Cooking Class: Omid Roustaei, Bitter & Sweet: the Iranian-American Kitchen

We are delighted to welcome back local cooking instructor and longtime friend of the shop Omid Roustaei, "The Caspian Chef", for a special hands-on cooking class here at the shop, celebrating his debut cookbook, Bitter & Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen!

Join us in our demo kitchen as Omid guides you through a selection of recipes from the book: 

• Salad Anar-o Khiar: Pomegranate and cucumber salad
• Polo ba Tahdig:  Rice with crispy saffron layer
• Khoresh Kalleh Gonjeshki: Petite meatballs in tomato sauce with crispy potatoes
• Keyk Yazdi: Cardamom and rose water cupcakes 

You’ll cook alongside him, learning techniques and flavor combinations that bring together Iranian traditions and global influences. The evening will end with a shared meal of the dishes prepared, paired with Omid’s moving stories from his culinary journey.

Class is limited to 11 people and is hands-on. Includes dinner. 

Please note that event registration is non-refundable and non-transferable between classes. Pricing includes 0.75c transaction fee.

About the book: Bitter & Sweet is an elegantly designed cookbook featuring 75 mouthwatering recipes from Omid Roustaei, the Caspian Chef. Infused with moving stories, useful cooking tips, and gorgeous photographs, Bitter & Sweet teaches readers to experiment not only with Iranian dishes but also with the many cuisines and techniques that Omid has explored throughout his career. His welcoming prose and down-to-earth methods are sure to engage both practiced hands and total newcomers to the kitchen.

Recipes include Persian classics like Chicken in Pomegranate Walnut Sauce (Khoresh Fesenjun), Sour Cherry Rice with Petite Meatballs (Albalu Polo ba Ghel Gheli), and Rice with a Crispy Saffron Layer (Polo ba Tahdig) alongside international dishes such as Braised Burdock with Carrots (Kinpira Gobo), Creamy Smoked Fish and Vegetable Soup (Cullen Skink), and Fried Potato and Bulgur Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata bil Lahmeh).