Samir Mongannam
Beit Rima | San Francisco
november 2022
A San Francisco native, Samir Mongannam grew up working in his father’s chain of burger restaurants. Having fallen in love with the kitchen, Mogannam joined the team at Mr. Pollo when he was nineteen, where he learned the importance of sourcing the freshest ingredients from local vendors. In 2014, Mongannam went on to help open Prebechu with mentor Chef Shawn Naputi. Looking to branch out of the Mission area, he later joined the team at Aziza as garde manger under the mentorship of Rising Stars alum Chef Mourad Lahlou. Working in the fast-paced kitchen was a huge learning experience for Mongannam, and cooking Arab food brought him closer to his Jordanian-Palestinaian roots.
Feeling burnt out from the demanding hours and looking to explore his own cooking style further, Mongannam began hosting a series of pop-up dinners, where he embraced his own style of Arab cuisine. At the same time, however, his father’s businesses were struggling. Mogannam convinced his father to let him take over one of his restaurants with the promise of sharing his family’s food and culture with the community. In 2019, Mogannam opened Beit Rima and, after its initial success, went on to open two more locations in that same year.
At Beit Rima, Mongannam serves Arab comfort food inspired by his own family recipes, like his Gazan braised lamb shank with “mom’s rice” and maftoul. He also works to ensure that Beit Rima is not only a welcoming and hospitable destination for guests, but that it’s also a positive work environment for his staff. By establishing an eight hour shift limit and dividing tips equally among the house, he hopes to foster a healthy work-life balance for his team.
