A person is celebrating the success of his small restaurant after opening for the 10th summer season in a row — in his backyard.
Panikos Panayiotou, 44, is a father of three from Walsall, England, who runs and operates a Greek restaurant out of a semi-detached construction in his backyard.
The sports activities growth supervisor by day opened Lakis Greek Kitchen in 2014 — an concept that originated from his late father, Lakis Panayiotou.
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The elder man was in the method of constructing his personal backyard Greek restaurant when he handed away because of small cell lung most cancers in 2012, in response to SWNS.
Panayiotou informed Fox News Digital that to honor his father and his Greek heritage, he determined he would make this occur himself. It took 5 months, he stated by way of e mail.
Panikos Panayiotou, pictured right here, opens the Lakis Greek Kitchen for six weeks of the 12 months and donates a lot of the proceeds to charity. (SWNS)
“I built it in memory of my father, who passed away from cancer. He tried to start it — [but he] built half a restaurant in his garden [and then] passed away before it could be finished,” he additionally stated to SWNS.
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He added, “My father always wanted to run a traditional Greek taverna from his home, and so it’s a way of keeping his memory alive and raising much-needed money for charity.”
He informed Fox News Digital that what makes the restaurant particular to him is “the ability to serve people through the love of food in memory of my father and to help local people in need.”
Panayiotou stated he opened the restaurant to honor his late Greek father, who all the time had a dream to do exactly that. (SWNS)
Since the beginning, the Panayiotous have donated almost $70,000 to native charities.
Panayiotou retains the restaurant — which may maintain about 75 prospects — open for six weeks every year.
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He and his spouse, Michelle, volunteer their time and efforts to arrange for the gang whereas a volunteer chef from an area lodge comes in to prepare dinner the meals.
Panayiotou additionally informed Fox News Digital that his three kids, ages 13, 12, and 8, additionally assist out on the restaurant.
People will go to the restaurant from the United States, the proprietor stated, and e book a desk two months out (SWNS)
“My daughter is in the kitchen. My boys run an LGK (Lakis Greek Kitchen) shop, which sells Greek oil, olives and other produce that helps with our fundraising,” he stated.
Their signature dish is lamb kleftiko.
Additionally, his kids additionally assist with prep and serving the shoppers.
Their signature dish is a lamb kleftiko dish. The marinated lamb and potatoes are slowly cooked for 8 to 12 hours, in response to SWNS.
The restaurant additionally serves desserts comparable to baklava, coconut cake and a Greek chocolate rock cake known as Doukissa.
Lakis Greek Kitchen makes and serves genuine Greek meals to honor a member of the family who has handed on. (SWNS)
Panayiotou informed SWNS that the restaurant opens its reservations two months in advance and inside a number of hours, the tables are about 80% full.
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“We try and cater for walk-ins, too [and] we can end up with people all over the back garden,” he stated.
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Panayiotou stated that fortunately his neighbors don’t thoughts the big crowds — and that some guests even come from the United States to go to the distinctive restaurant.
A person opened a restaurant in his backyard as a nod to his late Greek father. He’s now been operating it for 10 years and offers most of his income to charity. (SWNS)
“Our traditions are to have a relationship with your loved ones in the afterlife, so you do good deeds in memory of them,” he informed SWNS.
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He added, “And this is what we do here every year. This is for him.”