The global COVID-19 pandemic brought with itself an emergency situation, be it for health or the world economy. A lot of people lost their jobs, and the ones still employed went through mental and physical pressures to survive. It was also during this time that people started realizing their true calling and ventured into small businesses from their homes in order to develop an alternate means of earning. For some, the businesses grew so much that they quit their 9 to 5 jobs and became entrepreneurs, while for others, it became an additional revenue stream.  

John Nazari is one such individual who took up his passion for cooking and not just fulfilled himself but grew it to new heights. Born in Iran in 1970, John Nazari moved to Canada after finishing school. After going through various odd jobs, he was recruited by a reputable company as an industrial engineer. Currently, he works full-time as a Senior Facilities Manager at one of the greatest automotive companies. Yet, his passion is to create, fuse and modify dishes with his family.  

He developed his love for cooking from an early age. “In our house, the kitchen was the main hub, so everyone wanted to spend time there just to be together. I used to do all my homework on the kitchen table since I was a kid, so there was a natural exposure to food and my mother’s cooking. I used to ask for prep chores, and she would give me herbs to clean or simple vegetables to chop. Then one day, she handed me a small knife and showed me how to clean and cut meat and chicken,” shared John. “The interest turned into passion when I was a bit older and living on my own, and realized I had to make a choice of either learning to cook and eating well, or falling in the trap of consuming junk food or dine out all the time.”

To further enhance his skills, he has completed a number of cooking courses at George Brown College, but for the most part, he is a self-taught cook. He is a host by nature and loves to have people over for dinners and lunches and cook meals, experimenting with various dishes to get their feedback. The process of planning and executing a multi-course meal is what makes him charged up and excited.

While creating meals, he realized his spices and blends were something people loved and asked for during their visits. This was when he started working on his gourmet spice blends – Nazari’s Touch. The idea struck him during the pandemic when he saw people selling their own brands and products online from the comforts of their homes. John started looking into food-based ventures that did not require commercial kitchen space. “The first idea as a product originated when I put my signature Za’atar blend together and used it on some strained yogurt as an appetizer during a party at our house. No one knew what it was, but the yogurt was wiped clean and the feedback was magnificent. That was the start of the spice blend business. I currently have three blends, with three more in the pipeline. Every one of my products goes through multiple rounds of tasting via my friends and relatives. They realize that an honest opinion makes my business more successful, so they do not hold back and hit me with the sharpest critiques if needed,” said John, talking about the process of preparing the gourmet spice blends.

The three popular blends Nazari’s Touch kickstarted from are Za’atar Spice Blend, Taco Seasoning and Pulled Pork Dry Rub. These are made with premium ingredients so that you can expect nothing but excellent flavor and quality. 

John Nazari cooks a lot of Persian foods, and people around him are quite accustomed to it. In fact, his dishes and spice blends have a bit of that influence which is greatly appreciated. Persian cuisine is one that not many are familiar with, and once introduced, people enjoy the new and fresh taste, something different from their everyday meals. You can even use the spice blends and fuse them with your cuisines to create your own unique recipe. 

John Nazari prides himself on sticking to fresh ingredients and making the recipes as diverse as possible. His main aim has been to teach his kids that food from around the world needs to be tried and that one cannot stick to a particular cuisine for the sake of comfort. Apart from this, he also supports small and eco-friendly businesses by using their organic products in his cuisines and promoting them. He typically partners with them to showcase their products on his social media and incorporates messages they would want to disseminate about their products to the masses. This is not all! He also tries to create new recipes or content with a unique vibe around their products to attract viewers and encourage his audience to try them out. 

John Nazari is an entrepreneur, but more than that, he is a chef at heart. He loves and enjoys cooking, and that love is poured into his dishes, making them scrumptious. If you want to try a taste of his skill, try his spice blends – Nazari’s Touch – today and be the judge yourself!