Today we’d like to introduce you to Martin Bakhtiar.
Martin, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It was 1995, and I was a fairly new immigrant of the United States. I worked a couple jobs. One of my jobs was working for a farmer’s market, unloading produce and stocking it. My second job was washing dishes at a Persian cuisine during nights and weekends. I did this for a while to support the family. One night, as the dishwasher at the Persian cuisine, the chef’s assistant who makes the kabobs called in sick. Now, Persian kabobs are different than the traditional kabobs most people think of. When most people think of a kabob, they think of vegetables and cuts of meat grilled on a stick, but Persian kabobs are different. They require a lot of skill to make believe it or not because it’s not just vegetables and cuts of steak put on to a skewer. The most famous of Persian kabobs is actually made with ground beef, called a Koobideh Kabob. It’s seasoned accordingly (most Persian chefs have their own secret seasonings) and its then put on to a metal skewer and cooked over an open flame. To get this ground beef to stick on to the metal skewer and not fall off until it’s fully cooked gets complicated. Anyway, the night the assistant called out there was no one to make these special kabobs. That night I decided to try my hand at making them. The manager gave me a shot, and I did not disappoint, much to my surprise. Since then, I have opened up many Persian and Mediterranean restaurants. The one that made it the farthest, and the only one open now, is the one we are running now, Shish Kabob Mediterranean Grill, which serves both Mediterranean and Persian food.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been a rough road. Language barriers, failed business partnerships, staffing problems, and much more, have impeded our success, but things look much better for the future of our restaurant. To battle against the language barriers, my two sons have contributed very much to ensure we understand not only the communication aspect of the business, but also the cultural aspect too.
Shish Kabob Mediterranean Grill – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our business is serving the Marietta and greater area with delicious Mediterranean and Persian food. We have been open for almost ten years now. Our specialty is the kabobs we make. Most reviews that you will see online, and the driver of our customer base, is our kabobs. I believe what sets us apart from others is our authentic Persian recipes. The foods that we cook are quite literally what you would find if you went into the home of a native Mediterranean or Persian family and sat with them for dinner.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
If a guest at our restaurant walks out with a smile that originated from the food that we served him or her, then I think we succeeded that day. What defines success, to me, is how often a guest at our restaurant walks out with that smile.
Markers would be good reviews online or in the paper in regards to the food and the service received.
Contact Info:
- Address: 962 Roswell st. Marietta Ga 30060
- Website: www.shishkabobmediterraneangrill.com
- Phone: 770-499-7399
- Email: shishkabobmediterraneangrill@yahoo.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shish-Kabob-Mediterranean-Grill-252952698050032/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/shish-kabob-marietta
