From Tehran to Manhattan
One chef's journey of resilience, love, and the recipes that bridge two worlds
Food has always been my love language. Growing up in Tehran, I spent countless hours in my grandmother's kitchen, watching her transform simple ingredients into magic. By 15, I was bottling my own preserves and running a small cafe, serving dishes that tasted like home.
In 2014, everything changed. I left Iran with my three children, seeking safety and a fresh start. We landed first in Turkey, then New York in 2016. Those early months were tough - we lived in a shelter, uncertain about what came next. But food became my anchor, my way forward.
At Eat Offbeat, a wonderful organization that employs refugee chefs, I found community and purpose. Cooking for companies like Columbia, HBO, and Google, and sharing my story on Good Morning America and NPR - it all reminded me that food does more than fill bellies. It builds bridges.
Every plate I serve carries a piece of my journey. And honestly? There's no better feeling than watching people connect over a shared meal.
"Food is not just sustenance - it's a bridge between cultures, a vessel for memories, and an expression of love."
- Chef Nasrin Rejali
Starting Over in New York
Leaving Iran in 2014 was terrifying and necessary. With my three kids in tow, we set out into the unknown - first to Turkey, where we waited and hoped, then finally to New York in 2016. I won't sugarcoat it: arriving in a new country with nothing but hope is hard.
We lived in a shelter those first months. There were nights I wondered if I'd made the right choice. But my kids kept me going, and so did my cooking. Food has always been my constant, the one thing I could control when everything else felt chaotic.
Eat Offbeat changed everything. They didn't just give me a job - they gave me a platform to share my culture, my recipes, my story. Suddenly, I was cooking for some of the biggest companies in the city and telling my story on national TV. It felt surreal.
Every time I cook, I'm honoring my grandmother, my heritage, and the journey that brought me here. And every time someone tries Persian food for the first time and their eyes light up? That's when I know I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.
More Than Just Food
Sure, I've had incredible opportunities - cooking for big companies, sharing my story on TV. But you know what really gets me? Watching someone take their first bite of ghormeh sabzi and seeing their whole face change. That moment when food becomes a conversation, a connection, a bridge between two worlds.
That's what this is all about. Not just feeding people, but bringing them together.
Come Share a Meal
Ready to taste the story for yourself? Reserve your table and let's share a meal together. I promise you'll leave feeling like family.