Wael Accad — founder and restaurateur of Eli Falafel — started with a small stall at Jiashan Market in Shanghai, and today he owns five Lebanese cuisine restaurants in China. In this interview, Wael shares what he believes is important in the restaurant business and how passion for what you do becomes the main driver of success.
A special part of the conversation is dedicated to Wael’s favorite childhood flavors — the menu of his restaurants is based on his family’s homemade recipes, which he carefully preserves and adapts to local tastes.
In an exclusive masterclass for our program, Wael reveals the secrets of preparing traditional Lebanese dishes — tabbouleh and shakshuka. This is a story about maintaining quality, earning guests’ trust, and making sure they keep coming back again and again.
Shot by Zhou Shengjie, Jackie Ow. Edited by Arina Yakupova. Reported by Arina Yakupova. Subtitles by Arina Yakupova.
Key insights from Wael Accad
SYSTEM SHOULD OPERATE, not individual should operate.
IF PEOPLE COPY YOU, THAT MEANS YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, A RESTAURANT IS LIKE A HOBBY. Some people go to the gym, some people like skiing — this is my way to feel myself.
WHEN YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE. If you don’t like it, you will never be successful.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE LIKE THE COMFORT ZONE. We need to challenge ourselves, otherwise a person will never develop.
SUCCESS DOESN’T COME IN A SHORTCUT. Some people think money makes you successful. Maybe for a short period of time, but it will not last long.
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, and you need to plan your things every day.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT MATTERS IS THE QUALITY YOU GIVE to people for a long period of time, not a short one.
NOTHING IS EASY, BUT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A PROPER SYSTEM, EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE.
WHEN I COME INSIDE THE RESTAURANT, I FEEL MYSELF.
Timecodes
00:43 – The meaning of the name Eli Falafel
01:12 – The feeling of starting a Lebanese cuisine restaurant in a country where it is not common
02:02 – “As long as you have a proper SOP… everything can be done”
02:15 – Cooking masterclass: Tabbouleh
05:40 – “Restaurant for me is like a hobby”
06:46 – Taste from childhood
07:41 – Copying in the restaurant industry
08:20 – “I believe in a system”
08:29 – Turnover in the restaurant business
09:10 – Cooking masterclass: Shakshuka
12:09 – How to succeed in the restaurant business