and a taste of Rozanne’s cake
• The joys, flavor, and benefits of turmeric

 

Pastry Chef Jessica Craig - A Recipe For Business

Anyone who knows pastry knows not everyone can make pastry. Very few can make it well. And just a select group of very special culinary craftspeople do it at a very high level. One of those people is Jessica Craig, Pastry Chef for prominent L’Artusi in New York. Her star is rising fast, and she’s even been featured in Essence Magazine, and the Michelin Guide.

She’s also one of the very few women of color working in the  kitchens of fine dining  restaurants in America. It’s no wonder she accepts the challenge of succeeding as a role model, and has plans to build a bit of an empire. Jessica joins Chef Rozanne Gold in the MouthMedia Network studio.

• Incorporating her Jamaican background in what she does
• The use ion allspice, ginger, hibiscus
• Some history of Italian-inspired L'Artusi, and Marietta the 18 year old cook who had a lot to do with the taste of those recipes
• How Jessica goes about conceiving recipe ideas
• Intergenerational sharing
• NYC vs. other places and judgement
• When someone believed in Jessica as a chef
• Growing up as one of eleven children
• Really appreciating genuine Jamaican food
• How an ice cream truck and an encouraging uncle inspired a pastry career
• Why there may be better paths to success in the food world than going to culinary school
• Wanting to learn sugar and chocolate work
• The state of women in the culinary world, and how her restaurant is pretty diverse
• Acting as a role model despite not liking the spotlight
• An Essence article about Jessica, and an article in the New York Times about her and her family
• Why it matters that her great grandmother was a butcher
• A recipe for business
• Legacy recipe vs. life recipe
• The recipe that reflects her heritage she would love to pout on the menu (but can’t) 
• Creating power that’s not taboo

Stephanie “Chefanie” Nass - When a Culinary Brand Is Very Personal

Nothing is interesting unless it’s personal.

That's according to pastry chef, dessert innovator, and culinary influencer Stephanie Nass, also known as “Chefanie”. And she should know, having developed a culinary brand that’s also a personal brand, and carved out a fast-rising career at the intersection of food, fashion, and lifestyle.

In this episode:
Creating an innovative product and new identity, in today’s food world
How an unexpected and crazy idea can build a brand (her cookies actually match what she’s wearing)
How creativity crosses disciplines
What she learned about art
Her strong connection to her mother’s kitchen
The dichotomy of women’s roles and how they are still looked at for nourishment
And—could it actually be OK for women to return to the kitchen—and love it?