As part of the culinary team at Meze Grill, I was excited to bring my expertise to this lively new concept in fast-casual dining.  Unlike my experiences at legendary restaurants like Tribeca Grill or Delmonico’s, working with Meze Grill was unlike anything I’ve ever done before.  It gave me the opportunity to bring a new twist to traditional Eastern Mediterranean dining by infusing new flavors with old world traditions.

You’ll notice some of these new twists in such items as our Hummus Lime Vinaigrette and Whipped Feta signature salad dressings.  We’ve also taken two of our core ingredients, chickpeas and tomatoes, and made a great tasting soup out of them!

While we’ve made some unique creations of our own, our authentic finishing sauces represent a perfect example of how we’re uniting the best of the Eastern Mediterranean under one roof.  Our Tzatziki finishing sauce is the traditional Greek recipe and our Harissa has its roots in North Africa.  Yes, every Eastern Mediterranean country has a yogurt sauce and a spicy sauce, but we selected Tzatziki and Harissa to be part of the Meze Grill family because we believe they represent the best forms of these items in the region.

These are just a couple of examples of how we’re going the extra mile to create authentic foods with updated, modern flavors.  We do this by making everything fresh and homemade, using the best ingredients we can find to honor a culinary heritage filled with a rich, diverse history and our relentless pursuit of being the very best at what we do.

Other Notable Honors / Positions:

• “Chef de Cuisine” at Tribeca Grill, New York, NY
• 10-Year Member of Continental Airlines “Congress of Chefs”
• Featured on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef”
• 2009 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards Winner – “Best in the World / USA” for co-authoring “Dining at Delmonico’s” cookbook
• Owner of  “NYC Culinary Events”, a company that specializes in catering to upscale events including the Masters and Ryder Cup golf tournaments, the U.S. Open, the Tribeca Film Festival and the Breeders Cup.

From an early age, I grew up believing that there was always time in the day for food that tastes great and is always made fresh.  It was part of a lifestyle where our family could get together, relax, and enjoy a great meal, made with the best ingredients out there.

My interest in Eastern Mediterranean cuisine comes not only from my family, but from my travels throughout the countries that make up the Eastern Mediterranean, and the friends I’ve made all along the way.

As I traveled the world, especially the countries which made up the Eastern Mediterranean, I realized a common thread that united these people:  their striking cultural and culinary similarities.  Yes, each country had its own local specialties, but across all these countries I found that every country had the famous flame-broiled meats.  Gyro, Doner, or Shawarma: whatever you call them, they were all served in one form of pita bread, with a delicious series of toppings and sauces, specific to local traditions.  I found even more similarities across the region in such items as Falafel, Hummus, Baba Ganoush, and Baklava.  After searching for equivalent flavors in New York, I decided to build on these similarities and, with the support of family and friends, launched Meze Grill.

Some say that the best in the restaurant business are those that love to cook, and I truly enjoy my work every day.   While I’m not in the kitchen cooking, I make it a point to inspect our food throughout the day, and I’m always on the lookout for new, better tasting ingredients that can make our food taste even better.

At Meze Grill, we start the morning off early and make everything in house, never using prepackaged or processed foods.  It’s all part of our strong belief in elevating your Mediterranean dining experience.  We’re confident that you’ll notice the difference in the taste and quality when you enjoy our food.

For example, look at our hummus.  We soak our chickpeas overnight and then boil them for hours, strain them, and then prepare them to be blended with Tahini and Lemon Juice.  From start to finish, the process takes us about two days.  While we could easily use canned chickpeas and make a batch of hummus in 20 minutes, the taste and quality wouldn’t match the flavor or consistency that you find with our hummus.  Our customers love it, and we’re proud that we have raised the bar in making some really great hummus.

I incorporated a lot of great ideas from my travels into the items we serve here, true to our belief in serving authentic food with a modern twist.  At Meze Grill, I want to unite the familiar, best-tasting flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean under one umbrella in a made-to-order, friendly, casual environment.  My goal for Meze Grill is to showcase the celebrated flavors and traditions of this part of the world, using the highest-quality ingredients, freshest meats & produce, making all items the way they’re supposed to be made, while never sacrificing food quality for cost.