In every bite, I want people to feel the love and care, and to feel closer to Argentina.” That has always been Ana Valdemoros’s hope with Argentina’s Best Empanadas. Born in Córdoba and raised in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, Ana came to Salt Lake City in 2000 to study city planning at the University of Utah. At the time, there were few options for traditional Argentine food.

“The recipes are ours,” Mohammad Naim said. “They are what we grew up eating. Now we’re lucky enough to share them.” When he opened Afghan Kitchen in 2016, Mohammad was filling a gap - not just in cuisine, but in culture and connection. Years earlier, Mohammad had launched a small spot downtown called Curry and Kabab, but it was only after recognizing how few Afghan restaurants existed in Salt Lake City that the vision for something deeper took hold. “There were a few back in the 1990s,” he explained, “but they had closed. Since our U.S. soldiers had spent time in Afghanistan, many had become familiar with our food. So, I thought why not?”

“If you can envision it, we’ll make it happen.” Deb Holbrook smiled as she said this, and she meant it. Since 2022, she and her husband Chris have been the proud owners of the Salt Lake Institute of Culinary Education (SLICE), a thriving, hands-on culinary school and event space that has become a haven for aspiring chefs, curious home cooks, and anyone who simply wants to share a great meal and learn something new in the process.

“We believe the world needs more connection. And we built PLUNJ Salt Lake to make that possible.” That vision has guided Brian Brown and his three business partners - Ronnie Withaeger, Michael Bunn, and Jason Blickenstaff - from the earliest conversations about opening a Scandinavian-style bathhouse in Salt Lake City. Though each came from different backgrounds - tech, business, design - they shared a yearning for something more grounded, more communal. When they discovered PLUNJ, everything clicked.

“The two things that bring people together, no matter who they are, are sports and food. And that’s what we built this place on.” Frank and Jovanna Henry, owners of Creole & Sliders Cafe, did not move to Salt Lake City with the intention of opening a restaurant. They came to retire.

“When you walk into Planted, you’re walking into a piece of my heart.” Tucked into the garden level of Salt Lake City’s vibrant Maven District - a community of more than one hundred women-owned businesses - Planted Salon feels more like a sanctuary than a shop. The soft hum of hair dryers mingles with laughter, the scent of rosemary and mint drifts through the air, and conversations range from celebratory to cathartic. For owner Tori Plant, it is not just a salon. It is a place where connection, care, and creativity live side by side.

"I’m just trying to make the world a little bit better through food.” That has been Ian Brandt’s guiding principle from the start. For over two decades, he has been at the forefront of Salt Lake City’s plant-based dining movement, driven not by profit, but by a deep commitment to the planet, the animals, and the people who share it. Vertical Deli, his newest venture opened in June 2025, is the latest expression of that mission - this time, with a drive-through window and a focus on speed, convenience, and community.

“I got my first set of oil paints when I was five years old. I’ve been making art ever since,” announced Stephen Teuscher, one of the trio that founded Studio-de-Verre (studio of glass). As for the other two, it was the illustrations in the Golden Braid books that got Kerry Transtrum hooked on art at age three. For Dan Cummings, he knew in the second grade, when he received all kinds of accolades for a saber-toothed tiger that he drew, exactly what he was going to do the rest of his life.

“I came to this country with nothing - zero dollars in my pocket, no English - but I came with hope. I knew I could build something if someone just gave me a chance.” When Amir Adabkha arrived in Salt Lake City in 1994, he had left behind not only his home country of Iran but also a life full of responsibility. Years later, through relentless work and an unwavering belief in opportunity, Amir would go on to open Zaferan Café (7835 S Highland Dr.), serving Persian and Mediterranean cuisine in Cottonwood Heights, and then Fresh Chicken Express, a revival of a South Salt Lake favorite.

“All I knew was that I saw something I loved and wanted to figure out how to make it myself. That moment changed everything. Making things has always been a part of who I am. Jewelry just happened to be the thing that stuck.” Erica Hogan, owner of The Land of Salt, grew up in South Jordan, Utah, just south of Salt Lake City, and spent much of her youth dancing - literally around the world.

“It gets me emotional when I see people having a good time. When the place is packed, I think - wow, we really built this. It’s an honest feeling. There’s nothing better,” reflected Zach Wade as he walked through the dining room of Cosmica, his restaurant in West Maven, on a Friday night. "It still gets me. We’re here to serve - to create a space where people can come together over food and wine and have a fabulous evening."

“I’m just a girl from Utah who wanted to offer something delicious to the community - something I didn’t feel like we had, especially at the time.”  In the heart of Salt Lake City’s Maven District, Passion Flour Patisserie stands as a beacon of culinary innovation, offering a unique blend of artistry and sustainability. Opened by Jessica Davies in 2015, this vegan pastry shop was born from a passion for exquisite desserts and a deep commitment to ethical and environmentally friendly practice.

“This is my baby. I come in each day to see the people who return again and again - who share their stories, their lives. That’s what makes it all worth it.” When Paramjit Kaur was eleven years old, she moved with her family from Punjab, India, to Salt Lake City. They already had family in the area and "it made sense for us to come here." A few years later, at the age of fifteen, she began working as a server at her family’s restaurant, Star of India. 

“Sugar runs in my veins,” Felicia (Fee) Hanson said with a smile, as she looked around the warm, whimsical space she has built. “I just love making people happy - with candy, with food, with community.” Sweet Hazel, Fee’s vegan bakery, market, and café, is tucked into a cozy strip that includes Leavity Bread and Star of India. Named after her beloved cat, Hazel, Fee said that “She was my soul cat. When I started this adventure, I didn’t know what to name it, and my sister-in-law said, ‘What about Sweet Hazel?’ It just felt right.”

“Cats can bring joy to people of all ages and can help them to get through emotional times. Sometimes a customer asks me, ‘What is your favorite cat?’ I say, I love every one of them. They are all different, and I want to share them with others.” That is how Lisa Chen, who moved to Utah from China in 2007, describes the inspiration behind MiaoMiao Café, a charming cat-themed space that merges handmade desserts, specialty drinks, and, of course, a family of cats she considers her children.

“I’ve always loved museums. I remember being really little, standing in front of a painting, and my mom saying, ‘Someone made that - with a brush.’” For Kathleen Bodenlos, that moment stuck. Raised in Pittsburgh by a mother who found ways to expose her daughters to art, science, and culture despite limited means, Kathleen learned early on that museums were places of possibility. “We didn’t have a lot, but my mom made sure we had the arts,” she said. “Looking back, I realize how much she sacrificed, but she lit a spark in me that’s still burning.” Today, as CEO of Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum, Kathleen is paying that gift forward - revitalizing the museum into one of Utah’s most dynamic cultural institutions. But the path was far from linear.

“I always say, food can make people happy - it brings them together, helps us understand each other. That is what I enjoy doing." Ragda Safah’s journey spans continents, conflicts, and cultures. From Baghdad to Bountiful, she has moved through war and displacement with quiet strength, building a life rooted in purpose, learning, and love. Her warmth is immediate, her determination unmistakable, and every dish she prepares, every item she stocks on the shelves of Sindbad's - her Middle Eastern market - carries the imprint of that remarkable path.

“I was eight years old when I started working,” said Peter Marshall, owner of Utah Book and Magazine. “Got five bucks a week. That was good money.” He dropped out of school just two weeks into the eighth grade. “Told my dad and grandpa I’d rather work with them. And I never looked back.” At no time has Peter stepped away - not once in sixty-two years.

“My family has been in the business since 1959 when my grandfather opened his first restaurant.” Today, Matt Crandall is the head chef and partner of three of Salt Lake City's most celebrated restaurants - Whiskey Street, White Horse Spirits & Kitchen, and Franklin Avenue Cocktails & Kitchen - all of which he created and runs alongside his longtime friend and business partner, Jason LeCates.

“I called it Define Fitness because I believe health looks different for everyone. You get to decide what it means to you.” From the border city of El Paso, Texas, to the heart of Millcreek, Utah, Valeria Macias has carved out a space that is deeply personal. Define Fitness, her women-centered studio, opened in the spring of 2025, is the culmination of a life journey shaped by hardship, healing, and the belief that fitness is for every kind of body.