How the global food community is advocating for human rights in Iran

Food is a simple way for people to understand and embrace a different country and its people. That's the principle that guided humanitarian Layla Yarjanito build the food-focused human rights campaigns #CookforSyriaand #CookforUkraine.

She's now bringing that same energy to create #CookforIran, an international initiative featuring chefs, restaurateurs, and home cooks around the world sharing Iranian recipes to raise awareness about the protests in support of women's and human rights in Iran. Among those taking part in the effort are acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelssonof NYC's Red Roosterfame and celebrated Iranian-American chef and cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij.

Read on for a conversation with Yarjani and co-founder Omid Scheybaniabout the movement.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

How did this initiative come about?

Layla Yarjani: The principle that #CookforIran is based on, which is the same principle that #CookforUkraine and #CookforSyria are based on, is this idea that food brings people together. And food is a wonderful way to transcend political beliefs and ideas about people. Food is the heartbeat of a community. And we wanted to use food, which is something that everyone can relate to, as a means of inspiring a whole new community of people to raise awareness and also raise funds for the Iranian people. [Yarjani and Scheybani partnered with UK PR mavens Gemma Belland Piers Zangana, and famed food blogger Clerkenwellboyto spearhead the #CookforIran efforts.]

Omid Scheybani: I also think there's just a lot of people out there who are looking for ways to contribute, but might have not felt comfortable in the existing ways. Because they have reputations, images, or just want to be mindful. We felt that a movement like #CookforIran could give these people who have large platforms-we're thinking here of restaurateurs and chefs-an opportunity to participate in a way that is in line with the type of content and messaging that they're already [doing]. So making it really easy for people who have an influence through the work they already do, to participate and share awareness around the Iranian people's quest for freedom.

Why do you think raising awareness through food has resonated so much?

Yarjani: I think food is a very simple way for people to understand culture, and for people to develop an appreciation for the depth of another country.

Scheybani: It's also something that a lot of people in some shape or form have been exposed to through their lives either with knowing or without. So using that as a medium to re-engage someone is powerful, because very often you're like, "oh, yeah, I have had Persian food," or "I have a Persian friend" or "I have been invited to a Persian Nowruz [the Iranian New Year]" There are existing touch points that people have in their lives with the cuisine of a certain country that you can use as an entry point.

What has the impact of #CookforIran been like so far?

Yarjani: We've had 30 different participating chefs. We have restaurants hosting dinners in New York, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Houston. We have restaurants in London and New York [including Shukette and Sofreh], Iranian and non-Iranian, adding Iranian-inspired dishes to raise awareness and raise funds. We've heard anecdotally from people that it's a very thoughtful and positive way to engage people. It's given [Iranian] people a way to be proud of their culture and to highlight their culture and to help people connect with Iran in a very different way. It has definitely inspired and brought together people from across global cities.

Scheybani: I think there's just generally been appreciation for all the different initiatives that have been launched by the diaspora outside of Iran to maintain the focus on the situation.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the fundraising component of this initiative?

Yarjani: We're working with the Center for Mind-Body Medicine's Iran initiative. They're training community leaders, physicians, psychotherapists, psychologists, teachers, and school leaders in trauma-based therapy so that those individuals can lead programs for their communities in Iran. So far, 80 people have been trained in Iran, and their next training program is in March. They're also offering remote emergency support for anyone who needs emergency mental health support. Given the psychological and emotional trauma and cases of suicide that we've heard about, there's very much a focus on fundraising. We've started to do some public fundraising, and are also doing some private fundraising.

Are there any upcoming efforts related to #CookforIran that you would like people to know about?

Yarjani: We are doing a campaign for the 21st of December, which is Shab-e Yalda [an Iranian festival celebrated on the winter solstice]. It's the longest night of winter, and is a very significant day for Iranians. We eat particular fruits that we believe develop your strength for the winter months, as well as read poetry and acknowledge sort of the shift from the longer nights to calling in light and having more daylight. It's a very symbolically important day for Iranian people of all religious backgrounds. We're launching a campaign called Poetry and Pomegranate, and we will be sharing different recipes that are characteristic of Shab-e Yalda. Any chefs, restaurants or home cooks that want to get involved can email us at [email protected].

How are you feeling about the latest developments in Iran and where do you go from here?

Yarjani: I think we're feeling inspired by the bravery of the Iranian people, and the connection and community that's been developed both in Iran and abroad. We don't have any political views or agendas as a campaign team. We are simply here to advocate for human rights and we'll continue to advocate for Iranian people's human rights as long as need be, until there is a solution in Iran that offers the Iranian people the freedom they deserve.

Are there any particular Persian dishes you have fond memories of or that you love to cook at home?

Yarjani: I remember going with my dad to have a typical Iranian head and hooves [kaleh pacheh] breakfast in Tehran. I also remember eating plates of mezze where we have fresh herbs and walnuts and cheese, and cutlets with meat, potato, saffron, and onion. My other dish I love is called ash. It's a winter green soup with barley and beans. It's very nourishing and very high in all the good nutrients that we need to eat every day.

Scheybani: I think when it comes to food and memories it's like the small things that you weirdly remember, which is your grandmother cutting you small pieces of bread with butter and sour cherry jam as breakfast back home in Iran. Or like specifically the ice cream parlor that was down the street, things like that and the flavor that you always remember. But when it comes to a specific dish, fesenjanis a favorite in our family. It is a big hearty walnut and pomegranate stew that can come either with duck, chicken, or beef. There are a lot of opinions around this [the meat used in the dish], but in our home we would mostly do it with beef.

Yarjani: That's unheard of in our house. My mother is a chef and she's stubborn so we'll see. Usually it's chicken and if you're going to make it more gamey you can do it with duck, but beef is unusual…

-Tanay Warerkar is a content marketing manager at OpenTable

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