Episode 115: Nasim Alikhani of Sofreh & Sofreh Cafe in Brooklyn

In this episode, you're going to hear the story of a young lady who immigrated with almost nothing and slowly but surely began to rebuild her life in New York City through sheer willpower. By listening, you will learn how Nasim held onto the lessons she learned in her mother's kitchen in Iran until she was able to open Sofreh, as well as how she trains and develops the culture within her kitchen, and how she empowers her cooks to cook with intuition. Nasim talks about one of her favorite ingredients, the reduction of whey—a byproduct of making yogurt—that she uses extensively throughout her menu, and why it was important for her restaurant to reflect a more modern Persian feel. (1:30) Opening A New Café: Sofreh and Sofreh Cafe (5:49) Nasim's Early Life (12:43) Navigating the Revolution (15:35) Some Early Culinary Lessons (20:30) The Culture of Iran through Nasim's eyes (24:22) The Decision to Come to the United States (28:10) A Fresh Start with No Resources (29:30) Developing a Family and the Idea of Sofreh (38:30) Teaching Newcomers about Iranian Cuisine (43:15) the Process of Opening Sofreh (47:05) Sofreh's Menu Development and Evolution (1:10:23) Nasim's Breaks Down The Use of Whey and Mushrooms (1:14:40) The Inspiration Behind the Look of Sofreh (1:17:51) Words of Advice for Anyone Looking for a Career Change (1:21:30) The Rise of Sofreh (1:24:25) Cooking at the White House A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful. If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani. Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from. My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week's guest.