ORMOND BEACH — The owners of the new Soraya Mediterranean Cafe received a surprise visit Friday by Melanie Griffin, secretary of the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, who dropped by to participate in an impromptu ribbon-cutting.
Griffin read a proclamation praising owners Fay Sarshory and Ayten Hooper for their "determination to pursue a dream and connect with the residents and visitors of the great state of Florida."
Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington and Debbie Cotton, CEO of the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce, also participated, along with Sarshory's cousin, Maryam Ghyabi-White, owner of Ghyabi Consulting & Management.
"We appreciated everyone coming," said Sarshory.
The beachside cafe is at 156 E. Granada Blvd.
What is Soraya?
Sarshory said the cafe's goal is to "expose locals to Persian and Turkish cultures beyond any political associations."
Soraya Cafe offers Turkish and Persian desserts − including baklava, Turkish-baked rice pudding, and Persian homemade cakes − as well as Persian breakfast items, Turkish simit (similar to bagels), soups, salads and panini sandwiches. It also serves Turkish coffee and other espresso and tea drinks.
Soraya is Persian for "cluster of stars." It's also the name of the second wife of the last Shah of Iran. Queen Soraya enjoyed a brief career as an actress in the 1960s.
How did the coffee shop come about?
Sarshory is an Iranian native who, as a teen, fled with her family to the United States during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. She currently works as the broker/owner of Florida Property Experts in Ormond Beach.
Hooper is a veteran restaurateur who originally hails from Turkey.
The two met a few years ago when Sarshory became a customer at Hooper's then-Istanbul Turkish Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant on U.S. 1. Hooper has since sold the eatery.
The two became friends and started talking about someday starting a coffee shop together.
When the building that previously housed a quilt shop became available, Sarshory quickly leased it and invited Hooper to become partners in opening Soraya Cafe. This is Sarshory's first time as a restaurateur.
"(Hooper) is the creative touch behind the food. I did the (interior) design," said Sarshory.
Who organized Soraya Mediterranean Cafe's ribbon-cutting?
Sarshory said it was all Ghyabi-White's doing.
"I received a call from Melanie's office on Thursday saying she was heading to Jacksonville (from Tallahassee) for an event on Friday and wanted to know if there were any businesses she could visit in Ormond Beach," said Ghyabi-White. "The mayor immediately made himself available as well, and Debbie Cotton did the same.
"As an engineer, I like to plan things. This was absolutely done with zero planning," she said. "It was really cool."
What are its hours of operation?
Soraya is open Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Mondays. The coffee house is also available for special events.
Downtown draws: New businesses bring new vitality to Ormond's East Granada Boulevard
"cafe" - Google News
June 24, 2023 at 07:16PM
https://ift.tt/YhtVMlH
Owners of Ormond Beach's new Soraya Cafe get surprise visitors - Daytona Beach News-Journal
"cafe" - Google News
https://ift.tt/Jk4Z3Dc
https://ift.tt/Jq92zLr
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25244079/4.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment