The Thyme Machine | Zaatar Truck

I have always been amazed by Food Trucks. A truck is made to move people or things from point A to point B, so everytime I see a truck producing food, I think, Woah, this is magical. Just like a child, I get excited and remember my childhood in Beirut and Bkaatouta in my home country of Lebanon. A white and blue ice cream truck would pass by my grandmother’s house to sell bread, ice cream, and cotton candy. I would hear the tune of the truck from miles away, and instantly, my salivary glands would go in overdrive. That’s the Pavlov effect! I would rush to my grandmother, Marie, to ask her for some Lebanese Pounds (Lira — currently called #Lollar by Dani IC) and affix myself to the window so I can spot and run to the truck at the right time!

That’s Teta Marie — I miss her a lot. We say Teta in Lebanese and it stands for Grandmother.

Now, after being in the United States for a medical career, and establishing a few successful businesses in this great country, I wanted to create something amazing. Magical enough to spark people’s imagination. A special connection to my Lebanese roots that shows the hospitality and the goodness of the Lebanese people to the world. So where do I start?

It all started at 6:30 AM. On a beautiful bike ride to the sunrise from Brickell to South Beach Miami. A bike ride I incorporated into my daily morning routine. After a 12-mile ride, I’d sit and stare at the ocean and the slow sunbeams emerging from under the seas magically…