Hi, my name is Neiku, and I love food. Food has always been an integral part of my life. My love for food, in conjunction with my heritage, created a passion for cooking. I was born and raised in Atlanta; however, my family is originally from Iran. My mom immigrated to the U.S. almost 40 years ago with her family, without knowing American customs or speaking English. Adapting to a new culture, my mom was determined to preserve her old one, and she did so by introducing my brother and me to traditional Persian dishes. After years of watching her and trying her amazing food, I finally wanted to take a shot at it. Learning how to make stews, saffron rice, kebabs, and more, I eventually branched out to cooking and baking of all types from all around the world. At first, it started as a way to connect with my roots and impress my family, but I quickly discovered it'd be an activity I look forward to doing every single day (don't get me wrong, I'd still die for Chick-Fil-A).

Cooking has taught me much more than just how to make a meal and fuel my hunger. One of the lessons it taught me is to undergo a task and see it through. The beginning of my cooking journey definitely didn’t start with perfection—my first attempt in the kitchen ended in a burnt disaster. But through perseverance—by about my 5th attempt at making baklava cake—I created something presentable (or at least edible).

I could go on forever about how much value cooking has, but most importantly, I’ll end by saying cooking is my love language. It's a way for me to show appreciation to my friends and family for birthdays, holidays, or just because. I bake Brown Butter Smores cookies for my best friend's birthday every year, grill steak for family cookouts, and make dinner for my mom whenever I have the chance. I’m so thankful to my mom for showing me my roots and teaching me to bridge my culture with my passions.

Though I won't be pursuing a career in anything food-related (I want to be a lawyer of all things), cooking will always be a part of my life, and hopefully I can pass down the tradition in the future!

Also, if you're wondering, my favorite thing to cook is a traditional Persian kidney bean stew. It's originally made with stew beef, but I like to put my own spin on it and use short-ribs instead.