Born and raised in Egypt, Chef Hany Ali had a passion for the culinary arts at an early age.  While Chef Hany was born in Cairo, Egypt, he was raised in a coastal resort city named Hurghada.  Hurghada, is best known for its beautiful white sand beaches, fresh seafood, and one of the most popular vacation spots with Europeans. It was an inspiration to a young Hany.

At the age of 14, Chef Hany began his culinary journey at the International Hotel in Hurghada as an apprentice under their Executive Chef.  Hany’s passion, creative talents, and desire to achieve his goals in the Culinary Arts, were quickly noticed.  While many young men would have crumbled under a six-month apprenticeship, with no compensation and 14-hour workdays, Hany did not.

After graduation from the International Culinary Institute in Egypt, Chef Hany decided to travel through Europe and Asia exposing his palate to as many different types of cuisines as possible.  This allowed him to broaden his talents as a chef and gave him the experience and knowledge needed to begin his career.

The Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach, CA is where our Hany found his first home.  For ten years, Chef Hany worked as the Garde Manger Chef and Banquet Chef, providing guests with the exemplary culinary standards the Four Season’s is known for.  Throughout his ten years at the Four Seasons, a deeper understanding of what pleases the palate emerged.  During this time, Chef Hany was also the Executive Chef for a catering company to the stars.  Working with many different celebrities and networks was challenging, but Hany soon learned the tricks of the trade and started his own catering company.  Without boundaries or stipulations, Hany’s creativity flourished.

As a guest instructor at the Sur La Table cooking school, Chef Hany began to share his techniques with other aspiring chef’s.  His charismatic personality, motivation, and exceptional skill set, packed the classroom at this small venue.  Throughout this time Hany also brought his love for food to the Great Wolf Lodge in California, in the capacity of Executive Chef, where he received numerous awards and recognition.

After over 13 years in the most highly regarded hotels and restaurants in the U.S. Hany found a home in the Temecula Valley Wine Country as the Executive Chef leading the culinary team at Ponte Winery. With a love for the valley, a deep appreciation for each ingredient, and a thirst for unique and thoughtful wine, he hoped his passion is palpable in every plate, sip and bite.

With all his many accomplishments, experiences, and rave reviews, we are pleased to have Chef Hany Ali as our Executive Chef and being part of a “food culture that respects local produce, farmers and ranchers.”  He showcases that back-to-the-land reverence with farm-fresh valley produce — with some vegetables and herbs harvested just moments beforehand in the kitchen garden out back. But while the sourcing may be local, our chef ’s influences are global, resulting in flavorful, inventive border-crossing cuisine. And providing our guests with the exceptional service, dedication, and immense love and passion for food that they have come to expect from Europa Village.