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Business & Tech

Ranoush: Living the Dream

Aboud Alhamid, chef and owner of Ranoush, shares his vision for his new restaurant and his gratitude toward his Kirkwood patrons.

Aboud Alhamid has only lived in the United States for four years, but has already made his dreams come true. Opening Ranoush at the corner of Jefferson and Kirkwood roads in June fulfilled a vision he had since his first job in the states. 

“I worked at Blue Water Grill (in Kirkwood, no longer open) and used to drive by and think, ‘This is the perfect location for my restaurant.’ I would get out of my car and look in the windows, dreaming of this place,” said Alhamid, who spoke with Kirkwood Patch inside Ranoush. 

This is no overnight success story. Alhamid arrived in the U.S. from Syria via London. He is a professionally trained chef who completed culinary school in Syria at 16. He then worked for the Sheraton and Intercontinental hotels, both five-star properties. About 10 years ago, he made his way to London where he started as a dishwasher and worked his way up to manager of the best Middle Eastern restaurant in the city.

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“My life has always been about service. I cannot sell cars, I cannot be a doctor, I cannot be anything else but in hospitality. I bring the five -star training with me wherever I go and treat every customer as a VIP,” Alhamid said. 

Alhamid came to St. Louis because of his wife, Ranya.

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“Behind every great person is a woman. She believed in me first. She is my soulmate,” Alhamid said.

The restaurant is named in her honor. Ranoush is a nickname for his wife, a term of endearment. But his wife is not the only woman behind his success,

“My food is my mother’s recipes. I make these dishes like I would for my family,” he said. 

Alhamid opened his first location of Ranoush in The Loop two years ago.

“I started my business with almost nothing. When I called Joe Edwards to inquire about the space, I didn’t know who he was. To me he is a really nice guy who helped me like crazy. He believed in me and my idea,” Alhamid said.

His success in The Loop allowed him to open the second location in Kirkwood. 

“The night before opening in Kirkwood I couldn’t sleep. My dream was coming true, but I could only think ‘Are people going to like it?’ Turns out, Kirkwood gave me a big hug,” Alhamid said.

Business is brisk, and he started seeing regulars within the first week of opening. The beautiful patio awning beckons customers to try Ranoush, but his fresh ingredients and delicious dishes at a reasonable price are the true people pleasers.

“I appreciate every person who comes to my restaurant. I talk to every table because I want every table to feel special. My customers are the best advertisement. They keep my head above water,” Alhamid said. 

Alhamid said he often works 15-18 hour days.

“This is a land of opportunity. Here, when you work hard your dreams come true. I want to stay on top, I want every person who comes to my restaurant to talk about how much they like it, and I want every table to be happy. That takes hard work,” he said.

Hard work that has paid off, although Alhamid, “is not sure I’m still not just dreaming.” But Ranoush is very real, and so is Alhamid’s success.

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