“I came to this country with nothing - zero dollars in my pocket, no English - but I came with hope. I knew I could build something if someone just gave me a chance.” When Amir Adabkha arrived in Salt Lake City in 1994, he had left behind not only his home country of Iran but also a life full of responsibility. Years later, through relentless work and an unwavering belief in opportunity, Amir would go on to open Zaferan Café (7835 S Highland Dr.), serving Persian and Mediterranean cuisine in Cottonwood Heights, and then Fresh Chicken Express, a revival of a South Salt Lake favorite.

“It gets me emotional when I see people having a good time. When the place is packed, I think - wow, we really built this. It’s an honest feeling. There’s nothing better,” reflected Zach Wade as he walked through the dining room of Cosmica, his restaurant in West Maven, on a Friday night. "It still gets me. We’re here to serve - to create a space where people can come together over food and wine and have a fabulous evening."

“This is my baby. I come in each day to see the people who return again and again - who share their stories, their lives. That’s what makes it all worth it.” When Paramjit Kaur was eleven years old, she moved with her family from Punjab, India, to Salt Lake City. They already had family in the area and "it made sense for us to come here." A few years later, at the age of fifteen, she began working as a server at her family’s restaurant, Star of India. 

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“I still remember the moment I realized that food had the power to bring people back to their childhood,” Jorge Galvez told me, seated at a corner table at Sol Agave in downtown Salt Lake City. “Someone took a bite and said it reminded them of their grandmother’s cooking. That’s when I knew - this was bigger than just a restaurant.”

“There is a difference between eating and dining,” said Marco Stevanoni. “Dining is an art that is being lost, but it is an experience that brings people together.” This philosophy is at the heart of VENETO, the Italian restaurant he and his wife, Amy, opened in 2016 in Salt Lake City. Born out of a desire to create the kind of culinary journey they longed for but could not find locally, VENETO is more than just a restaurant; it is a deeply personal expression of their shared passions, backgrounds, and values.

“I have been doing this since I was eighteen. I am sixty now. We just keep going because we love it, and because this is our fate.” Anna Tran, owner of Oh Mai, never set out to become a restaurateur, but food has always been central to her family’s story.

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“The devil is in the details but that is also where the magic happens. I believe if you marry food, service, and music just right, people can feel the love in the space.” Loren Bell, owner of Contento Cafe, never imagined that grief would be the bridge to his dream.

“There’s never a day I walk into the brewery and do not smile - no matter what’s going on in life, when I walk through those doors, I light up,” beamed Mark Medura, owner of Level Crossing Brewing Company.

“I am not going anywhere. I will grow old right here.” Azar Farajnedad, a warm, sweet woman sat at one of the small tables inside Best Chicken and Ribs Greek Food, her husband Asghar working just a few feet away in the kitchen they have shared for over two decades. The couple opened their South Salt Lake City restaurant in May 2002, and from the very beginning, the support of their community has never wavered.

"This restaurant is our love letter to the community," Jennifer Hannon said, seated at a table in the lounge at the back of Laziz Kitchen. "We want people to feel safe, welcome, and fed with care."

"I have always had a vision for this restaurant," Tim Rammell reveals. "I put in the work, learned from the best, and took notes. When the opportunity came, I knew I was ready." Tim and his younger brother - by one year and one week - Joe, share a journey to opening Drunken Kitchen that is rooted in determination, friendship, and an unwavering passion for food.

"If you don’t do what you love when you’re twenty-five, you’re never going to do it in your life." These words from Matteo Sogne perfectly encapsulate his journey from Modena, Italy, to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he now shares his passion for food at Matteo Ristorante Italiano.

“When you do what you love, it’s no longer a job. This restaurant, this food, it’s my story, my memories, my family. Every dish has a piece of my past in it.”

“I grew up on a commercial orchard in Logan, Utah,” recalls Jennifer Felton, “where my grandpa, a professor of agriculture, instilled in me a love for old-school cooking.” This early immersion in traditional culinary arts, including baking and jam-making, laid the foundation for what would become Atomic Biscuit.

"We wanted to create a space where people could turn their culinary dreams into reality without the financial burden of a full-scale restaurant," Ana Valdemoros shared, reflecting on the origins of Square Kitchen.

“People tell me, ‘Don’t worry about the little things.’ But that’s where it starts. If you don’t pay attention to the little things, then the problems will only get bigger.” If there is anyone who embodies the soul of a true artisan and perfectionist, it is Jean Jacques Grossi - though most know him simply as JJ. Beloved by his customers, respected by his staff, and renowned for his meticulous dedication to quality, JJ has spent his life perfecting the art of French pastry and baking. His journey, however, has been anything but ordinary.

“I feel a sense of responsibility to provide people with the things that are getting harder and harder to find,” Annette Raverino says with a warm smile. “I am really lucky.” Luck may have played a small part in Annette’s journey, but passion, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to tradition have been the true foundations of Mediterranean Market & Deli. Her story stretches back generations, rooted in the northern Italian Alps, a place where her mother was raised and where Annette spent time cooking with family.