STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 41
Saliba grew up in the restaurant business : his grandparents , Fred and Amelia Saliba , opened a restaurant in Drumright in the 1940s , and his father , Paul Saliba , also worked in the industry .
" It ' s a little more personal to me because this is in my family . This is kind of a proud thing ," he said . " If I went and bought a chain of Chick-Fil-A ' s or a chain of Sonic or or even a chain of Outback , that ' s not really me . I just bought into it . This is definitely me . "
Saliba said he only sometimes wanted to work in the restaurant industry but quickly fell in love with the work and eventually followed in his grandparents and parent ' s footsteps .
Saliba and his wife both graduated from Oklahoma State University and eventually moved back to Oklahoma so Saliba could help his dad . In 2001 , he found a building that would be the perfect location for his vision .
The multi-generational Saliba legacy spans three decades , and Saliba hopes it ' ll be four generations since he has four sons .
Saliba named his legacy after his grandfather " Freddie " and father " Paul ", and continues incorporating family recipes and values into his business . Many of Freddie Paul ' s recipes were passed down throughout the family , starting with his grandparents .
One of the unique family recipes Saliba kept that sets his restaurant apart from others is Freddie Paul ' s Hummus . While it ' s not currently on the traditional menu — which he plans to add — it ' s on the ToGo menu . " People come and buy it by the pints ," Saliba said .
Saliba said their hummus is well-known because it ' s always been around and is not easily found elsewhere .
" If you go down to the store and buy some premade hummus , it ' s real pasty , it ' s real dry , and it ' s not creamy ," he said . " We put olive oil in it , which makes it more creamy . And it has a lot of flavor ." Tabouleh is another recipe that was passed down throughout his family . Like the hummus , Saliba said it ' s something everyone knows they have .
He said Freddie Paul ' s is known for its good food and steaks , but the tabbouleh and hummus " tops it off ."
" We want to be the best at it , so we try to do our best . We have years and years and years of experience to make it happen ," Saliba said .
" Practice makes perfect ; we ' ve had three generations of making it perfect ." Saliba said the business was founded by family , and he intends to continue giving the community the recipes they love . He said the community supports his business ; to him , it ' s more than work . It ' s his passion .
" We sell more steaks than we do anything because we are a steakhouse ," he said . " But our legacy is more of the cabbage rolls , tabbouleh and hummus . It ' s what our grandparents started back in the day ."
SwOk
STORY BY : Ashlynd Huffman Stillwater Oklahoma Magazine
PHOTOS BY : Jason Elmquist
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 41