Fine food demands fine leadership. Paramount Fine Foods was about to close its doors in 2007 when Mohamad Fakih stepped in as president and started making changes. With his management skills and leadership techniques, Fakih turned the restaurant around and transformed it into an expanding chain with more than $32 million in annual sales.
Mississauga’s Fakih came to Canada 13 years ago, trying to find a better life for his family. After working his way up from his first job at Tim Hortons, he purchased a struggling Lebanese restaurant and turned it into an overwhelming success story in less than six years. Paramount Fine Foods has grown from one flagship store in Mississauga to four restaurants in southern Ontario, along with a busy halal butcher shop, which he opened for his wife, Hanan, after she complained about the state of halal meat counters.
With more than 350 employees, Paramount Fine Foods has garnered international attention, with requests for expansion from the royal family of Qatar. But it has been more than strong business sense that separates Fakih from the pack. He uses motivational tools and company excursions to create a team environment in his restaurants. Every few months, an activity is scheduled that encourages employees to have some fun as a group.
“I want my employees to feel like a family,” says Fakih. “Acknowledging great work and investing in my employees motivates them in a really positive way.” Fakih has shown time and time again that a heightened focus on the welfare of employees allows business to flourish.
Last year, Fakih took management and executives on helicopter trips over Niagara Falls, then treated them to a day at Great Wolf Lodge. A favourite among management is the weekly indoor soccer game, allowing employees to connect with one another outside of work hours.
“The restaurant industry has a demanding schedule,” says Katie Hagen, his director of marketing. “After tough times and long hours, Mohamad’s activities allow us to bond, regain our mental strength and unite as ‘Team Paramount.’”
The examples of employee perks don’t stop there. The Paramount Rewards is a new program that allows upper management to give employees Paramount coins for going above and beyond the usual expectations of a task. The Paramount coins are tallied up during different stages and exceptional employees are recognized with prizes accordingly.
All that motivation has paid off, and Paramount continues to grow and share its freshly prepared grilled foods and baked breads, pitas and pizzas, shawarmas and kebabs to Ontarians.
Lebanese-born immigrant’s fine food success
Fakih built Paramount Butcher Shop for his wife Hanan after she complained about the grungy state of halal meat counters and asked him to do something about it. Photo by ANDREW FRANCIS WALLACE / TORONTO STAR
Fine food demands fine leadership. Paramount Fine Foods was about to close its doors in 2007 when Mohamad Fakih stepped in as president and started making changes. With his management skills and leadership techniques, Fakih turned the restaurant around and transformed it into an expanding chain with more than $32 million in annual sales.
Mississauga’s Fakih came to Canada 13 years ago, trying to find a better life for his family. After working his way up from his first job at Tim Hortons, he purchased a struggling Lebanese restaurant and turned it into an overwhelming success story in less than six years. Paramount Fine Foods has grown from one flagship store in Mississauga to four restaurants in southern Ontario, along with a busy halal butcher shop, which he opened for his wife, Hanan, after she complained about the state of halal meat counters.
With more than 350 employees, Paramount Fine Foods has garnered international attention, with requests for expansion from the royal family of Qatar. But it has been more than strong business sense that separates Fakih from the pack. He uses motivational tools and company excursions to create a team environment in his restaurants. Every few months, an activity is scheduled that encourages employees to have some fun as a group.
“I want my employees to feel like a family,” says Fakih. “Acknowledging great work and investing in my employees motivates them in a really positive way.” Fakih has shown time and time again that a heightened focus on the welfare of employees allows business to flourish.
Last year, Fakih took management and executives on helicopter trips over Niagara Falls, then treated them to a day at Great Wolf Lodge. A favourite among management is the weekly indoor soccer game, allowing employees to connect with one another outside of work hours.
“The restaurant industry has a demanding schedule,” says Katie Hagen, his director of marketing. “After tough times and long hours, Mohamad’s activities allow us to bond, regain our mental strength and unite as ‘Team Paramount.’”
The examples of employee perks don’t stop there. The Paramount Rewards is a new program that allows upper management to give employees Paramount coins for going above and beyond the usual expectations of a task. The Paramount coins are tallied up during different stages and exceptional employees are recognized with prizes accordingly.
All that motivation has paid off, and Paramount continues to grow and share its freshly prepared grilled foods and baked breads, pitas and pizzas, shawarmas and kebabs to Ontarians.