TRURO, N.S. — Sam Elgebeily has changed direction when it comes to careers. The former engineer, with his brother as partner, is now owner of two Mezza Lebanese Kitchen locations, the newest one in Truro.
“I moved to Canada from Egypt a few years ago, and went to Cape Breton because my brother, Seif, was already working as a doctor there,” he said. “I worked in engineering before but couldn’t find work in my field in Cape Breton. My brother suggested, rather than me moving to another part of the country, we start a business together.
“We thought about restaurants and there was a lack of Mediterranean options there. When we looked at everything involved, we found it was easier to go the franchise route than start something new.”
They opened their first restaurant in Sydney in May 2017 and its success encouraged them to look for a second location. They chose to renovate space in the Fundy Trail Centre on Robie Street, adjacent to Boston Pizza.
“This is the stuff we grew up eating – shawarma, souvlaki, falafel and donairs,” said Sam. “It’s all fresh; nothing processed, and we have vegetarian and gluten-free options.”
Customers can also enjoy baklava, a sweet pastry.
Mezza Lebanese Kitchen offers dine-in, pick up, delivery and catering. The Truro location offers seating for 25 guests.
Sam helps out wherever he’s needed, whether it's paperwork, cooking or mopping the floor.
He and his brother are also working on securing two other locations to open restaurants.
More information on Mezza Lebanese Kitchen, including the menu, can be found online at mezzalebanesekitchen.com/canada.
