August 13, 2018 | Feature Features
When did you discover your love of baking?
It started in 1979, soon after the Iranian Revolution. We were forced to stay home due to massive unrest. It was my son’s second birthday, and not possible to purchase a cake, so I made one from scratch in the shape of a four-leaf clover, hopeful for some good luck during a difficult time... It was a huge hit: My guests had never seen a cake in this shape and loved it. I realized that by using my training as an architect, I could differentiate my work. A few months later, I opened my first cake studio in Tehran.
What happened next?
In 1983, I moved to Nice, France, to save my son from the terrible war underway in Iran. We stayed for five years. In that time, I pursued a more formal path of training as a baker and a cake artist, and opened my second cake studio in the hillsides of Nice. I participated in my first cake competition alongside several top pastry chefs in France and won the Jury’s grand prize. In 1988, we moved to Woodside, Calif., where I opened my third cake studio and successfully ran that business for 14 years.
What brought you to Beverly Hills?
In the early ‘90s, I visited L.A. and stayed with family in Bel Air. On a walk through Beverly Hills on one of those classic sun-drenched days, we stumbled upon the the Rodeo Collection, and I fell in love with it. I met Mr. Bijan across the street and saw how successful he had been. There were some interesting parallels I could apply to my own business, so I decided to open a cake studio here.
How does your work stand out?
At the heart of it is that I started as an architect. I spend a lot of time designing on paper before bringing cakes to life. I also use the finest ingredients without added sugar, like chocolate from one of Switzerland’s finest producers.
What do you love most about your job?
Having a clean palette to work with every single time gives me unlimited freedom to think and create.
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