CHEF’S TABLE

BY KATIE JANSEN | PHOTOS BY BRIAN MULLINS PHOTOGRAPHY (unless otherwise noted)

Mounir Saleh grew up in Lebanon watching his mother, Cecilia Saleh, cook. She was a famed cook in her village and, for her, preparing food wasn’t only about eating, but also about caring for her family, showing her love and sharing her culture. Although he always had a close relationship with her and admired her for her talents in the kitchen, it wasn’t until adulthood that he realized he would carry on her legacy—not only making it his livelihood, but also passing her passion down to another generation of the family.

Saleh’s first foray into the estaurant industry was at Neomonde, which his family opened in 1977—first as a bakey, then as a deli, and eventually as the full-fledged Mediterranean restaurant well-known throughout the Triangle today. He was tasked with helping his mother develop her dishes, which she cooked by instinct and feeling, into recipes that could be included in a cookbook for others to replicate.

That close working relationship with his mother made him realize that he wanted

to continue in the restaurant industry. However, he didn’t decide to open his own restaurant until he was approached by his daughters with an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Sisters Noelle Saleh and Simone Lawson

both studied business at North Carolina

State University, and were also very familiar with the restaurant industry, having started working at Neomonde when they were 15 years old. They approached Saleh and asked if they could work with him. In 2011, he had sold his share in Neomonde to his

brothers after 35 years of being in business with them, ready to start a new chapter with his daughters—and new business partners. “It was a dream for me that my kids wanted to work with me,” he says. “I couldn’t have done this without the

support of my daughters; it’s theirs as much as mine,” he says proudly.

Opening a new restaurant also gave Saleh the opportunity to pay homage to his mother, where his interest in cooking Lebanese food began. He opened the restaurant’s doors in North Raleigh in 2011, and on Mother’s Day in 2014 rebranded it after a cherished childhood nickname

Cecilia had been given by her father: “Sassool.” “We want her to know that her

impact and contribution will be known for generations to come,” Saleh says.

Cecilia’s legacy continues to grow. Sassool’s North Raleigh location experienced so much success that the family decided to open a second restaurant in Cary four years later. Now 94, Cecilia still advises Saleh on how dishes should taste—

telling him whether something needs more of a certain spice or less lemon—when he brings her food from the restaurant during his visits.

For Simone and Noelle, their grandmother is also a huge source of inspiration. Noelle describes the feeling they strive to create at Sassool as “completely welcoming, like walking into your grandmother’s house.” To that end, both locations recently underwent renovations and received a redecoration

that provides a higher degree of comfort with cozy nooks, and cultural connections via photos of Cecilia’s native Lebanon.

To succeed in running two restaurants each day, the Saleh family divides labor in a way that makes working together fun.

Mounir provides the vision and sets a high bar for the business, while Noelle serves as the hands-on contact for both locations, making sure all the managers are set up for success. Simone oversees the restaurant’s catering arm and marketing efforts.

The Sassool team delivers on its mission statement: “To provide the freshest variety of Lebanese Mediterranean cuisine, made with passion in your kitchen away from home.” They pay attention to detail on all fronts— from the kitchen to the friendly customer service provided by front-of-house staff.

Sassool relies only on high-quality ingredients, such as extra-virgin olive oil imported directly from Lebanon. And when it comes time for food preparation, each vegetable is inspected, washed and chopped by hand. “We essentially cook just the way you would at home, even though we feed over 400 people a day at each of our restaurants,” Simone says.

This model keeps Sassool’s clientele coming back for meal after meal. Because the Saleh family is transparent about all of the ingredients used in each dish, Sassool is a place where health-conscious customers or those who are on special diets can feel confident about what they ae ordering. During the pandemic, many families also bought side dishes in bulk to feed their families throughout the week.

When looking to the future, Saleh says growth is definitely an option and woul be exciting for the family, but they will wait until the perfect location and opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, they continue nurturing the business and nourishing their extended family—the guests who come back again and again.

Photo of Chicken Shawarma courtesy of Sassool

5 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 teaspoon of salt

2 pounds of cleaned chicken breast, sliced thin (approximately ¼ inch by 3 inches) Garlic dressing 3 tablespoons of olive oil 3 tablespoons of white vinegar 3 tablespoons of lemon juice A pinch of ground white pepper 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons of shawarma spice (available in Sassool’s market area) 1½ teaspoons of salt

Clean chicken breasts and slice them into thin strips (about ¼ inch). Refrigerate them until the marinade is ready.

Prepare the garlic dressing. With a mortar and pestle (or small food processor), crush the garlic cloves until they are mashed. Add salt and crush them again so the juices from the garlic cloves are released. Add in the olive oil and stir until it becomes smooth, like a dressing. The more you mash the garlic with the salt before the olive oil addition, the better.

In a mixing bowl, add in the sliced chicken, garlic dressing and all other ingredients. Mix the ingredients until the chicken is well coated.

Refrigerate the coated chicken for 12–24 hours before grilling it.

Prepare the chicken on a grill skillet or in a large sauté pan for best results. Cook the chicken on high heat for about 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until there is a slight browning on the chicken.

Enjoy the chicken wrapped in a pita with pickles and diced tomatoes, or by itself. It also tastes amazing with lemon tahini dressing and/or hot sauce!