DEARBORN — Chef Habib Bazzi came to the United States in 1991 already having an idea of what it was he wanted to pursue once he settled in. During his time in Lebanon as a child, he remembers vividly always having a definite interest in hospitality.

“I used to always set up tables with my mom when I was 8 or 9 years old,” Bazzi stated. 

Chef Habib

His interest grew even further when he lived alone in Africa during the late 80’s, where he would cook for himself every night. It was then where he started coming up with many of his Middle Eastern recipes that have become famous in the Arab American community today. But the recipe for one of his more popular items, the famous “potato balls,” wasn’t that easy to perfect.

“It took me some time to correct the potato balls,” he recalls. “I had to find the perfect balance of the right spices and the right process in marinating them. That took me at least three to four months.”

Now those potato balls can be heard rolling all around Dearborn. It’s just one of his many secret recipes that people have tried to emulate but have never been able to master. Bazzi usually starts his day at 6 a.m. and can be found at his Habib’s restaurant on weekdays solely preparing the secret recipes by himself. It usually takes him around two to three hours to prepare the spices for the food that will be served during the day.

“When I work on my spices it can only be me,” Bazzi stated. “It’s not just because no one can know my recipes, but also because I need to have the proper environment to have everything ready for my cooks and staff. No one touches the spices but me.”

But there is one other person who does know his secret recipes.  His wife Nadia, who he has been married to for over 18 years. Nadia has been helping her husband since he began at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center banquet hall in 1994. 

The hall can fit up to 700 people and on busy nights is equipped with a staff of up to 30. The banquet hall has hosted thousands of weddings, dinners and graduation parties, among other functions. The most notable part of the hall is Bazzi’s food of course, along with its elegant décor. 

One other key element to Bazzi’s success is his sister-in-law Leila. Since 2005, she has been the administrator and event coordinator, running the business end of Bazzi’s establishments. Both Bazzi and his wife stress that none of their recent accomplishments would’ve been achievable if it wasn’t for Leila’s help.

“Leila is our right hand. She’s actually the mastermind behind all of this,” Nadia stated about her sister.

In 2009, after spending years at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center, Bazzi launched Habib’s Cuisine, taking his renowned banquet hall food and putting them inside of a restaurant setting. 

Bazzi, Nadia and Leila do a lot of running around trying to make sure the businesses are running smoothly. According to Leila, the banquet hall at Bint Jebail is pretty much booked from now until December.  The Habib’s restaurant itself also has a banquet room which can fit up to 250 people. 

“I work non-stop around the clock,” Leila stated. “I have to be available whenever we get a phone call…we even have events booked in 2013.” 

Habib’s restaurant is also big on catering as they deliver locally to Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Allen Park. They’ve also catered to plenty of events that have taken place at other Banquet Halls, such as the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn and Crystal Gardens in Southgate.

“We never have any slow days,” Bazzi stated. “But I have a very good team behind me. We plan everything accordingly.”

With the help of a professional staff, Nadia says that they’ve been able to maintain a good family life.  “We make sure we have good balance and family support, which is important.” 

And while it may take hours for Bazzi to prepare his special recipes for the restaurant and banquet hall, his wife likes to make sure of one thing: “It’s strictly me in the kitchen at home,” Nadia quipped. “Although, sometimes I will ask for some of his ideas.”

It’s quite understandable why their delegations are split. After all, they have six children that they need to raise. Two of them are in high school, two of them in middle school and two in elementary. 

While Bazzi might have all of his children to look after, one thing he really is not paying attention to is the competition that has grown over the last few years in the Dearborn area. 

“I have my own quality food and people know about me. Everyone can cook, but not everyone can cook the same,” he said in confidence. “I don’t care about the competition…I just let the customers decide.” Bazzi stated.

And customers have plenty to decide over. His menu includes over 500 items, such as popular choices like the rice ooze (lamb dish) and the rotisserie chicken. Bazzi’s menu also includes  dessert items, which tend to be very popular during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 

One would think with all these food options on his menu that Bazzi himself would have a favorite item, but that’s not the case.

“That’s a hard question,” Bazzi stated when asked to declare one of his creations as his favorite. “I really do like them all, or else I wouldn’t serve it.” 

Despite his hectic schedule, Bazzi has also found plenty of time to give back to the community. 

“Habib donates to all the major organizations,” stated Leila. “He just doesn’t like to announce it or advertise it.” 

Among those donations includes the Islamic Center of America on Ford Road in Dearborn and the Dearborn High School softball team. He’s also been recognized for outstanding contributions and achievements by local organizations such as ACCESS, AAPAC, the Arab Student Union and the Yemen American Benevolent Association. 

While his success has been heard all around the community for almost two decades now, Bazzi wants to make sure the ball keeps rolling. He plans on opening up a second Habib’s restaurant in another city sometime in the near future.