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MEET MINA STONE
A Chef living in Brooklyn and Author of Cooking for Artists a cookbook showcasing Stone's Greek heritage and family style recipes. In this dialogue we invite you to Mina's home to learn about late summer nights in Greece with her Grandmother and how she brings her creations to life.
Tell us about a notable memory from your upbringing, relating to anything, maybe something that continues to shape the way you think today?
I was just in Boston and my mother and I were just talking about late night summer dinners in Greece. When I was a kid, my very favorite dinner was Greek eggs and french fries (both fried in olive oil). It is one of those memories that is of pure happiness, and sometimes possible to revisit today, over a great meal even if it's not of the same composition.
What is something you are yearning to experience or learn?
I would LOVE to learn more about, very specifically, Jewish Persian cooking.
Your cookbook “Cooking for Artists” has an undeniable ease in creation for the dishes outlined and is inspired by your Greek Grandmother. When you look to create a dish, what are the steps you go through to bring your ideas to life?
I usually have an idea or a feeling I want to create when it comes to food. It is a combination of what I would like to eat and what the person I am feeding would like to eat. I certainly learned that from my grandmother. She had a magical way of altering dishes just a little bit so that everyone was always happy.
What is next in your pursuit of creation?
This is a tricky question for me because I'm at a point where a lot of different directions seem appealing to me… a book? A restaurant? But something meaningful.
What is something you have loved for a long time?
My cat Gadson, I have had him since I was 19 years old, and now I am 36. He has seen me through my whole adult life so far.
Maimoun comes from the Persian language word meaning to welcome guests/invite company. If you could invite anyone to a dinner who would it be?
Robin Williams.
