CHEF/OWNER

Michael Rafidi is the chef/owner of YELLOW and Michelin-starred Albi. The menus reflect a creative update to traditional Arabic cuisine, with modern techniques utilizing the best the Mid-Atlantic has to offer. Inspired by his family’s roots in Ramallah, Palestine and grandparents' home cooking, Rafidi spent many years in some of the country’s finest kitchens before he opened Albi in early 2020.

Rafidi was recognized as Eater DC’s Chef of the Year in 2017. He was a 2018 finalist for Rising Star Chef and a 2022 finalist for Chef of the Year in the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s RAMMY Awards. In February 2022, Rafidi was named a James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic, and a finalist in the same category in 2023. In May 2022, Albi was awarded a coveted Michelin Star.

COFFEE DIRECTOR

Ayat Elhag is the coffee director of Albi + YELLOW, where she helms a beverage program that blends creative, Levantine-inspired specialty drinks with intentionally sourced Counter Culture coffee. The Annandale, VA native has roots in Sudan, where she spent summers traveling and experiencing the different ways countries enjoy and ritualize coffee.

Before joining the YELLOW team in July 2020, Elhag worked at Northside Social in Arlington, VA as an assistant manager, and also served as an operations manager for The Block Food Hall in Annandale.

The Counter Culture-trained barista was a neuroscience major at the College of William and Mary, and credits the field with sparking her interest in the methodological processes behind espresso.

EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF

Alicia Wang started her restaurant career in the front of house while studying at the University of Virginia, but was drawn to the action in the kitchen. After obtaining her BS in Mathematics, she moved to Los Angeles and began working professionally in pastry, earning the title of Head Pastry Chef at Thyme Café & Market in just two years.

In the summer of 2022, Alicia joined Albi + YELLOW as Executive Pastry Chef. She brings diverse skills from her background in French fine dining, extensive pastry production experience, and leadership for multiple outlets. Alicia is excited to continue the evolution of the inventive program of Levantine sweet and savory pastries with the opening of YELLOW Georgetown.

WINE DIRECTOR/D.O

William Simons is the Director of Operations and Wine Director at Albi and YELLOW.

A Baltimore native, Simons brings more than a decade of experience as a wine professional, sommelier, and restaurant manager to the team. He holds the Advanced certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and was awarded both the Walter Clore and Rudd scholarships for top marks on his exams.

Simons’ wine lists draw from a bevy of sources, regions, and varieties to complement Albi’s hearth-fired cuisine. Both irreverent and bookish–and a little bit punk–he divides the list by style, featuring an impressive vertical of Chateau Musar, quotes from Freddie Mercury and Emily Dickinson, grapes familiar and niche, historical tidbits, and a bent toward artisan producers from both the Old World and New.

CAFE MANAGER

Liz Dong is the Cafe Manager for YELLOW, Chef / Owner Michael Rafidi’s Levantine cafe in Washington, D.C. Joining the team at YELLOW upon opening in 2020, Weinberg has been instrumental in a dual role, working in both the front and back of house operations, from baking and pastry menu development, to managing counter service and working closely with Coffee Director Ayat Elhag to help run the ambitious coffee program. Her passion for the industry and innate curiosity make her an invaluable member of the YELLOW team.

Weinberg’s love for cooking and baking started at a young age; a memorable trip to the Culinary Institute of America with her high school cooking class kicked off her professional culinary journey, and she returned for her degree, graduating in 2013.