Rising Stars: Meet Darya Vahdat of Orange, CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darya Vahdat.

Hi Darya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Darya Restaurant was opened back in the 80’s by Ali Salout & Shawn Saloot, brothers who came to US from Iran for better lives. One thing they knew well was how to make the best Kabobs, and they brought that skill with them from over seas. The brothers opened their first location in Orange in 1986, and with much success (and blood, sweat, and tears) expanded to LA, with their 2nd location in Santa Monica, CA in 1998. The brothers stand by the quality of their food and they ensure every dish is prepared the way they learned back home in their mother’s kitchen. They are both still active in the kitchen at the restaurants ensuring the quality does not change for their guests.
I began working in the restaurant along side my father in the mid 90’s when I was a teenager. I was interested in learning all aspects of the business in hopes of one day running the restaurants, for my father.

My identical twin sister, Sadaf and I worked at our father’s restaurant throughout our high school and college careers. Sadaf went on to Open Sadaf Restaurant (our sister location) with my father in Encino as I managed Darya Restaurant in Orange. As I started a family, Sadaf went on to open 2 more Sadaf Restaurants in Beverly Hills and Thousand Oaks to carry on our family’s restaurant legacy. I currently manage the Social media of all 5 restaurants and oversee Darya Orange and Santa Monica operations. We are definitely a family run business and appreciate working so closely together to provide the best Persian food on the West Coast. When you visit, definitely stop by and say Hi to Sadaf, Darya, Ali or Shawn, one of us will be there to greet you!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Ali and Shawn poured their blood, sweat, and tears in to their restaurants. Many sleepless long nights, but it paid off as Darya Restaurant grew into a Brand name for Persian Cuisine around the world among Persians. Many visitors from overseas would visit the US and when they came to the West Coast they made it a point to stop and dine at Darya’s.

Along the way in building these successful restaurants were several restaurants that the brothers sold in order to stay close to their family and focus on their flagship restaurants.

It’s been challenging for me to operate with my father’s old school mentality of operating the business, however, I have learned a balance between old school and new age operating that works for us both.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Restaurant Life is my career.

Ever since I can remember working in the restaurant industry, I have always wanted to perfect our job at providing the best to our guests. Diners have many options to choose from, so I always looked at what can I do better to draw the diners to Darya’s?
Whether it be the amazing food, the atmosphere/ambiance, the services, etc I have always wanted to perfect what we have to offer our guests.
I pay close attention to details as well as service to ensure guests are getting the best. The quality of our cuisine and our Persian Hospitality is what sets us apart from other restaurants. I always want my guests to feel that they are my family and friends dining in my home and not just a customer. I train my team members to provide a level of service that makes our guests feel our Persian Hospitality, and feel like family.
We are known for our Juicy fire-grilled Kabobs. Our cuisine is perfect for large groups, and we offer takeout and catering for large events.

What makes you happy?
My Happiness comes from the satisfaction of my guests and the happiness of my team at work. I am glad we built a business that so many people can rely on to take care of their families. Our team is our asset. We all work in a high pressured environment so we count on each other to ensure smooth service for our guests. Our team work is key to our happiness and the happiness of our guests.

Pricing:

• Lunch dishes range from $15-$22
• Dinner dishes range from $22-$50
• catering packages start at $30 per person
• Banquet packages start at $50/per person

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.daryarestaurant.com
• Instagram: daryarestaraurantoc_LA