At just 24 years old, in 1999, Alan Geaam moved to Paris after experiencing war in his home country, Liberia, and then again in Lebanon. With only 200 francs in his pocket and no place to sleep, Alan Geaam spent several nights under the stars at the Champ de Mars before finding work in construction. In the evenings, he also worked as a dishwasher for a Lebanese caterer. One day, the restaurant’s chef was injured just before service, and Alan stepped in to take over. This marked a major turning point in his journey, as it was the beginning of his culinary career. He trained himself as a self-taught chef, learning from cookbooks while also teaching himself French.
