How A Phone Call Led Ariana Bundy Back To Dubai | Arian Bundy (E168)

Send us Fan MailChef JKP sits down with Ariana Bundy, chef, author, television presenter, and founder of Ariana's Persian Kitchen at Atlantis The Royal Dubai.Ariana shares her journey through Iran, Switzerland, New York, London, Paris, Los Angeles, and Dubai. From childhood food memories with her grandmother, to studying at Le Cordon Bleu, running pastry kitchens in Hollywood, writing cookbooks, filming across Iran, and opening a restaurant rooted in Persian heritage.They talk about food memories, Persian cuisine, television, motherhood, health, hospitality, and the responsibility of preserving culture through food.This is a conversation about identity, resilience, storytelling, and how food can carry memory across generations.WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS EPISODE• Ariana's childhood food memories and her grandmother's kitchen• Growing up between Iran, Switzerland, New York, London, and Paris• How Le Cordon Bleu made her feel like she finally belonged• Running a pastry kitchen in Hollywood straight after cooking school• Writing cookbooks and rebuilding recipes without gluten or dairy• Filming her National Geographic series across Iran• The story behind opening Ariana's Persian Kitchen in Dubai• Persian tea, wellness, food memories, and advice for young chefsCHAPTERS00:00 Childhood Food Memories And Growing Up Between Countries07:00 Studying Business While Dreaming Of A Creative Life11:20 The IHOP Conversation That Changed Everything13:20 Finding Her Place At Le Cordon Bleu17:00 Running A Hollywood Pastry Kitchen In Her Twenties24:00 Burnout, Food Intolerances And Writing Her First Cookbook30:05 Why She Bet Everything On Persian Food And National Geographic40:05 The Phone Call From Dubai That Changed Her Life50:20 Building Ariana's Persian Kitchen At Atlantis The Royal59:55 Persian Food, Saffron, Wellness And Ancient Food Wisdom01:12:10 Why Persian Cuisine Deserves A Bigger Place On The Global Stage01:27:00 Advice For Young Chefs, Entrepreneurship And Life LessonsFOLLOW THE GUESTAriana BundyInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/arianabundy/Ariana's Persian Kitchenhttps://www.instagram.com/arianaspersiankitchen/FOLLOW CHEF JKPInstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/chefjkppodcastLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/james-knight-paccheco-447b1b17TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jamesknightpacchecoPROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY VALRHONAValrhona partners with chefs and artisans to elevate chocolate through craftsmanship, innovation, and a commitment to a more sustainable cocoa industry.Website:https://www.valrhona.com/en/valrhona-middle-east-africa-and-indiaSUPPORT THE SHOWStay hydrated with the Chef JKP thermos flask.Get yours here: https://pay.ziina.com/chefjkp/RKwVHDfpNFood is memories. 🍸Support the showFollow The Chef JKP Podcast on Instagram HERE