Welcome to Noon
Hello, thanks for being here.
Noon is a weekly publication where I write about life (and food) in Italy, my Iranian origins and being a single, immigrant woman. I also share recipes.
A more carefree and candid sister to my old blog Lab Noon, Noon is a space where I want to write about what’s real, which goes beyond food (but you’ll see me coming back to food very often, because food is my home). I'm nearly forty (about to turn 38). A fat woman of color, Iranian and living in Italy, and I want to tell it all. With honesty, dignity and hopefully, some leggerezza (lightness/fun).
I created this publication because…
Because I’m over social media. I don’t want to be making reels and then spend hours or days worrying about its views and likes. I’m that millennial who’s never even signed up for a TikTok account. I want a (safe) space to write about what I’m passionate about, and share it with a community of people with the same interests.
Why subscribe?
By subscribing you make sure you never miss a post. Once a week you’ll be getting post right in your inbox that could be on one of these topics, or an intersection of them:
On life in Italy, particularly in Rome, through the immigrant’s eyes.
On Iran. On childhood memories, on beautiful realities and also the very ugly sides we prefer not to unearth.
On navigating an “unconventional” lifestyle as a woman. I have noticed a disheartening absence of representation of single and/or queer life, specially in the food and travel writing sphere, and I think there’s a lot to be said there.
On creative career, publishing, writings, photography and the backstage of my work.
Oh and of course, on food, essays and undoubtedly recipes.
As well as the announcements of upcoming events, cooking classes and workshops.
Why pay?
In order to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian new year, and the publication of my first cookbook, Pomegranates & Artichokes, all posts will be available FOR FREE from March 20th until the end of May, which is the publication month.
After then, free subscribers will receive occasional free posts and some of the events announcements.
Paid subscribers will get the full Noon experience: weekly posts containing essays, guides and fortnightly recipes, as well as access to community chats, comments, early bird announcements for events and workshops and behind the scenes experience with me.
I’m also offering very few founding members offers, that in addition to all the above, can either have a private food tour with me in Rome, or have two one-hour online mentoring session for a writing or photography project.
What’s more, you will contribute to the creation and continuation of my work.
The age of Instagram/TikTok has had us believe that we’re entitled to good “content” from creatives for free. But the truth is that writers, artists, recipe developers and creatives of all sorts don’t just pop out their work. It takes time to write, to make art, to develop recipes. What we do is not “content creating” (god I hate that phrase). For us, this is not a hobby, it’s our jobs. It’s the way we support ourselves.
If you — like me — are tired and revolted by the sponsored posts, relentless advertisements, and sheer disgusting spam on your social media feed, then please consider becoming a paying subscriber of not just my Substack, but also other writers’ and artists’ whose work you’ve been enjoying. By contributing with less than the price of a coffee per week, you help diverse and independent voices continue to put out their work.
If you’re really interested in receiving the full content of Noon, but at this moment are unable to pay for a subscription, please contact me. I offer a few subscriptions for free in these cases.
About me
My name is Saghar Setareh. I’m a food writer, photographer and author. My debut cookbook Pomegranates & Artichokes, Recipes and memories of a Journey from Iran to Italy is soon published world wide. (4 May for Murdoch Books, 20 June for Interlinks Publishing)
I was born in Tehran and moved to Rome in 2007 to study at the Fine Art Academy. I have been running my food and photography blog, Lab Noon, since 2014, and during the years have contributed to Food52, Conde Nast Traveller UK, National Geographic, Thames & Hudson, Corriere della Sera. Alongside working as a professional photographer, I run Persian and Italian cooking classes and workshops in cities across Italy and beyond. I was among Corriere della Sera's selection of '50 Women of Food' in 2020.
