SHARE

Greenwich Teen Joins Forces With Parents In Running Moroccan Restaurant

GREENWICH, Conn. — Rayan Achbami of Greenwich may only be in high school, but he already has experience running a restaurant.

Rayan Achbami

Rayan Achbami

Photo Credit: Contributed

The 17-year-old and his parents run Argana, a Moroccan restaurant at 325 N. Main St. in Port Chester, N.Y., that opened in March. 

"We service Moroccan food with an American twist," Achbami said. "We don't want to overwhelm people with Moroccan spices."

Food runs in the family. Achbami's mother, Mia, loves to cook and always gets compliments on her food. His father, Nordine has been in the business for more than 20 years, running restaurants in Greenwich.

"My mother's recipes are timeless and eloquent," Achbami said.

Eating Moroccan food gives patrons a sense of euphoria, whether it be from dishes such as chicken tajine or lamb shank couscous, he said. 

"It's a whole new experience for people," Achbami said. "We've been getting a lot of repeat customers. I love seeing the expression on people's faces. It makes me feel proud of what my family does."

Starting a restaurant in a competitive market such as Port Chester means Argana always has to keep pushing itself. 

"Each restaurant is always improving and we have to maintain that level of improvement," he said. "We're always trying to better ourselves."

So far, Achbami said he has been able to balance running a restaurant while attending Greenwich High School. He said he hopes to become a doctor and study neurology. 

to follow Daily Voice Greenwich and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE