Simi Rezai-Ghassemi

Hi, I'm a cookery teacher, author, and organic gardener. I specialise in Azerbaijani and Turkic foodways. Currently, I'm editing my debut book The Fermented dairy of Central Asia, which will be published in September 2025.
I recently launched my Substack:
Simi's Azerbaijani Foodways
https://srezaighassemi.substack.com
Through my writing, I aim to preserve the food wisdom of Azerbaijan by exploring ingredients, techniques, and the associated rituals, culture, and stories from an indigenous perspective. As an organic allotmenteer, I also write about food from a soil-to-spoon approach—covering planting, harvesting, cooking, and preserving.
I was born in the Azeri city of Tabriz, in Iran, and grew up in both Iran and Anglesey, North Wales.
In 2009, I founded Simi's Kitchen in Bath.

Professions

Author, Broadcaster, Chef, Consultant, Cookery demonstrator, Cookery teacher, Copywriter, Feature writer, Food and travel writer, Food historian, Ghost writer

Special subjects

Recipes, ingredients, history and culture of Eurasia, particularly Azerbaijan and Turkic Food.
Middle Eastern Food, World vegan cookery, Gluten free cookery and Growing Food.

Regular work

Teaching, Writing & Catering

Advisory boards / Awards

The Guild Fellowship Fund 2023.

Languages spoken

English, Azeri, Farsi and a little Turkish & Welsh.

Commercial interest

Cookery Demonstrator, Cookery Teacher, Recipe Developer, Food writer, Feature writer, Travel writer, Food tour guide and Gardener.