Adel Saleh Kassim
Brooklyn Kebab House
Adel Saleh Kassim, a Yemeni immigrant, opened the first halal food market in Bay Ridge, in 1997. In 2022, on the first day of Ramadan, he held the grand opening of his new restaurant, Brooklyn Kebab House. Serving a mixture of Middle Eastern and American favorites, from Yemeni Haneth lamb to a Schwarma burger, everything is halal and delicious. Meanwhile Adel continues to run his busy deli across the street.
The pandemic was an incredible challenge for Adel due to concerns about his family’s health (he lost a brother to COVID). While groceries and delis were allowed to stay open, he limited his hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to limit potential exposure for his family and workers, leading to a significant loss in income for his 24-hour business. Work on his new restaurant was slowed as well.
With Accompany Capital’s financial help and business advice, however, his grocery business was able to survive, and his new restaurant got back on track for a successful reopening.
Through times of hardship, Bay Ridge has been a loyal community of customers and a reliable workforce. Today Adel employes over 70 people between both businesses, earning him the 2022 Accompany Capital Immigrant Heritage Week Job Creator Award.