From a daiquiri shop in 1989 to today’s Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts, CEO and President Marviani “Marv” Ammari has forged a path in an industry that can be unforgiving.
But even with this success — and a full schedule — he prioritizes giving back to the community.
“We grew up in a home with a culture of giving,” says Marv. “My mother always cooked for our neighbors and supported the church, so we learned from a very young age the importance of giving back to those in need.”
As Marv and his brothers — Zeid and Richy — became older and got into the hospitality industry, they saw the need to give back to New Orleans.
“There was always a level of giving throughout the company from the start, but during COVID-19, when our businesses closed down, we knew we needed to feed the community,” says Marv. “That’s when we decided to formalize and create our nonprofit Creole Cuisine Cares.”
And they haven’t stopped. An example is this past Thanksgiving when Creole Cuisine Cares provided 1,000 Thanksgiving meals to individuals and families served by the New Orleans Mission, an organization that Marv is also personally dedicated to “… because it works on the hearts of its guests by sharing the word of God, which is the ultimate fix.
“The bible says, ‘For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’” he adds. “The mission shares the same love and faith that inspire us every day.”
In addition to the mission, to which it has donated $12,500 in meals, $25,000 for medical supplies, and $10,000 for clothing in 2024, Creole Cuisine has contributed to the Giving Hope Retreat and Celebration Church. For the mission’s Giving Hope Retreat, which among its initiatives distributes food to people in need in St. Tammany Parish, Creole Cuisine Cares invested $190,000 to construct a kitchen, while the Celebration Church received $22,500 to serve food to and share the Bible with students at Chalmette High School in St. Bernard Parish.
The organization plans to add more to its roster, such as a culinary program “to teach youth in need about the opportunities in the hospitality industry,” says Marv.
What began with Marv’s first daiquiri shop in his sophomore year of college grew into a family enterprise when he partnered with brothers Zeid and Richy to open the Chartres House in 2003 — the first of several restaurants, including A Tavola, Boulevard American Bistro, Broussard’s, The Bombay Club and Ernst Café, among others.
At the heart of it all is a belief that business and compassion go hand in hand.
“It’s simple. Because it’s the right thing to do. You must give back to the people in need,” says Marv. “Scripture tells us, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you see the need around you and do nothing about it, how can you expect change? If we, as leaders, do nothing to move our community forward, how can we expect to see improvements? It’s our city, it’s our obligation.”
When asked about what he loves the most about New Orleans, Marv, who is married to Suna and has four children, Milana, George, Maya and Roman, says there are three things: “First, the people. They take you in as family, and nothing feels better than that. The second is food, the third is music. But without the people of New Orleans, the city is nothing. The beauty of this city IS the people.”
True Confession
With all of the noise and challenges of being in business and raising my family of four I look forward to spending time alone in the woods, as it brings me peace and allows me to fully enjoy God’s creation.
Creole Cuisine Cares: creolecuisinecares.com
