Jeffrey Saad facts for kids

Jeffrey Saad is an American chef, writer, and TV star. He also owns restaurants and works in real estate. Jeffrey was born around 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. Today, he hosts the show United Tastes of America on the Cooking Channel. He also works as a real estate director in Beverly Hills.

Jeffrey Saad's Journey to Becoming a Chef

Jeffrey Saad first became interested in cooking as a teenager. He worked at a diner near his junior high school. Later, he studied Hotel Restaurant Management at Iowa State University. There, he quickly became a chef de cuisine (a head chef) during his second year.

He continued his cooking education at two famous schools: the Culinary Institute of America and the California Culinary Academy. Jeffrey even did an internship in London with a well-known chef named Anton Mosimann.

Opening Restaurants and New Ventures

In 1993, Jeffrey traveled to Mexico. He wanted to learn more about Mexican cuisine. This trip inspired him to open a Mexican-style restaurant called Sweet Heat in San Francisco. After that, he opened two more restaurants. He also started his own brand of bottled chutneys.

Jeffrey also became a partner in California's Pasta Pomodoro Italian Restaurants. Later, he and his wife moved to Los Angeles. There, they started a real estate company together.

Jeffrey Saad on Television

In 2009, Jeffrey Saad tried out for the fifth season of The Next Food Network Star. He did very well, finishing as the first runner-up. He lost to Melissa d'Arabian in the final round.

Even though he didn't win, Food Network gave him a chance. They offered him his own online show called Spice Smuggler. On this show, he explored spices and foods from different countries. After a year, the Cooking Channel asked him to host their show, United Tastes of America.

Other TV Appearances

Besides his own shows, Jeffrey has appeared on many other cooking programs. These include:

• Grill It! with Bobby Flay
• Unique Sweets
• Unique Cocktails
• The Rachael Ray Show
• Iron Chef America Countdown
• ABC World News Now

In 2012, he competed on Food Network's Chopped All-Stars. Jeffrey finished in second place. He competed against other famous chefs like Marcus Samuelsson, Keegan Gerhard, Aarti Sequeira, and Michael Symon.

Jeffrey's Life Outside the Kitchen

Jeffrey Saad lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Nadia, and their two children. Nadia's family comes from Iran.

When he's not cooking, Jeffrey enjoys outdoor activities. He likes surfing and mountain biking. He also practices taekwondo, a martial art. He started taekwondo in college and earned a black belt in San Francisco. He later earned his second-degree black belt in Southern California.