Paul Luna facts for kids

Paul Luna was born around 1966. He is a chef (someone who cooks professionally), a restaurateur (someone who owns or manages restaurants), an author (writer), and a political activist (someone who works to bring about political change). In the 1990s, Paul Luna opened many popular restaurants in Atlanta. These restaurants served food from Europe, the Mediterranean, and South America. Some of his well-known restaurants included Luna Sí, Eclipse di Luna, and Loca Luna. In 2009, he started a special kitchen called Lunacy Black Market in downtown Atlanta. This kitchen helped train refugee women to cook.

Early Life

Paul Luna was born in the Dominican Republic around 1966. His parents were middle-class, and he grew up with 12 brothers and sisters. His family has roots in Italy and Spain.

Career in Restaurants and Writing

In 1992, Paul Luna moved to Atlanta. There, he helped open Bice, which was a fancy Italian restaurant from Milan.

In 1993, he opened his very own restaurant called Luna Sí on Peachtree Road. He brought new kinds of food to Atlanta, like European, Mediterranean, and South American dishes. He also introduced tapas, which are small Spanish snacks or appetizers. His restaurants Luna Sí, Eclipse di Luna (opened in 1997), and Loca Luna (opened in 1999) became very popular for these new tastes.

Paul Luna left Atlanta in late 2002. He then worked as a chef in different places, including Canada, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, and California.

He came back to Atlanta in 2009 and opened Lunacy Black Market.

Also in 2009, Paul Luna wrote and published a children’s book. It was a bilingual book, meaning it was written in two languages: Luna Needs a Miracle! ¡Luna Necesita un Milagro!

Helping Others and Community Work

Paul Luna believed that small businesses owned by people from different backgrounds and income levels could help make Atlanta's historic downtown area lively again. He once said that parts of the city were still separated, and that many people thought of downtown as only for one group.

When Paul Luna worked at the Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea, Hawaii, he taught cooking classes to children. He did this through a program called Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maui, which helps kids by matching them with adult mentors.

In 2009, he opened Lunacy Black Market in downtown Atlanta. This was a training kitchen and a low-cost restaurant for refugee women. He worked with BryAnn Chen, who was in charge of the Refugee Women's Network, to find women who would be good for the program. The restaurant closed in 2014, a year after Paul Luna moved to Switzerland.

Starting in 2010, Paul Luna said for a few years that he planned to run for mayor of Atlanta.

Personal Life

Paul Luna is married to Cynthia T. Luna. In 2013, he moved to Switzerland to be with her after she moved there.