Welcome to Unicorns in the Kitchen!
I’m Shadi, the founder, writer, photographer, recipe developer, and taste-tester behind Unicorns in the Kitchen and I’m so happy you’re here! If you’re a fan of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, or Persian cooking and love trying new foods, you’re in the right place. Let me be your guide to some of the world’s most delicious cuisines.
My Story
Unicorns in the Kitchen is more than just a food blog. It’s my passion and the realization of a lifelong dream to share my love of cooking with the world. I’ve worked with food for most of my adult life, starting out as a cook in my hometown of Tehran, Iran. I lived in Istanbul, Turkey for a few years working as an English teacher, but I took advantage of every opportunity I could to absorb the rich culinary traditions of Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean. When I moved to the United States in 2015 to live with my husband, Kyle, I tried to retrain for a career in technology like so many of my classmates in Iran. But Kyle saw that studying user experience design wasn’t making me happy and encouraged me to pursue my lifelong passion for food, which led me to start Unicorns in the Kitchen!
Just over a year after starting the blog I published my cookbook, The Enchantingly Easy Persian Cookbook, which remains one of the bestselling Persian cookbooks on Amazon to this day! In addition to building the blog and an awesome community of 175,000 Instagram followers and 20,000 email newsletter subscribers, I’ve written about Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine for several national publications including The Washington Post, Food52, Buzzfeed, and my personal favorite magazine, Culture: The Word on Cheese! I’ve also contributed dozens of recipes and photos for Food Network’s website, focusing on recipes for Ramadan and Norwuz (Persian New Year)! Speaking of which, I was also profiled in a special feature, Nowruz Right Now, in the Spring 2023 print edition of Allrecipes Magazine.
On top of publishing, I’ve also given live demonstrations and lectures on Persian cooking, including engagements with Harvard University Graduate Commons and Culinary Historians of Boston. One of thee most important (and fun) aspects of my work is traveling to discover new regional cuisines and ingredients in Turkey and the Middle East. I travel to Istanbul several times per year to visit old friends and catch up on the latest food trends in the region. In 2025, I got to share my love of travel with a group of readers who joined me on a food-centric voyage across Turkey! Want to join me on my next trip? Don’t worry, I’ll be announcing our next adventure very soon!
So, Why Unicorns in the Kitchen?
I believe in unicorns, fairies, dragons, magic and happy endings! For me, unicorns are the definition of wonder and magic. After all, they are always happy and jump over the clouds and help everyone. Sometimes, I make something so delicious that I cannot believe I actually made it! It’s like a unicorn helped me by sprinkling in some magic dust when I wasn’t looking! That’s why I always say that there really are unicorns in the kitchen!
Work With Me!
I love to partner and work with publications and brands that I truly love and enjoy using in my own kitchen. Please visit my work with us page for more information, and send any partnership inquiries to unicornsinthekitchen@gmail.com.
By the way, you should also know that as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases. Posts may contain affiliate links.
