Fr. Andrew grew up in Arcadia, CA and is the son of two Filipino immigrants. He attended Tisch School of the Arts in New York University majoring in cinema studies with dreams of working in the film industry. After graduation, he worked in a talent agency in Los Angeles. Soon he discovered that the entertainment industry wasn’t for him. It wasn’t until he met a Capuchin Franciscan friar through a college friend that he thought of becoming a Capuchin friar. He decided to leave Los Angeles and embrace the life of a Capuchin friar. In his first year, he was meditating in the chapel and a thought came into his mind; “Why don’t you cook something?”, so he started baking. That’s how baking came into his life.
For the past 13 years, Fr. Andrew has been baking for special occasions, family, friends, charities, and of course the friars. In January 2020, he competed and won Season 5 of The Great American Baking Show. Fr. Andrew is now the superior of his friary in Washington, DC, and the director of post-novitiate formation in which he trains student friars as they discern this way of life. He still bakes in between all his meetings.
Mina Szpiro is a food columnist in Judisk Krönika, the Swedish National Jewish Chronicle. She teaches Jewish cooking classes and gives lectures on Jewish food culture. Mina will share her recipe for potato latkes, with a Swedish twist, for the Jewish holiday Chanukka.
Dianoush Dinyarian was born in Iran, where she completed my high school education and began university studies in accounting. After immigrating to the United States, she continued my academic journey and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration. During this time, she also pursued certifications in phlebotomy and laser technology.
She currently works in a medical practice as a phlebotomist and laser technician, specializing in aesthetic treatments under the guidance of Dr. Feisee. Her role allows her to combine her clinical skills with her passion for helping patients feel confident and well cared for.
She also enjoys cooking which has always been a meaningful and creative outlet for me.
Jamshid Parsinejad is a real estate professional based in the United States. He was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where his passion for cooking began at a young age. His father owned a restaurant for over 35 years, and as a teenager he spent my summers working alongside him. Those early years taught him the art of Persian cuisine—especially the craft of making kabab koobideh, which remains one of his specialties.
After moving to the United States, he continued his career in a structural engineering office for a few years before transitioning into real estate. Today, he works as a real estate agent as well as a mechanical head estimator.
Alongside his professional work, his greatest joy is cooking. Preparing food for friends and family has become both a passion and a meaningful side endeavor. Whether it’s traditional Persian dishes or large gatherings, cooking allows him to stay connected to his roots and share a part of his heritage with others.