Elie Harir was born and raised in Israel. From a young age, Elie developed an interest in the traditional foods of his neighbors, many of whom had immigrated from Tunisia and Morocco. Elie has worked in the food industry for over 35 years. In 1999, he moved to St. Louis. He first worked at Pita Plus for several years, and later opened his own restaurant in Chesterfield Valley, called The Mediterranean Grill, which closed in 2014. Today, Elie continues to share his passion for authentic cuisine from the Mediterranean region and North Africa through private cooking demonstrations and private dinner parties.