“Writing from the heart, Omid beautifully casts a fresh light on Iranian cuisine, welcoming everyone into his vibrant kitchen.”

– Naz Deravian, author of Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories

“Bitter & Sweet is a soulful and moving cookbook on the Iranian-American immigrant experience that shows us how we forge, break, and rebuild relationships with the cultures we were born in and the ones we adopted.”

– Nik Sharma, James Beard Award finalist and author/photographer of The Flavor Equation and Veg-Table

“This is a book that is sure to help you discover the rich world of Iranian cuisine and inspire you in the kitchen.”

– Aran Goyoaga, James Beard Award finalist and creator of Cannelle et Vanille

“Omid Roustaei takes recipe development to a whole new level with Bitter & Sweet, a journey with layers of culture, fusing the familiar and the flavorful!”

– Scot Louie, author of Tastemaker

“Omid feels the pain and joy of making a treasured heirloom recipe from cherished memories atop the bare earth of a once-foreign land. Bitter & Sweet will make my home kitchen more exciting, flavorful, and worldly, with kukus and tahdig residing joyfully in my cheffy mind. Thank you, Omid!”

– Tom Douglas, executive chef, restaurateur, author, talk show host, and James Beard Award winner

“Omid Roustaei’s debut cookbook is perfect for anyone who enjoys reading their books as much as they enjoy cooking from them. With essays that share his compelling personal story alongside gorgeously photographed, accessible recipes, Omid reminds us of the deep connection between food and memory. I’m excited to share this book with customers and to cook from it myself!”

– Lara Hamilton, owner of Book Larder Seattle, a community cookbook store

“It is difficult not to get lost in Omid’s journey of straddling the delicate hyphen of his Iranian-American identity. Every recipe and heartfelt story had me salivating and rooting for him to find healing in the food of his people.”

– Reem Assil, IACP Award-winning author of Arabiyya

“This is more than a cookbook; it is a celebration of life, of the human desire for connection through the transformative art of intuitive cooking. It is an ode to balancing feelings of duality through the continuity of our food traditions and a necessary embrace of the bitter and sweet. I will be giving this book as a gift to almost everyone I know for years to come!”

– Marjan Kamali, bestselling author of The Stationery Shop, Together Tea, and The Lion Women of Tehran

“Iran and Indonesia are oceans apart, both in miles and culinary landscapes, but Omid Roustaei’s gorgeous cookbook Bitter & Sweet resonates deep within. From Iranian favorites like Chicken in Pomegranate Walnut Sauce to dishes at the crossroads of culture such as Afghan Rice Pilaf with Lamb, there’s a recipe—more likely, many recipes—you will want to cook and share with loved ones.”

– Patricia Tanumihardja, author of Mortar & Pestle: Classic Indonesian Recipes for the Modern Kitchen

“Omid captures the essence of living between cultures, with recipes that bloom and flow beyond borders. Rooted in his childhood in Iran and his life in America, his storytelling is hauntingly beautiful. This book embodies the experience of ‘living on the hyphen’ as an Iranian-American, making each recipe as multifaceted as his own identity.”

– Becky Selengut, author of Misunderstood Vegetables and Shroom