A popular downtown restaurant will soon close as Chef Samir Hanna prepares to cook his last tasty dish at Sanafir Mediterranean Restaurant.
Hanna, who has owned and operated the restaurant for eight years, will close the eatery permanently on Dec. 28.
The restaurant’s closure was announced through a Facebook post made earlier this week. The post listed Hanna’s retirement as the reason for the restaurant’s end.
“I’ve been in the business, working as a chef, since 1987 and that’s long,” says Hanna. “I'm tired, physically. Mentally, I'm done. So, I think it's time for me to put my jacket on the wall and that's it.”
Hanna says his customers are happy for him, but it's bittersweet as they are also upset the restaurant is closing.
“It makes me feel good and sad. Sad that I'm leaving this warmth and kindness of these people, and the personal relation with my customers, my clientele," Hanna explained.
"Happy that, since I immigrated to Canada in 1992, (it’s been) just work, work, work, work, work, work, work. I believe now I need to enjoy what I like to do. I like the outdoors, I like fishing, or hunting, and just being outside. In the north here, it's the best,” he says.
Hanna began his Canadian career in Toronto, where he worked at the Windsor Arms Hotel, Centreplate, and then moved north to the JW Marriott on Lake Rousseau.
From there he came to Orillia to start his own restaurant.
“It just happened that somebody I know who used to work in Orillia got an email from the city,” he says. “I came down and I checked it out and I realized that there’s potential.”
“It was nothing but a success,” he says. “It’s a great area, great people, great community. People here actually like to try something new and different.”
Hanna says he kept his restaurant running through the pandemic with the help of his loyal customers.
“The community here was a big support, even though lots of people used to come purchase gift certificates for like $500. I mean, some of them, they didn't even redeem it till now. Even though it's been expired, but if they come today, I will honour it the way they honoured (my restaurant) existing,” he says.
Hanna will be staying in the area during his retirement, but his priority is to take a three-week vacation.
“(I need to) refresh my energy, refresh my costs, refresh my mind, because right now, too much stress is on me physically, and mentally too,” he says. “Sometimes it puts tears in my eyes, so, you know, I need to wash all this out. After that, I’ll see what my new year will bring.”
When he returns, Hanna hopes to use his culinary skills as a volunteer in the community, giving back as thanks for their support.
“I can utilize my experience in cooking to volunteer in places, just go cook for some people who’re in need. The hospice, sometimes they need people to cook there. There’s (The Sharing Plate), if there is a kitchen maybe I can occupy myself,” he says.
Sanafir Mediterranean Restaurant remains open, with regular hours of operation, until its closure on Dec. 28.
“Well, from the bottom of my heart, I’d love to thank the community. Big, big, big time, for all the kindness, support, the warmth, the open arms when they received me as I opened," he said.
"And the continuous friendship with every individual who comes here. I know them by name or face or voice. From the bottom of my heart, I want to really thank them, and I say I will miss all of them. But I will be around, they’re gonna be seeing me on the street,” Hanna says.
Abigail Noble is an intern from Carleton University.
