I come from a Bukharian Jewish family where food was a central part of Jewish life, family bonds, and memory. My grandmother was the heart of this tradition. Her kitchen was where everyday meals, Shabbat, and special occasions came together, and many of my strongest childhood memories are tied to watching and helping her cook.

Today, I continue this collective family tradition in my own way. I recreate the dishes I remember from her kitchen, guided by taste, intuition, and memory rather than written recipes. While the foundation stays true to her cooking, I adapt the methods to my modern kitchen, using contemporary tools and techniques so these dishes fit into a busy daily life without losing their soul.

I preserve and share this tradition through short cooking videos on my dedicated social media channel, My Traditional Modern Kitchen. One of the recipes I want to share is Bukharian-style manti—a dish that, in my family, was closely connected to togetherness and time spent cooking as a group. By filming and sharing these recipes, I’m not only preserving flavors, but also documenting a living family tradition and passing on a piece of Bukharian Jewish life that continues to matter deeply to me.