The most expensive spice in the world, saffron is an essential part of Central and South Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, its labor-intensive harvesting means it hasn’t become widely used in the United States. That is until Mohammad Salehi started Heray Spice as a way to ethically source Afghanistan saffron to the chefs and home cooks in America. Listen as chef Nyesha Arrington and restaurateur Philip Camino give you some amazing facts about saffron and discuss Mohammad’s amazing journey from interpreter to saffron farmer. Listen to Philip and Nyesha discuss saffron: Mohammad Salehi was born and raised in Afghanistan to a farming family He became an interpreter for the U.S. Army, then moved to Chicago in 2014 Mohammad’s family had farmed wheat and chickpeas before turning to saffron in 2002, which was made more profitable thanks to the U.S. and U.N. extending support for saffron after the fall of the Taliban Mohammad started Heray Spice, a nod to the Persian city “Herat” where the spice is rumored to have originated Heray Spice employs 28 families in Afghanistan to grow saffron, offering training, tools, and other resources to help set them up, with a focus on ethical sourcing Heray’s farmers harvest the saffron by hand -- the traditional method While Heray focuses on sourcing saffron to chefs, home cooks can also buy the spice through Heray’s website Mohammad plans on adding other quality spices, including cumin and Afghanistan’s popular green tea Links: Happy Mouth Podcast Instagram Eater - Can good saffron change lives? Mohammad Salehi thinks so Eater - ‘This land is meant only for saffron. Without it, it means nothing’ Heray Spice - Website We have a lot more content coming your way! Be sure to check out our other shows: Full Comp  The Happy Mouth Morning Show Restaurant Marketing School The Playbook