San Diego contestant on 'The Great American Recipe' shares his Afghan food and roots

The PBS show "The Great American Recipe" follows a group of home cooks as they share their signature recipes and explore their own roots and traditions with a series of cooking challenges.

One of the eight contestants this season is San Diego-based Waigal Safi, who cooks Afghan dishes passed down from his mother's side of the family.

Safi learned to cook as a teenager in an effort to recreate his mother's dishes when she was away.

"I would always watch my mom growing up, and then one summer she went on holiday to visit her family — and she actually went to Afghanistan after a very long time of not visiting her family," Safi said. "I was craving the dishes my mom would make. So, I took matters into my own hands, and I started experimenting, and I started actually making real, grown-up dishes at that age of 14."

Safi also works for a nonprofit foster care organization and is a food content creator. He's excited to share Afghan cuisine with more people.

"Before this show, to me American food was meat loaf, hamburgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese. And the show, what's so special about it is it's redefining the way we view that, and it's actually taking into consideration the amazing multifaceted fabric of our country," he said.

Interview highlights

On 'American' food

Before this show, to me American food was meatloaf, hamburgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese.

And the show, what's so special about it is it's redefining the way we view that, and it's actually taking into consideration the amazing multifaceted fabric of our country — and naming it "The Great American Recipe," and then choosing to feature people from so many different backgrounds is kind of genius. It's showing that the greatest American recipe and American cuisine itself is a melting pot, just like the population of America is. It's kind of amazing to redefine that and look at it from a new lens.

On sharing Afghan culture with the world

From the beginning, when I agreed to do the show and when I finished wrapping the show, I think it was always about showcasing Afghan cuisine. And for me, I grew up watching cooking shows. I never saw my cuisine represented in any way, shape or form.

Coming from my background, it's like, there's always some negative connotation. I was raised seeing only the negative being publicized. And it's very unfortunate because that's what suits the narrative. I think what people are missing out on is the beauty and the royal cuisine of my culture, and how we are world renowned for our hospitality and when we have a guest, we give them our all. I hope I could showcase even a little bit of that, and maybe a kid that watches cooking shows is going to see my Afghan cuisine represented and feel seen. That's what it's all about for me.

At the end of the day, it's still a competition, but upon arrival, I was just so mellow and so just happy to be there — because I knew that they're going to mention Afghan cuisine on national TV. Beyond that, it doesn't matter what happens.

On marathon kitchen sessions on the show

It felt exhausting. Totally. I think cooking all day is difficult as is, but when you're being timed, critiqued, judged — and then you have a bunch of cameras in your face that will not leave, there's nothing like it. It's so overwhelming. I could have never anticipated that feeling that it gave me. But by the end of it, I was not even fazed by the surroundings. So it was like, "Oh, this is my kitchen." But in the beginning, it was very difficult.

On his 'signature dish'

My signature dish, it's called lawand. It's an Afghan stew. It's originally made with quail or lamb, but the American in me just wants to make it with chicken, so I make it with chicken. And it's one of my favorite dishes. It's originally a royal dish. It's yogurt, it's like the chicken is braised in a yogurt sauce, and it's decadent. It's a little tart and a little bit spicy as well.

On making inherited recipes his own

I try to stay true to the essence of the recipe and its origins — and then I tweak it the way I would see fit, like the way I want it to taste. So, I keep the method and the technique kind of the same, but then I'll add certain flavorings or extra certain things to make it the way I want. And usually that means I'm adding extra sumac or extra cilantro to every dish almost.

Courtesy of Waigal Safi

I feel like in Afghan cuisine and Afghan culture we have this natural … affinity? I don't know if that's the right word, but we have this natural love for cilantro, so it's my favorite herb. I put it in everything — and I know some people have that genetic disposition where they can't have it, the cilantro tastes like soap to them and I just don't — I feel so bad for them.

And I love to add sumac to almost everything 'cause it adds like a tart bite to all the dishes, and it balances them.

On cooking and finding zen

I realized it's fun when I'm creating something with an end product that I could say I created, it felt good. There's something now — I noticed as an adult — there's something meditative about it where I can zone everything out and only think about the flavorings and the seasonings and the temperature, and I'm not thinking about daily life, or problems or struggles. I'm just thinking about the dish, and there's something so calming about that.

On food's evolving meaning

Before, when I was a kid, I was just ravenous. I wanted to eat all the good food, anything my mom would make. Oh my god, I need, I want this, I want that, I want that, I want that. And now it's like so much more poetic.

When I make something that my mom used to make, I have that nostalgic experience of tasting it in my own kitchen and memories just flood to you. Or when you try foods from a different cuisine, you feel so connected to that particular area or the person who prepared it for you. So food has become more emotional. Definitely more emotional and more nostalgic for me as time has gone on.

On cooking and content creation

It's open for judgment and anytime you open something that you enjoy and hold sacred for judgment — like you leave it open for judgment, for people to see. It's very nerve-racking, but at the same time, it has its rewards as well. I think that part of it is a little difficult 'cause you always get negative feedback 'cause everyone has a keyboard and everyone has an opinion.

But the good outweighs the bad. So, I'm grateful either way.

Just people showing how much they love what I'm creating or them actually making it in their own kitchen and sending me photos of it — that means so much because it's … all recipes, sometimes feel like they're your children, and when someone enjoys the recipe, and they make it for their family, there's nothing more — you feel so connected to the person sharing that with you. So, I think that's the most rewarding part about it.

On his favorite Afghan food in San Diego

So for the ingredients, I go to Balboa Market — I'm sure many San Diegans know where that is — in Clairemont area.

For Afghan food, actually there's this restaurant that — I think it's like a family. I think they came from Afghanistan fairly recently, in the past five years and they opened up a small restaurant in Lakeside. The cuisine … I mean it tastes like how Afghan food tastes in Afghanistan, and that's very rare to find. The kabobs are perfect. I mean the rice — our national dish Kabuli pulao — they make it perfectly. The dessert — our Afghan ice cream, which is so amazing. It's called sheeryakh. They have that as well. It's freshly churned there onsite. So, I mean for the most authentic experience in this area, I would definitely go there. It's in Lakeside. It's called Kunduz Kabob.