Mourad Lahlou

Chef/Owner

BA, Economics (1993)

Mourad Lahlou is the chef/owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant Mourad, where he pays homage to his Moroccan roots in ways that harmonize with the fresh and local ingredients of the Bay Area.
In 2008, StarChefs magazine named him a Rising Star Chef; in 2009, he won Iron Chef America; and in 2010, Aziza, his beloved Richmond District restaurant, became the first Moroccan restaurant in the U.S. to earn a Michelin star.
Chef Lahlou was a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef: West, and his restaurant is listed in Michael Bauer’s "Top 100 Restaurants." He is the author of the 2011 cookbook, "Mourad: New Moroccan." In 2018, he partnered with his longtime chef de cuisine, Louis Maldonado to open Amara, a Moorish-Mexican restaurant.
Known as one of the best Moroccan chefs in the country, Chef Lahlou was appointed culinary ambassador and member of the American Chef Corps by the James Beard Foundation and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, respectively.
Lahlou is a spokesperson for Food Policy Action, Chef Tom Colicchio’s organization aimed at reducing food waste.

Notable CSU Alumni in hospitality & recreation