A Busy CEO’s Daily Grind and His Quest for Authentic Food

Hady Kfoury runs a chain of Middle‑Eastern restaurants that is growing fast, with 43 stores now and plans for over 200 by 2030. He wakes before dawn, around six a. m. , and uses the quiet hour to stretch or run. After that he calls his mother for a quick chat, keeping the family bond alive while he heads to work. He skips breakfast on weekdays, drinking coffee instead. On weekends he eats a large meal, though the reason is unclear; his body just does it that way. He drops off his kids at a French international school and arrives at the office near Grand Central around 8:15 a. m. Kfoury does not employ an assistant. He schedules every meeting himself, preferring a short break to handle emails before the next call. This routine lets him stay in control of his day without extra coordination. Each morning he visits a nearby restaurant, sometimes on the lunch rush. He orders chicken kebab with tahini to taste the core of his menu, which is largely chicken shawarma. During these visits he keeps a low profile, checks food quality and cleanliness, and talks to staff about any issues.He spends much time negotiating ingredient imports from Lebanon. The seven‑hour time difference and different business customs make it hard to receive fresh samples quickly. Tariffs add another layer of complexity, but he hopes 20–30 % of products can come straight from the homeland. The CEO once handled every customer review personally, but now delegates that task. A trusted staff member sends him weekly summaries, cutting his daily email load by about 150 messages. He learned that reacting to complaints late at night stresses the team and is not healthy. On summer weekends he retreats to a Connecticut town called Litchfield. He plays tennis for four or five hours on Sundays and works a little on Monday to stay prepared. Before bed he plays chess online, reads a few pages, and avoids screens an hour or two before sleep. He goes to bed around 11:30 p. m. , aiming for better rest by limiting wine and disconnecting from devices. His sleep score rarely exceeds 80, but he is working to improve it.