About Celaborelle
Youssef Hedary, of Celaborelle Phoenician Buffet, grew up in the restaurant business. Their home in Lebanon was connected to the family's restaurant kitchen, and Youssef started working with his parents as early as he can remember. The Hedary family sold their restaurant in Lebanon because of the civil war interrupting the children's education. They emigrated to the U.S.A. in 1975 and soon after opened Hedary's Restaurant in Fort Worth.
Youssef attended Arlington Heights High School and graduated from North Side High School. He then attended Tarrant County Junior College and the University of Texas in Arlington. He left college to work in the insurance industry for around a decade while still remaining active in opening and operating restaurants. He eventually decided to leave the insurance industry in favor of the restaurant business. In 1992 he opened Byblos Lebanese Restaurant which his brother Marios now operates.
In 1997 Youssef opened Celaborelle Phoenician Buffet after converting a condemned mansion that was built in 1904 in the historic Fairmont district. His experience with Lebanese food led him to change how food is served, and Celaborelle now offers a truly unique experience that can't be found anywhere else. He knew people wanted to experience the food, but they didn't want to order multiple items they had never heard of or spend a huge amount of money, so in 2001 he opened the buffet, with live preparation of individual dishes that require it for freshness.
The Hedary family is deeply involved in the restaurant business. Youssef's mother and two of his sisters still run Hedary's Mediterranean Restaurant in Fort Worth, his brother Marios runs Byblos Lebanese Restaurant, and his youngest brother Frank has a Hedary's in Las Vegas. His sister Mariz and her husband run Khoury's Mediterranean Restaurant in Las Vegas.
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