Mana Shamshiri

Mana is a plant-based Persian cook and content creator, tells food stories through history and anthropology, anchored by the mission to showcase the beauty of Iranian cuisine and show that plant-based eating does not mean leaving cultural foods behind. After recognising a lack of cultural representation in the vegan scene, Mana decided to showcase her plant-based Persian cooking during the COVID-19 pandemic by blogging and posting on instagram.

It was met with a hugely positive reaction and a rapidly growing organic audience. The demand led her to establishing a prominent social media platform, award winning pop-up restaurant, sell-out supper clubs and cooking classes in the past 3 years.

"Food is so much more than food. It is a representation of ourselves and our identities. It is a vehicle to create conversation, break down barriers, & foster across-cultural acceptance. It is an offering of love, of nourishment, and of growth."