A new face to the world of cooking, Antonio Tahhan has a genuine passion for food. Coupled with his tongue-in-cheek personality and infectious spirit, he shares his enthusiasm with all those around him. With a flair for Mediterranean cuisine, Tony highlights regional flavors in the dishes he prepares.

Born in Venezuela into a Middle Eastern home and growing up in Miami Beach, a hub of cultural diversity, Tony learned to fuse flavors from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Distinguished by his Mediterranean approach to cooking, Tony draws inspiration from the Portuguese influences hinted in Spanish cuisine to the earthy undertones present in North African dishes.

High school brought Tony even more time to experiment and refine his skills, eventually leading him to work at a local bakery and patisserie. Most of his time, however, was spent sneaking into the kitchen to watch the pastry chefs in action. At fifteen, with only a few techniques from his time at the patisserie under his belt, he surprised his mother with homemade chocolates for Mother’s Day. Before he knew it, word of Tony’s Exquisite Chocolates had spread and he was selling them for various occasions and catered events.

Hoping for a change in climate and scenery, Tony enrolled in Cornell University, where he decided to put down the spatula to pursue degrees in Math, Economics and Spanish Literature. Never one to forget his enthusiasm for food, Tony teamed up with the Wegmans in Ithaca where he gave Mediterranean cooking classes.

These days you can find Tony in the DC area where he gives cooking classes at the Whole Foods in Annapolis and hosts a variety of food demonstrations in the community.

(Photo Credit: Matt Hintsa)