Chef Ahmad Nourzad is the Director of Culinary Services for AFFAIRS to REMEMBER, and is responsible for research and development of new foods for the company’s product line, sourcing and purchasing ingredients and equipment, logistics planning for off-premise events, and training and managing all culinary staff. Chef Ahmad developed a love for cooking during his early years while helping his mother in the kitchen in Tehran, Iran. His first restaurant experience was in Vienna, Austria before traveling to New York to join the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. Chef Ahmad’s hands-on attitude often inspires him to work hard and he has 25 years of experience in all aspects of a working kitchen. His dedication to environmental stewardship was firmly rooted long before the movement became popular, which made him an ideal candidate to help spearhead AFFAIRS Legacy Green sustainability program. He is immensely proud to send all leftover foods from events to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Chef Ahmad diligently sources local and organically grown ingredients whenever possible. Chef Ahmad is a proud Georgia Grown Executive Chef and enjoys judging the annual Vidalia Onion Festival competition in Southern Georgia.