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Ahmad Sanji
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Ahmad Sanji leads the kitchen at AlTayeb in Dearborn and Garden City, Michigan, where Italian and French technique is used to sharpen traditional Lebanese cooking rather than replace it. The work lands in a register that is familiar but more composed: classic dishes with cleaner edges, layered without losing the base line of the food.
The Path
Working in restaurants in Lebanon gave Ahmad Sanji the practical pace that defines service kitchens: repetition, control, and the ability to keep standards steady under pressure. He then moved into restaurant owner/operator roles, first at his own restaurants in Lebanon and later in Canada, a path that continued through 2017 and added the responsibilities of ownership to his technical base. Since 2017, he has been co-owner and head chef of AlTayeb, bringing those years of operating experience into a kitchen shaped by both business and craft.
The Work Today
At AlTayeb in Dearborn and Garden City, the menu is built from memory, method, and a cross-trained palate. Ahmad Sanji draws on his knowledge of Italian and French cuisine to frame traditional Lebanese dishes, giving them dimension while keeping their structure intact. The effect depends on control: enough restraint to preserve the dish, enough confidence to make the finish feel deliberate. The point is less about branding than about position. AlTayeb occupies a space he saw clearly, and his role there is to keep the concept consistent across both locations through daily execution.
Signature
Ahmad Sanji's signature dishes include foul, fatteh, makanek sausages, batata harra, and msabbaha. These are standard bearers of the Lebanese repertoire, and in his kitchen they carry the marks of a chef working from tradition while applying a broader technical frame. The dishes stay legible, but the finish is more exacting, with each plate handled as part of a coherent kitchen language.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Ahmad
What is Ahmad Sanji's current role?
As of 2026, Ahmad Sanji is Head Chef.
Where did Ahmad Sanji work before?
Ahmad Sanji's earlier career included restaurants and his own restaurants.
What recognition has Ahmad Sanji received?
James Beard Foundation Awards, Best Chef, Great Lakes region semifinalist (2021).
