KEY TAKEAWAYS
Ali Sabbah's Mazza restaurant has been a Salt Lake City staple for 25 years.
Sabbah, a two-time James Beard Award finalist, overcame early cooking challenges.
Despite pandemic setbacks, community support via GoFundMe* helps Mazza remain beloved.
SALT LAKE CITY — When Ali Sabbah first opened a restaurant, he didn't know much about the industry. But after 25 years, Sabbah and his Salt Lake City-based restaurant Mazza are still delighting customers with Lebanese fare.
"You feel that you're fulfilling a certain role within our community, and that's a very satisfying feeling," Sabbah told me about how it feels to be a staple in the Utah community for more than two decades.
Becoming an award-winning chef
It's a long way away from when Sabbah first started cooking and trying