Mohammed Ali Ghannam
April 21, 1955 — January 4, 2007
"Mike"
He fed us food, humor, love
On Jan. 4, Mohammed Ali Ghannam passed away after a short illness. Most people knew him as Mike, executive chef at Jaffa Café.
A few weeks have now passed since his funeral and memorial, and I can't help but continue to think about the amazing experience that took place in those days. In life, Mike and all the others at Jaffa brought many people together with very different beliefs, religion and politics. We all sit in Jaffa and discuss everything. We do this in friendship and safety.
Mike's funeral and memorial service brought many of us together in a time of sadness, and as I reflect on my feelings, I realize that peace can exist. We all mourned together; Muslims, both Shiites and Sunnis, Jews, Christians, Catholics and atheists. We all mourned together.
Maybe the world leaders need to come have lunch at Jaffa Café and see that we all want peace in our world and the freedom to believe.
To Mike's children, Abir, Abrahim, and Omar, thank you for sharing your very special father with all of us. We are all lucky that Mike left his home in Beirut, Lebanon, and came to the United States in 1984.
He worked as a chef all his life including at Tortilla Flats, Inn at Morro Bay and Dairy Creek Gold Course. Adnan, Todd, Adam, Samir, Miguel and Leila; Jaffa is not the same without Mike; no one to yell "Vicki is cheating," or, "You WILL have the special; it's good."
But all of you keep Mike's spirit as part of Jaffa Café, and Jaffa Café will remain a place not just to eat, but also to talk, laugh, play, debate, celebrate and mourn.
To those who didn't know Mike, I'm sorry. Mike fed all of us; food, humor, and love, no matter our religion, birthplace or politics. We miss you, Mike.
— Zeena Wathen, The Tribune, Saturday, February 17, 2007
"Mike" photo by Russell Bunge
