Omid Roustaei

Omid Roustaei is an Iranian-American chef and culinary instructor deeply involved in the culinary world for over 20 years. He was born and raised in Tehran and spent his childhood summers by the Caspian Sea — building sandcastles, flying kites, and riding his banana-seat high-handlebar bike. Omid attended the School of Natural Cookery in Boulder, Colorado, where he studied the art of intuitive cooking. He now balances a career as a psychotherapist with his enthusiasm for teaching and writing. He shares Iranian culture and traditions through cooking and storytelling, using the power of food to foster connections and serve as a gentle form of advocacy and activism. His writing can be found on The Caspian Chef blog, and he is a regular contributor to The Kitchn and The Spruce Eats. When not working or teaching, Omid takes pleasure in caring for his vegetable garden in his Seattle home and finding creative ways to cook his harvest. Caramelizing onions, chopping herbs in large quantities, and sprinkling rose petals on cookies are Omid’s methods of self-care.