10/21/2020
Welcome to Connect with Chefs! Every week we will highlight a new chef, so you can get to know them. This week we talked to Mary Shekari who will lead this Saturday’s event - don’t forget to sign up through this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/refugee-womens-network-persian-culture-and-cooking-class-tickets-124287506277
Tell me about yourself.
“I’m originally from Iran; I’m a Kurdish person. My primary language is Kurdish, but I can speak Persian as well, and some Turkish. I’m 38 years old. I have two children, and I have been here in the United States for about 10 years. I came with my husband and my children - the first one is a boy - he is 6 years old, and the second is a girl - she is 4 years old.”
Who is the most influential person in your life?
“My husband is the most influential person in my life. He never gets disappointed; he always has some way to find success. I was disappointed, and had given up on some things in this country, but he never did that. He would give me ideas of what to do and ways to be successful in this country; he is really intelligent.”
What brought you to Chefs Club?
“I have been a part of Chefs Club for not too long, maybe 2 or 3 months. I have a friend who works at Chefs Club, she talked to me about this program and knew I would like to cook, she likes the food I make and told me about this program.”
What do you like to cook?
“I like to cook any Iranian foods I can, and Persian foods, mostly rice, stews, and soups. When we came to this country, me and my husband would have loved to have our own restaurant or food service but we never got any connection or any one to help us, and we found another way to live.”
What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?
“We were actually photographers and mediographers, but we changed jobs in this country. I went to the medical college and my husband is a mechanic - we had to 100% change and now have different jobs, but now I’m happy to get to the things I wanted to do in this country like being a chef and cooking and I’m happy to be with Chefs Club.”
