Hamed Allahyari was sat amidst piles of construction supplies, paint roller in hand, as he took my call about his newest culinary venture, Kababi. Despite a frenzied schedule preparing Kababi, his new Iranian restaurant, for its April grand opening, Hamed’s voice conveyed a grounded sense of pride in how far he has come in a decade since arriving in Australia by boat seeking asylum.
Kababi, which translates to kebab cafe, is Hamed’s nostalgic recreation of the casual kebab eateries dotted around in his native Iran. Kababi promises to transport diners to the bustling streets of Tehran 25 years ago. “For anyone who likes Persian food, or has travelled to Iran, Kababi is what eating out in Iran 25 years ago was like. People will come to this place, and they will feel like they are in Iran 25 years ago,” said Hamed.
The menu at Kababi focuses on classic Iranian street food, like Kabob Koobideh, tender charcoal grilled skewers of saffron mince meat, marinated in onion and spices, and served with fresh basil.
Hamed excitedly describes his vision for the café’s aesthetic, “an old school version of an Iranian café”, decorated to envoke nostalgia of the past. Collaborating with an Australian interior designer, Hamed has worked tirelessly preparing Kababi, hoping to fully revive sensations of old Iran through design details from tiled floors to lighting modelled after traditional lamps.
Kababi builds on the success of Hamed’s first restaurant, Salamatea in Sunshine, Melbourne. Launched in 2019, Salamatea operates as a social enterprise that trains and employs people seeking asylum and refugees. When Hamed first arrived in Australia, despite his extensive hospitality background, he struggled to find work due to English language barriers.
He envisions Salamatea as providing opportunities for others now in his former shoes. “We start from scratch and teach the basics,” Hamed explains. So far, he has trained over 50 refugees and people seeking asylum that have gone on to build careers in Melbourne’s thriving café culture.
“The best charity is the one giving job opportunities, not just food,” remarks Hamed. “I’m proud Salamatea allows people to make their own money and buy their own food.”
Kababi will carry on Salamatea’s community-focused mission when its doors open later this month. Diners can also get a taste of Hamed’s journey through his cookbook “Salamati.” During 2020’s lockdowns, a publisher dining at Salamatea offered to help Hamed bring his recipes and stories of fleeing Iran to print.
“My English wasn’t very good. I explained that it would be hard for me to write down my stories,” Hamed recalls. “So they put me in contact with Dani Valent, a food writer in Melbourne. I was on the phone telling her my stories about the food and we worked together on the cookbook. She listened to my stories, then wrote them out.”
Salamati weaves together recipes like Kashke Bademjan, a smoked eggplant dip, with Hamed’s tales of learning to cook from his mother in Iran. Released in several countries including the United States, now home to a thriving Iranian community, the book also chronicles Hamed’s arrival in Australia by boat seeking asylum.
“Sometimes people are interested to know about this journey. So I shared my whole story in this cookbook,” Hamed explains.
If you’re interested in learning more about Hamed’s story, or want to recreate rich Persian fare from the comfort of your kitchen, pick up a copy of Salamati for Hamed’s time-tested recipes. The cookbook can be purchase online at Booktopia or from Hamed directly for a copy signed by him an co-author Dani Valent.
Kababi opens its doors late this April. If you want to experience the taste and atmosphere of dining out in the Iran of yesteryear, head to this nostalgic Sunshine cafe where Hamed eagerly awaits the chance to share his homeland’s flavours and culture with new friends.