09/01/2026
An interesting business story. It follows the November 2025 news of a US private equity firm buying El Jannah, the 1998-founded Lebanese charcoal chicken franchise for a reported A$1 billion.
Retailing in food and beverages is part of my family's history since about 1955, first in Tehran, then in Sydney. In Sydney, my eldest brothers, David and Hratch, started Omar Khayam's Delicatessen in the suburb of Chatsood in 1969. I edited a family Super 8 video in 2023 which shows the shop.
The mid-20th century saw a significant influx of European immigrants to Australia, particularly Italians, Greeks, and Eastern Europeans, who brought their culinary traditions. By the late 1960s, these cuisines had begun influencing Australia’s food culture, introducing delicatessen items like cured meats, cheeses, olives, and specialty breads.
While Anglo-Celtic food traditions still dominated, Australians were gradually becoming more adventurous in their tastes, especially in urban areas like Sydney. Delicatessens were becoming appreciated as places to purchase unique and high-quality foods.
A delicatessen in Chatswood would have been somewhat original at the time:
• Specialty Offerings: Such stores would differentiate themselves from standard grocers by offering unique, high-quality imported or artisanal goods.
• Appeal to European Immigrants: The immigrant community, particularly those of European heritage, would likely have welcomed a source of familiar foods.
• Broader Appeal: Curious Anglo-Australians might also have been drawn to the store as they explored international cuisines.
Most people don’t know the difference between Sushi Hub and Sushi Sushi, the two biggest operators in the takeaway sushi game – but investors do.
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