Ariana Bundy

Ariana Bundy was brought up in New York, London and Switzerland, trained as a chef in Paris and is a cookery presenter on TV, but her family roots are firmly planted in Persian soil. She inherited her love of food and cooking from her grandparents – who grew cherries, plums, apricots, apples, sugar beets, wheat and barley, bred sheep and goats for dairy, and had beautiful vineyards producing prized grapes – and from her father, who owned and ran the first fine-dining French restaurant in Iran.
Her latest book 'Pomegranates and Roses: My Persian Family Recipes' (Simon & Schuster UK) evokes the sensual, exotic pleasure of Middle Easter flavors, using pomegranate seeds and juice, rose water and rose petals, fragrant herbs and spices to create enticing dishes full of color and elegance.
Ariana shows us how to cut corners and find shortcuts making these ancient recipes all the while using only natural fresh ingredients and less oil than traditionally used. The new presentation of these dishes makes this book truly unique.
She also writes poignantly of the traditions cherished by her forefathers, when life was simpler, family mattered above all else and eating together was of paramount importance.
Ariana is also the author of 'Sweet Alternative', the first gluten-, dairy- and soy-free dessert cookbook (Conran-Octopus UK) written due to he family's and her own intolerances.
Ariana was Head Pastry Chef for the Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and also attended the European Business School in London, majoring in International Marketing and Finance. She has appeared on TV shows such as the BBC’s Good Food Live, Sky’s Taste and Top Billing. Her 8 part cooking and travel series through Iran “Ariana's Persian Kitchen”, will air on Nat Geo People in 98 countries (US/Canada tbc). Ariana is fluent in English, Persian and French. She now lives between Dubai and Paris with her husband Paul and their son Dara.