Delle Dining Experience: 10-Courses with Private Chef Nadia Deljou
Nadia Deljou, owner of Delle Dining, is an Atlanta-based private chef preparing intimate dining experiences for a handful of guest, respecting ingredients of her native Iranian cuisine.
“I pride myself on curating immersive and intentional private dinner parties that lie at the intersection of music, food and culture as a way to elevate peoples relationships to all those mediums,” says Deljou.
On Thursday, July 15th, Deljou curated a LA inspired 10-course tasting menu for a pop-up dinner at her home headquarters for six people — I purchased a seat at the table.
What I experienced was an intimate dinner with complete strangers who became friends over exquisite food, compelling conversation, cultural music and of course… wine.
“We’re breaking down a construct of what it means to dine,” says Deljou adding, “People want to put their money, their time and their attention into something that will engage with them in a nuanced way.”
The 10-course menu was very nuanced — yet eloquently presented and managed flawlessly.
From Calabrian chili and lemon on lettuce, marinated eggplant with saffon, grilled cucumber paired alongside plums, to peaches and cream almond cake, I was satiated from the vegetable forward menu — and full on the alluring dialogue with each guest.
“The conversations that happen at these tables are always very magical for me to hear as an outsider,” Deljou said, “It’s an opportunity to meet amazing people over food that’s part of a greater conversation.”
Following the dining experience, Deljou and I sat down for an unwinding conversation, the first one we’ve had together in roughly 5 years.
In college, Deljou and I worked together at WRAS-ATL, Album 88 — Georgia State Universities 100,000 watt student-run radio station.
As music director and the host of her own show “Beatscape Lounge”, Deljou trained me on overnight shifts and always shared knowledge and encouragement along the way; I consider her an ally.
Fast Forward six years, and I was grateful to have experienced a new and evolved Nadia Dejlou.
“I feel aligned with my purpose,” she proclaimed.
Nadia rarely spoke of her passion for cooking that began at the age of twelve but now says, “I’m truly harnessing a sense of confidence and belief in myself and offering that to the world — At the end of the day this is a culmination of who I am and who i’ve been.”
#SupportAHustla and follow Nadia Deljou’s business journey @delledining to keep up with upcoming pop-ups and dinner experiences.