Meet Maya Aoun | Owner, Mezzaterranean – Lebanese Restaurant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maya Aoun and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maya, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a kid, I’d spend hours watching the Food Network, completely mesmerized by the way chefs could turn simple ingredients into something amazing. At home I had a chef of my own, my Lebanese grandmother, who brought the Food Network to life—habibi style! Seeing the care she put into every dish and how food had a way of bringing people together while simultaneously sharing our Lebanese culture was something I knew I wanted to do too.

At 26 years old, I quit my career in banking and considered culinary school. After looking at the time and cost, I took a leap of faith and opened a fast-casual Lebanese restaurant called Mezzaterranean (home of the Original Shawarma Fries) in Rancho Cucamonga. I convinced my dad to come out of retirement and put his 25+ years of restaurant experience to good use—and a few years later, we opened our second location in West Covina.

We’re celebrating 10 years of Mezzaterranean this year, and until this day, we still remain true to our ethos—our food is fresh, authentic, made to order and accessible. From the kebabs, salads and wraps we serve at lunchtime, to the 600 person caterings we do for weddings and events, we put love, care and quality into everything we do.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
This year, we’re celebrating 10 years, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Restaurants are not for the faint of heart, and keeping our doors open through COVID, supply chain challenges, labor shortages, and the constant ups and downs of the industry hasn’t been easy. But one thing is certain—we wouldn’t have reached this milestone without passion, dedication, and a deep love for what we do.
It’s truly a labor of love. From every hand-wrapped grape leaf to every carefully trimmed and grilled kebab, from our fresh, daily-made hummus to our hand-mixed baba ghannouj, we take no shortcuts. A decade later, we’re still doing things with the same care and dedication as we did on day one.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First stop, obviously, Mezzaterranean! No, but seriously, we’d kick things off with a Matcha from Tea Master Matcha Cafe and take some time to explore Little Tokyo. We’d hit The Broad to explore the exhibits, and after that venture to Messob for some delicious Ethiopian food. Then we’d hop on the 10 and make our way to Malibu, stopping at Matador State Beach to catch the sunset, maybe swing by the Greek Theatre for a show if there’s an artist we like in town, and end the night at Andy’s for some drinks. Overly ambitious? Maybe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout isn’t to just one person, but to the incredible people who have shaped and supported me. To my Teta (grandma), who taught me how to cook with love. To my dad, who helped turn my vision into reality. To my mom, my biggest fan and unwavering backbone. To my sisters, my ultimate hype squad, always cheering me on. And to my Uncle Adam, who has been by my side since day one. I also owe so much to my Lebanese culture, which has instilled in me the deep joy of nurturing others through food. Lastly, a shoutout wouldn’t be a shoutout without thanking our loyal Mezza customers & staff who have made Mezzaterranean an integral part of the community!

Website: https://www.mezza-terranean.com

Instagram: @mezzaterranean

Yelp: Mezzaterranean

Other: mezzaterranean@gmail.com

Image Credits
Personal photos shot by @KreateContent
Food photos shot by @DineLAFoodie