Paris Nabavi

Recipient of the ‘Aipono Lifetime Achievement Award, Chef Paris Nabavi studied culinary arts in Europe. Travelling the world, he eventually worked his way up the corporate ladder with Fairmont Hotels, and arrived on Maui in 1989 to serve as Director of Food and Beverage for Kapalua Bay Hotel. In 1995 he opened the award-winning Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill serving Maui with the freshest Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern comfort food. www.pizzaparadiso.com   Chef Nabavi makes it a priority to give back to his community. Every few months, he and his wife, Donna, open their home to a group of 20 guests and cook a traditional Persian menu. In lieu of payment, every guest donates to Nabavi Legacy Fund. Chef Nabavi also funds the purchase of organic seeds for 47 school gardens in Maui County.   Nabavi Legacy Fund promotes collaborative effort recruiting restaurants into Maui’s healthy kids and local food movements, benefiting six nonprofit organizations including  American Heart Association’s Kids/Teens Cook with Heart, Maui Food Innovation Center, Imua Family Services, Grow Some Good, Book Trust and Maui Academy of Performing Arts.