Luna Grill, one of the country’s hottest fast casual Mediterranean concepts, announced that award-winning cookbook author and former Chef de Cuisine of the Marine Room in La Jolla, CA, Ron Oliver, has recently joined the culinary team as Executive Chef working along side Co-Founder and Chief Culinary Officer, Maria Pourteymour.

Ron Oliver grew up in Los Angeles in a family enriched by cultural traditions and food-filled visits to his Turkish gradfather’s house. Chef Ron recalls “As a child, my family’s obsession with tasty food and our habit of gathering in the kitchen inspired me to start cooking. Years before I was tall enough to see above the counter tops, I would spend hours absorbing the sounds, aromas, and orchestrated movements surrounding me.  Those experiences started the curiosity and excitement I still feel every time I step into a kitchen.”

Throughout his career, Chef Ron has traveled the globe tasting, savoring, and noting foods of the various regions. Despite the global nature of his culinary tastes and seasonings, Chef Ron looks close to home for the freshest local ingredients. His unique talent is to work with farmers and purveyors, both big and small and turn the exotic flavors he discovers around the globe into delicious recipes that entice his customers.

Maria Pourteymour, Co-founder and Chief Culinary officer, creates all of Luna Grill’s well-rounded selections, including signature kabob plates, gourmet salads, fresh appetizers, wraps, and a great kids’ menu—featuring healthy and wholesome kids choices. “We are elated that Chef Ron Oliver will be joining our Luna family, his extensive culinary knowledge and experience will be elemental in elevating our team as a whole and the dining experience of our guests. Chef Ron’s fine dining background will help to further distinguish us as a luxe casual brand, and that experience marries well with our cooking style and caliber of quality ingredients.  As Sean and I continue to focus on the growth of the brand, it will be great to have Chef Ron to collaborate with us on new menu items and to help execute the culinary vision of Luna Grill.”

Luna Grill is REAL Certified, a nationally recognized mark of excellence for restaurants and other foodservice establishments committed to nutrition and sustainability.  Luna Grill serves many non-GMO items, such as its rice, lamb, salmon, grass fed beef and oil that is free of trans-fat and soy.  The kitchens reduce, eliminate and avoid additives, preservatives and other unnecessary ingredients whenever possible to serve pure, real food.  Luna Grill offers all-natural, hormone free chicken and antibiotic free lamb, beef, sirloin, fish and gyros and supports locally harvested produce, sustainable farming and local business wherever possible.