A Taste Of Persia - Hospitality is our Tradition


History of most famous and most popular Iranian dish, Chelo Kabab

History of most famous and most popular Iranian dish, Chelo Kabab


Information provided by Mr. Luft. Many Thanks.

Information provided by Mr. Luft. Many Thanks.


In 1352 (1973-74) a meal of chelo-kabab Barg (made of mutton fillet and grilled on skewer) served together with butter, grilled tomato, raw onion, and sumac would have cost Iranian Rial 60 for those who were at work and could not go home for lunch. Sometimes when a number of colleagues were on leave, others had the chance to order Joojeh-kabab(chicken) which would have cost IR 120 (today £0.0001)

In 1352 (1973-74) a meal of chelo-kabab Barg (made of mutton fillet and grilled on skewer) served together with butter, grilled tomato, raw onion, and sumac would have cost Iranian Rial 60 for those who were at work and could not go home for lunch. Sometimes when a number of colleagues were on leave, others had the chance to order Joojeh-kabab(chicken) which would have cost IR 120 (today £0.0001)


Tenfold in thirty years Thirty two years earlier in 1320 (1941-42), the Iranian daily Ettela'at wrote that Tehran restaurants would charge IR5 for a meal of chelo-kabab including an extra large Kabab Barg, butter, 330 grams of rice, onion and bread as much as demanded. At the same time a meal of chelo-kabab Koobideh ( made of minced meat) cost IR4.

Tenfold in thirty years

Thirty two years earlier in 1320 (1941-42), the Iranian daily Ettela'at wrote that Tehran restaurants would charge IR5 for a meal of chelo-kabab including an extra large Kabab Barg, butter, 330 grams of rice, onion and bread as much as demanded. At the same time a meal of chelo-kabab Koobideh ( made of minced meat) cost IR4.


Chelo-kabab Koobideh Fifty years earlier E'etemado-soltaneh, Naser-e-Din Shah's minister of publications and head of translation office, used to order a highly qualitative take-out chelo kabab in Nayeb restaurant, which had just opened in the Tehran Bazaar and furnished with dining tables and chairs as in European restaurants, for IR 3 to 5. Also in 1295 (1916-17), Abdollah Bahrami, the deputy general of Tehran police used to pay maximum IR 4 to 5 for each meal of chelo-kabab that he ordered for his respected and unrespected (the criminals who confessed to their crimes but promised to cooperate with the police) guests.

Chelo-kabab Koobideh
Fifty years earlier E'etemado-soltaneh, Naser-e-Din Shah's minister of publications and head of translation office, used to order a highly qualitative take-out chelo kabab in Nayeb restaurant, which had just opened in the Tehran Bazaar and furnished with dining tables and chairs as in European restaurants, for IR 3 to 5. Also in 1295 (1916-17), Abdollah Bahrami, the deputy general of Tehran police used to pay maximum IR 4 to 5 for each meal of chelo-kabab that he ordered for his respected and unrespected (the criminals who confessed to their crimes but promised to cooperate with the police) guests.