Preserving Culture Through Food and Music with Nadia Deljou

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An inspiring conversation with Chef Nadia Deljou of Delle Dining on preserving culture through the sounds, smells, and tastes of Persian food and music. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Background - raised in an Iranian-American family with a father being of Jewish faith.  Family and extended family were involved in art, creation, and food with family at the foreground of everyting.  Nadia has been able to identify with her culture in a multi-faceted way.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nadia’s approach and mission:  To develop greater meaning for self (feeling empowered by culture, confident, and dominant - “wearing my Iranian-ness as loud as I can”), and then package it and expose it to the world in both a traditional and non-traditional way.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Deljou - interpretation and meaning of Nadia’s chosen family name (chosen by father’s side of the family):  someone who is always in search of the goodness in others</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Farsi word “Del” - an extension of who she is;  two references - the heart and the stomach, heart, stomach, and soul</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nadia also has a background in music!  With concentration in independent music</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cross-over and communality among cultures</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Persian and Moroccan food culture, specifically with spices</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Hospitality and offering food in the home and for guests</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">How one cooks and eats</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food etiquette (like a dance)</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-wei