A native of Le Mans, France, Chef Samake began his career in 1985 as commis de cuisine in three Parisian restaurants, Le Vivarois, Le Petite Bretoniere and La Tour D’Argent before coming to the U.S. to study at Johnson & Wales University. He graduated in 1992 after alternating periods of work, school, and military service.

A veteran of Ritz-Carlton hotels, Chef Samake has worked in Buckhead, Georgia; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Dubai, UAE; Half Moon Bay, California; and most recently, Atlanta, Georgia. Although his cooking techniques are primarily French, Chef Samake was heavily influenced by his upbringing in West Africa and has since also developed a great passion for Southern American foods.

In his current role, Chef Samake oversees all culinary operations for the 300-room hotel, including the restaurant, The Lobby Café & Bar, in-room dining, and banquet operations for over 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

Chef Samake has experienced a unique professional trajectory; from cooking on supertankers in Saudi Arabia to writing a recipe book of spa cuisine, and most recently being named “Chef of the South” by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. An avid kick boxer and 5th degree black belt, Chef Samake was named the amateur world champion by the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) in 1998, and he has won the Professional Karate Association (PKA) USA championship four times. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling the world and teaching his two children, 5 and 2, English, French and German.