The Culinary Institute of America

Interview with Chef Nasim Alikhani of Sofreh

Nasim Alikhani is chef/owner of celebrated Persian restaurant, Sofreh, in Brooklyn. Growing up in Iran, Nasim Alikhani was a passionate cook from childhood, spending the first years of her life in the kitchen alongside her mother. When she departed after the revolution, it was by re-creating the dishes of her youth that she was able to feel connected to home. It took Nasim 25 years to realize her dream of opening a restaurant, and, in the summer of 2018 at age 59, she opened Sofreh to great critical acclaim. Chef Nasim Alikhani strives to create a hospitable, dinner-party atmosphere in her restaurant. She talks about the plant-forward traditions of Iranian cuisine and her love of cooking with herbs.
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Chili Crisp Wedge Salad a la “Fat Choi” at Golden Diner

Samuel Yoo is chef/owner of Golden Diner in New York City’s China Town, and shows us how he makes a vegan chili crisp wedge salad. He delights in taking a traditionally creamy dish and transforming it into a vegan creation, and this salad is no exception. He tops the iceberg lettuce wedges with vegan ranch dressing, vegan blue cheese, mushroom bacon, diced tomatoes, and a generous amount of chili crisp.
Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Mushroom Reuben Quesadilla at Golden Diner

Samuel Yoo is chef/owner of Golden Diner in New York City’s China Town and shows us how he makes a Mushroom Reuben Quesadilla. He uses Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and mushroom pastrami. Making the mushroom pastrami is a 3-day process. Portabella mushrooms are cured overnight, drained, roasted, chopped, and smoked for 2 days.
Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Interview with Chef Sam Yoo at Golden Diner

Momofuku alum, Samuel Yoo, is a rising star and chef/owner of Golden Diner in New York City’s China Town. Fusing his fine dining background with a reverence for traditional American diner fare, Golden Diner serves Latin, Chinese, Greek and “Brooklyn vegan” inspired cuisines. Samuel Yoo talks about techniques for making vegetables shine, and how eating in Queens diners in his childhood influenced his menu.
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Silken Tofu with Tomatoes at Eleven Madison Park

Chef Mike Pyers is chief culinary officer at three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, and shows us how he makes silken tofu with tomato and anise hyssop. He makes the tofu in-house using locally produced soymilk. The tofu sets in a steam box for 5 minutes, then is topped with tomato confit, fresh tomatoes, Calabrian chilies, and anise hyssop.
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Sunflower Salad at Eleven Madison Park

Chef Josh Hardnen, creative culinary director at Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan, shows us how he makes sunflower salad with beans and epazote. The dish utilizes all parts of a sunflower blossom. The core of the sunflowers have an artichoke-like flavor and texture, and are cooked in saffron and white wine. The petals are served three ways: baked, fermented, and fresh.
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Interview with Chef Humm at Eleven Madison Park

Daniel Humm is the chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park in Manhattan, which has held three Michelin stars since 2012 and was ranked first by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2017. In 2021, Eleven Madison Park famously transitioned to a plant-based menu. Chef Daniel Humm talks about how shutting down the restaurant during the pandemic gave him time to think about his legacy, and the impact a plant-based menu would have on the culinary world. He reflects on the challenges of preparing, cooking, and presenting vegetables, and his continued passion to change diner perceptions about plant-based eating.
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Corn Tamales at Dirt Candy

Michaela Duke, sous chef at Michelin-starred restaurant, Dirt Candy in New York City, shows us a whimsical take on corn tamales. She starts the dish with an intensely-flavored corn puree dotted with mole, corn salsa verde, and raw baby corn slices. She tops the puree with a corn tamale steamed inside of a corn mold.
Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!