In recognition of Le Phénicien’s fish and seafood cuisine, Walid Mouzannar, secretary of l’Académie Libanaise de la Gastronomie, said: “Back in the old days, people used to believe that fish can digest gold. After tasting the excellent and flavorsome cuisine of Le Phénicien, we can only reaffirm this belief, as Habib’s cuisine can be considered as gold.”
Established in 1973, the first Le Phénicien restaurant was opened in the southern city of Tyre. Since then, seafood enthusiasts have been frequenting the restaurant and its sister branch in Horch Tabet, Beirut, to taste mouthwatering dishes created by Hadid.
“Since its inception, Le Phénicien has benefited from a stellar reputation. I’ve inherited the sense of hospitality and great culinary skills from my grandparents who were known for their open-door policy at home and delicious dishes. What confirms our stellar reputation that goes beyond the borders of our country, is the quality of guests that visit us. We are graced by foreign ministers, officials and foreigners who enjoy their culinary experience at Le Phénicien. To date, there hasn’t been a bad review of Le Phenicien, which is why we’ve been awarded by l’Académie Libanaise de la Gastronomie.
“My legacy lives on with my two sons, Youssef and Omar, who graduated from La Sagesse with honors and handle the operations with me at the restaurant. They also successfully manage our boutique hotel in Tyre whose reputation grows stronger every day,” said Habib Hadid, owner of Phénicien.
About author
Rita Ghantous
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
