q&a with chef rayan
Meet Chef Rayan, the chef and storyteller behind Jiji’s Supper Club—a dining experience where Persian roots are reimagined with bold global flair. Born and raised in Dubai to Iranian and Egyptian parents, Chef Rayan grew up surrounded by the region’s rich culinary diversity. His upbringing, along with classical culinary training, inspired him to take the comforting flavors of Persian cuisine and blend them with unexpected influences from around the world.
At Jiji’s, every dish is a tribute to his heritage, infused with memories of family meals and guided by a vision to modernize and share Persian flavors with a wider audience. From saffron-infused rice cakes to inventive takes on kebabs, his five-course menu is as much about culture and connection as it is about flavor. With Jiji’s Supper Club, Chef Rayan invites you to experience Persian cuisine like never before—elevated, intimate, and full of soul.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised here, I'm a Dubai-kid through and through.I am fortunate enough to call this beautiful city my home.Both of my parents met here whilst on vacation, coming from two very different backgrounds, My mum being Iranian and my Dad being Egyptian.I have always been passionate about the culinary arts, Hosting guests is deeply rooted in middle eastern culture, so starting a supper club just made sense.
Q: Your supper club, Jiji’s, is all about reimagining Persian flavors with a modern twist. What inspired you to blend tradition with innovation in your cooking?
To me Persian food is very comforting, packed with flavour and history.Going to culinary school taught me that even the simplest of recipes can be enhanced and modified and I really wanted to do exactly that with recipes and dishes I grew up with.
Q: Growing up in Dubai, how did the city’s multicultural food scene influence your approach to Persian cuisine?
One of the many things that I love about Dubai is its diversity in cuisines, it is the ultimate guide to understand other cultures here. Growing up here I would have persian kebabs and yemeni mandi in a restaurant owned by an Emirati, making me realize Persian cuisine and its flavours can very easily be fused with other cuisines.
Q: What’s one dish from your childhood that instantly makes you feel at home?
Tahchin, is a crispy saffron and yoghurt rice cake, typically served with meat or chicken and sour
barberries.My grandma makes this for me every winter, she adds slow braised meat to it instead.
Q: If you could host a dinner for any historical or cultural figure, who would it be and what would you serve them?
The late king of Iran, classic persian kabab assortments, Caspian rice topped with saffron butter, a good Cabernet Shiraz wine.
Q: Many of your dishes are a fusion of Persian flavors and global influences. What’s the most unexpected combination you’ve created that turned out to be a hit?
I was experimenting with a recipe a couple months back, and thought of Nobu’s Salmon/tuna crispy rice bites.What I ended up with was tomato and saffron rice as the base, thats fried into cubes.Saffron, Sumac, Yuzu mayo and 5 hour saffron braised beef cheek and later shredded and placed on the crispy rice.
Q: Running a supper club means creating an intimate and unique experience for guests. What’s the most memorable moment you’ve had while hosting a dinner?
Receiving praise from the iranian community for modernising our cuisine for all nationalities to experience the flavours we grew up with.
Q: If you could invite three people—past or present—to one of your supper clubs, who would they be and why?
● Anthony bourdain: Understands his perspective on food and cultures.
● King Jamshid of persia: To ask for his Shiraz wine recipe
● Patrick bet-david: Just to try my food and heavy conversations.
Q: What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you outside of food?
Ironically, I’m really against social media.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own supper club?
Manage your time very well, be patient, be persistent, if you need help say yes a lot more than you say no.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s next for Jiji’s Supper Club?Are there any exciting projects or new flavors you’re hoping to explore?
I am currently on my spring menu, experimenting with some new recipes for summer, A single’s supper club is in the works too...