All in the Family

At this vibrant restaurant in eastern Virginia, there’s no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen.

STORY BY SHELLEY LEVITT

Open the door to Layla’s, a Lebanese restaurant in Woodbridge, Virginia, and you can count on a couple of things: The aroma of freshly ground spices will fill the air, and a basket of warm pita bread will be on every one of the tables. Mathil Chebat, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Michael, and brother-in-law Jimmy, will be in the kitchen, cooking family recipes like chicken shawarma, lamb kabobs and creamy rice pudding. And helping to make sure everything runs smoothly will be three or four of Mathil and Michael’s eight children—seven daughters and a son. Ranging in age from 16 to 36, they take on every task, from greeting guests and waiting tables to overseeing the launch of Layla’s product line of garlic whip and hummus. “In our family…

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Taste of Home (Digital) - 1 Issue, February/March 2021

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