Deravain's family left Iran during the height of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when she was eight years old. In their new Canadian home, she became aware of the power of her mother's home-cooked Persian meals to break down barriers and connect newly-made friends to her culture-- and herself. Years later the kitchen became a place where Deravian could relax and reconnect with herself, preparing meals for her own family that reflected her life both in and outside Iran. -- adapted from introduction