Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller is president of Leila Heller Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in New York and Dubai, featuring an international roster of artists. With food, art, and culture, she bridges the gap between East and West. She has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Art News, Art in America, Forbes, and The Financial Times. She is based in New York. Lila Charif was born in Tehran and raised in France, and she lives in London. She is a naturopathic nutritional therapist. Laya Khadjavi was most recently Head of Strategic Partnerships & Client Relations at Menai Financial Group. She lives in New York. Bahar Tavakolian was born in Iran and as a teenager moved to the United States. She has worked in biotech and aerospace, and is now a residential broker, living in New York.
‘While much discussion has focused on various aspects of Iranian culture in recent times, Persian cuisine is rarely highlighted, despite being one of the finest expressions of Iranian heritage. Persian Feasts by Leila Heller is a celebration of this ancient culture and a heartfelt tribute to her mother, Nahid Joon, an extraordinary woman whose generous, delicious cooking and warm hospitality captivated her community. Years after her passing, Persian Feasts documents Nahid Joon’s remarkable legacy and is destined to remain as one of the most significant books ever written about Persian cuisine.’ – Shirin Neshat, artist ‘I have always been a big admirer of Leila Heller and her taste for entertainment, culture, and tradition. She has written one of the most soulful and personal books on refreshing, fragrant, and delicious Persian dishes that express her youth, family tradition, and sophistication. Just like me, enjoy Leila’s recipes at home for your next party.’ – Daniel Boulud, chef and restaurateur ‘Heller has been a major conduit in the West for all things involving Iranian art and artists.’ – New York Times ‘Full of colorful, fragrant dishes highlighting the stunning breadth of Persian cuisine, Heller bridges the gap between food, art, culture and history in a way that is both inspiring and totally novel.’ – Salon ‘A beauty of a cookbook with its lush food photos set on backgrounds of Middle Eastern designs.’ – New York Journal of Books ‘Interspersed amongst the recipes are family stories and reflections on Iranian culture that give deeper significance to these comforting meals.’ – Chowhound ‘What if your family’s recipes got made into a cookbook? That’s exactly what Leila Heller did – travel through time (and taste) in Persian Feasts.’ – B&N Read ‘Comprehensive appendices--detailed explanations and directions about staples, menus, ingredients, even ""food properties"" – encourage and enable the aspiring home chef.’ – Shelf Awareness