A 27-year veteran in the restaurant industry, Michael dreamed about being in the kitchen since he was a child. Born in Persia, he's had the benefit of experiencing food from around the world - beginning in Switzerland where he attended school as a child. He later headed to San Francisco and the California Culinary Academy (CCA) and was trained in classical French style by one of the best chefs in the country, Roberto Gerometta. His first break came from Gerometta who chose Michael …show more content…
Then in 2006, he opened his Wauwatosa location, which now has so many fans, they're nicknamed "the Fekeroodies." In 2008, he expanded that location to include CMF's School of Culinary Magic/Chef's Counter, where he hosts private cooking lessons, gourmet wine and beer tastings, private cooking demonstrations and corporate events.
In 2013, he brought IL MITO East to downtown Milwaukee, serving Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in a casual fine dining setting, with full gluten-free options and a globally-inspired Sunday Brunch with build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. IL MITO East closed its doors in October of 2014 to make room for his newest venture.
In 2015, Michael opened Zesti in Hartland, Wis. Based on his worldly travels and experiences, combined with Michael’s passion for food and culinary artistry, Zesti serves up global cuisine from South African to Chinese.
In addition to his restaurants, Michael also works as a culinary consultant to Wisconsin's largest healthcare provider, Aurora Health Care. He assists them in revamping and reviving their culinary techniques and practices to bring fresh and pure foods to both patients and staff. His cooking videos are also shown on their in-house television network for patients to