Hami Sharafi is a chef, recipe developer and one of the UK’s leading ambassadors for Persian cuisine. Born in Tehran and now based in the UK, he is best known for sharing authentic Persian recipes inspired by his mother’s cooking through his platform, I Got It From My Maman.
Through cookery classes, private dining, brand collaborations and digital content, Hami is helping introduce a new generation to the richness, warmth and hospitality at the heart of Persian food.
What is your connection to Iran?
I was born and raised in Iran and lived there until I was 30, so my connection isn’t abstract or nostalgic - it’s lived.
I grew up surrounded by food, watching my mum and my grandma cook every day. I still remember how people would talk about my mum’s food: how balanced it was, how pure the flavours felt, how everything just made sense on the plate.
I was also old enough to travel across Iran, from north to south, tasting regional dishes, home cooking, street food, and family recipes. Iran is a huge country with incredible diversity, and I was lucky to experience that before I left.
Those flavours are part of my muscle memory - they’ve never left me.
Why is it important to you?
Because it’s part of who I am. For me, hospitality isn’t a slogan - it’s a value system built on generosity, pride, and care.Iranian food has enormous potential.
The balance of flavours, the way herbs and spices are used, the patience behind the cooking - it’s unlike any other cuisine. And yet, it’s still misunderstood and underrepresented.
What frustrates me isn’t the taste - people love the food instantly. The issue is knowledge. Once people try Persian food, they connect. I see it every day through messages from followers around the world who cook my dishes for non-Iranians and get the same reaction: surprise, joy, curiosity.
That gap between quality and visibility is why this matters so much to me.
How is your love for being Persian reflected in your work?
Everything I do is anchored in heritage. When people cook my recipes, they often tell me they can feel the memory behind them - where they came from, who taught me, why they exist.
I learned by watching my mum and grandma cook, and that sense of care is what I try to pass on when I teach, whether it’s in a workshop, a class, or a short video. “Mum’s cooking” is universal - even if the dish is new, the feeling is familiar.
When I work with brands, I insist on authenticity over gimmicks. That trust is why I’ve always been given creative freedom. I use every opportunity to show Persian culture properly - teaching techniques, introducing lesser-known spices, correcting misconceptions, and sharing context, even in a 30-second video.
I’m especially proud of the messages I receive from the Iranian diaspora. Parents tell me they cook my recipes for children born outside Iran - kids who’ve never been there, but who connect to their roots through food.
That’s incredibly powerful.
What do you do?
At the core, I teach - and my goal has always been to make Persian food mainstream.
I develop and test recipes for FMCG brands, create food content and videos, design menus for restaurants, and collaborate with both Iranian and non-Iranian companies to introduce Persian flavours in a natural, accessible way.
I was also the food stylist and creative director on Ed Sheeran’s Azizam music video, which was a lot of fun and another chance to showcase Iranian culture.
Alongside that, I teach extensively. I run online and in-person classes, offer pre-recorded courses, publish eBooks, and host supper clubs. I started live classes during COVID and still teach students all over the world today - from home cooks to chefs planning their own restaurants.
How long have you been doing this?
I trained in cookery in Iran at the highest level and worked in my family’s restaurant in northern Iran near the Caspian Sea. After moving to the UK in 2010, I retrained in catering and hospitality at college, which helped me translate my Iranian knowledge into modern kitchen systems, measurements, and recipe development.
I’ve been cooking all my life, but I began my professional public work in 2018, when I launched my blog and started sharing recipes, teaching, and creating content full-time.
Who is your business targeted at?
Anyone aligned with my goal of making Persian food mainstream.
That includes brands, restaurants, chefs, home cooks, non-Iranians discovering the cuisine for the first time, and Iranians reconnecting with it.
Where are you based?
I’m based in Windsor, UK, working from my own space where I develop recipes, film content, and teach. I also travel regularly across the UK and internationally for work.
Describe your business in a few sentences.I use food as a way to tell Iranian stories - teaching, cooking, and creating content that brings Persian cuisine into the mainstream without diluting its identity. Everything I do sits at the intersection of heritage, education, and modern hospitality.
What motivated you to do what you do?
Sharing my mum’s food with the world. I wanted people outside Iran to experience the real taste of Persian cuisine - not stereotypes, not shortcuts, but the food I grew up with.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I want to publish a cookbook - something people ask for daily - and continue working towards that despite the challenges of how Persian cuisine is often categorised.
I’d love to launch my own product line, travel the world teaching, mentor younger Iranian-British chefs, and help build long-term understanding of Persian food.
Most of all, I want people to stop asking “Is Persian food spicy?” and start recognising it for what it really is. Food is how I want to put Iran’s name back into the conversation.
Do you have any thoughts on the Persian hospitality community in the UK?
I’d love to see us come together more. Less isolation, more collaboration. Shared kitchens, pop-ups, regular meet-ups - real community. I genuinely think Piers and the Persian Hospitality Network can help make that happen; he’s respected, and people trust his vision and passion.
Yes, there’s competition, but there should be more teamwork. Quality and credibility must always come before gimmicks.
Outside Iran, all we really have is each other - so we should support, care for, and build together.
Given everything that is going on in the world and with our country. We need to stick together now more than ever before.
