I arrived in the United States from Iran as a teenager, one of five people sharing a single-bedroom apartment. Within a week, I was at a restaurant sink washing dishes, barely speaking English, and entirely unaware that I was standing on the foundation of my life’s work. That kitchen was my first classroom.

Over the next 25 years, I moved through every corridor of the hospitality world from the grit of fast-food lines to the choreographed elegance of fine dining; from the bar to the boardroom. My career has been a masterclass in scale, resilience, and the soul of service spanning six major U.S. cities and international consulting work. I’ve spent over two decades helping build other people’s empires: turning single locations into multi-city powerhouses, navigating the highs of expansion, and enduring the hard-won lessons of industry crisis.

Now, I’m channeling twenty-five years of operational mastery into my most personal chapter yet: launching a new hospitality standard in New York City. This isn’t just a restaurant! It’s a cultural bridge, fusing the bohemian spirit of Tulum with the ancient, sophisticated heritage of my Persian roots. It is the culmination of a lifetime spent at the table, and the beginning of a legacy built on the belief that hospitality can change the world.

Taftoon is the most personal project of my life. It brings together everything that has inspired me throughout my journey: the warmth of Persian hospitality, the vibrant energy and relaxed spirit of Tulum, and the excitement of New York City, the place I proudly call home. It’s where I would want to spend my own evenings, gather with friends, and share the comforting flavors I grew up with, the dishes my mother made for our family, reimagined with a modern perspective.