Chef Ahmed Koroma

Ahmed Koroma grew up in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He was exposed to the art of preparing good food at a young age while watching and helping his mother. His mother prepared fresh food purchased everyday from the local market for a large family of fifteen and sometimes for family celebrations of up to 120 people or more. All this was achieved and done gracefully over a tripod of fire stones, woods and a large cauldron.

After Chef Ahmed graduated college with a degree in social studies and economics he was offered an opportunity to further his education in France. While attending school, he started working at a French bakery and restaurant as a vegetable prep cook. He was awed by the pace, attention and detail that the restaurants head chef and cooks gave to the ingredients and food. He knew this was his calling. After one year, he moved to Margaux in Bordeaux to work for a one star Michelin chef. During this apprenticeship he became familiar with preparing food at the height of its peak with the emphasis on freshness and classic French techniques of sauces, presentation and palate.

After one and half years in France, Chef Ahmed Koroma had the opportunity to finish his advance level honors degree program in Human Resource Economics at the Economics institute of Boulder Colorado, USA. At that time in Boulder, working for a French restaurant Le Papilon the opportunity came to work with Jean Louis Paladin at the Watergate Hotel in Washington DC. Jean Louis was currently the only two star Michelin Chef in the USA. After the course was finished he left to work for Jean Louis in D.C. from 1986 until 1992. There he was exposed to nouvelle cuisine, respect for the ingredients, preparation , eye appeal and working closely with local farmers.

In furthering his career, Chef Ahmed dedicated his time to work with Roberto Donna at Galileo. Here he was exposed to learning the arts of true classic Italian cuisine and pasta making. This included classic tomato sauces and piedmontese cooking. Then Chef Ahmed spent two more years with Jeffery Buben at Vidalia restaurant. He gained exposure to modern southern progressive American cuisine with emphasis on presentation and taste. Chef Ahmed Koroma then went on to work at The Ritz Carlton in Tysons corner Virginia as a Sous Chef. At that time, he was attending culinary school at Lacademie de cuisine, one of the ten best culinary schools in the country. There he graduated with a diploma in culinary arts and French pastry arts. Because of his training in Europe, he believed that a chef had to be well rounded in all facets of the culinary field.

Chef Ahmed has been Executive chef for Maestro Vitorio Testa at his now defunct restaurante Il Borgo in Maclean, Virginia. He has been Executive chef and Chef De Cuisine at the Mark Center Hilton and also Clyde’s restaurant (both on Beauregard Street in Alexandria). He was Corporate research chef for Planet Hollywood in Orlando and Chef de cuisine at the prestigious Bethesda Country Club in Bethesda Maryland. Chef Ahmed came to Southern Maryland in 2002 to revamp the menu at The Tavern at the Village restaurant in Wildewood and to then design the kitchen, menu and hire staff to open and run The Tides restaurant and Oyster Bar in Lexington Park. Chef Ahmed Left the Tides in February of 2006 to work at Sams on the Waterfront restaurant in Annapolis, at the Chesapeake Harbor.

While pursuing his lifelong dream to open a casual fine dining restaurant in Saint Mary’s County, Chef Ahmed finally settled for a suitable site for his restaurant. He signed a lease in September of 2007 to open Chef’s American Bistro at the San Souci Shopping Plaza in California, Maryland. His belief in clean and professional cooking, working with quality ingredients sourced from local farmers here in the county, and bringing organic fresh produce and foods at a value to his customers, will be fully realized at his new Bistro. Chef Ahmed Koroma is also a professional Ice sculpture, sugar artist and chocolatier. He has brought together the finest chefs, cooks and managers the county has to offer. He has created an extensive, inexpensive wine list from small, hard to find wine producers. Chef Ahmed pleases even the most discerning customers at his restaurant, Chef’s American Bistro.