Today we’d like to introduce you to Ghazal Bazrafshan.
Ghazal, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story begins as an immigrant fleeing Iran as the Islamic Republic was persecuting the people of Iran, especially the women. I came to America with my parents and older brother at the age of 2. I didn’t speak the language and my parents were trading their PhD’s for sleeping on the living room floor of a one bedroom apartment with myself, my brother and my aunt sharing the bedroom. My mother has been the biggest inspiration for me pursuing my dreams and anything that I have achieved. She came here with my incredible father and two children and had to completely start over as the sole bread winner. We struggled a lot but my mother was smart, tough and determined. She worked tirelessly and furthered her education pursuing a new career that led to her owning and operating a successful clothing company for many years. And now as an adult I wear the title of female minority business owner proudly because I know the tremendous sacrifice that went into just the opportunity to make my own path in the world. Iranian women don’t back down and we don’t give up.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My obstacles have definitely included financial hardship due to many factors over the years and including Covid more recently. We started out in 2005 at a location on Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock and quickly built a community for ourselves with the wonderful people in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, after 12 years the very large amount of rent we were paying was not good enough anymore for our landlord. Instead of negotiating he gave us 5 days to pack up 12 years of our lives, our memories and our community. It was absolutely a gut punch. As devastating as it was, I like to believe that my partner Dave and I shine in the face of adversity. We took a few days to grieve and then we were on to the next opportunity. We reopened Dave’s in a shared space with a Butcher shop in the historic Frank’s Camera building in Highland Park. We were open there for 3 years when Covid hit. We went from dozens of catering jobs lined up and busy lunch rushes to zero literally overnight. We started doing discount meals for frontline workers and family meal drop offs and rolled with all of the punches Covid threw. After a while the Butcher shop decided they needed to close which unfortunately meant our doors were closing as well… again. My partner Dave had to help family and got stuck in Boston throughout the while pandemic while myself and my one and only trusted, ride or die employee Lore bounced around doing Pop Ups, Meal Trains, and anything we could get our knives chopping into! We finally were able to secure a new location just a few blocks from our original location back in Eagle Rock and are just a few months away from reopening. Bigger, better and back home in our community. We’re working on a beer and wine license, improving our already wicked good menu and baking our own bread fresh daily. I like to refer to us as The Little Sandwich Shop That Could.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Dave’s Chillin N Grillin?
We love what we do. Every sandwich and plate of food that comes from Dave’s Chillin N Grillin is made with love and care. We have a deep sense of community and always try to do anything we can to help our neighbors. Every year we feed hundreds of seniors and unhoused neighbors for Turkey Day and the Holidays. We also try to do that as often as possible throughout the year. We care deeply about every member of our community and feel very honored to do anything in our power to help. We also don’t shy away from standing up for what we believe is right and always having a safe and loving environment for anyone who is marginalized. Our doors are always open and we welcome everyone with open arms. Of course money is important but for us it honestly has always taken a back seat to the joy of helping someone, the joy of feeding people good food made with love and the connections we’ve made with people in our community. And Dave’s accent is pretty cool too 🙂
What do you think about happiness?
Happiness to me is a few very simple things. I want to take care of my family, be as kind and empathetic to people as possible and eventually create my own non-profit where I have resources to do some real good for my community. And as an Iranian immigrant woman business owner, happiness for me is being able to one day take my boyfriend, friends and partner Dave to see the beauty that is Iran. Happiness to me is three words ZAN ZENDEGI AZADI
Pricing:
- 10 per person
- 12 per person
- 20 per person
- 28 per person
- 34 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: Daveschillin.com
- Instagram: @daveschillingrillin
