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 in the Salt Lake City area 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 out new recipes in his college apartment at Utah State University.

“I got hooked. I was fascinated with the process,” Sabbah said. “I loved to see what happens when you put ingredients together.”

Because he was new to cooking, he made some missteps alo

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