Photography by Kathy Tran.
Jacek Stachowiak was vice president of sales at a telecommunications company nine years ago.
The industry was struggling, so Stachowiak began hunting for new business opportunities, one that would give him more free time and control over his work. His job also included a fair amount of travel, and with young children, it wasn’t something he appreciated.
He and his wife, Dorota, discovered Ziziki’s, a Greek restaurant that was founded 27 years ago, and acquired it. They didn’t want to launch their own eatery because they were new to the industry. Ziziki’s had a staff and an established clientele. At the time, there were three locations — two in Dallas and one in Plano.
“We were looking into finding the business that we would love and care about,” Stachowiak says. “And since we both love Greece and Greek food, that was our choice.”
The Stachowiaks’ parents loved antiquity, so they made trips to Greece. Neither of their families had a surplus of spending money, so Jacek and Dorota often ate in locally owned restaurants, which served authentic Greek cuisine.
“Since we were little, we both liked the culture, the Greek climate, the wonderful food and the hospitality of Greek people,” he says.
Though owning a restaurant takes as much time as his previous career, Stachowiak has more control over his schedule.
“Owning your own business is probably much more stressful, but much more pleasurable and much more satisfying,” he says.
One challenge they faced at the beginning was learning not to be perfectionists. They realized it’s more important to make people happy and ensure the restaurant is running smoothly.
Another issue was that the restaurant’s revenue was low. In response, they started purchasing higher-quality ingredients and expanded the menu and wine list.
“We wanted Ziziki’s to be more exciting and more up-to-date with the times, and make sure that it appeals to the current clientele, not the clientele from 25 years ago,” Stachowiak says.
Since then, lamb and chicken dishes have become the most popular on the menu. Those include lamb shank, rack of lamb, and chicken and lamb souvlaki. When the Stachowiaks were redeveloping the menu, they included dishes served at Greek restaurants and authentic options they believed would satisfy guests.
Some dishes were piloted on the seasonal menu, and if they were popular, were made permanent. A few examples of those are the goat cheese cakes appetizer and the lamb-stuffed pepper.
Baklava ice cream, house-made layered with vanilla ice cream, is the best-selling dessert.
Stachowiak curates the wine list and recommends pairings with food. Many customers order the wine flight. There are a few bottles from Greece, but most of the selections are from Napa.
Ziziki’s doesn’t have a freezer or fryer, which means ingredients are fresh. Stachowiak says customers can expect consistency in food quality and staff, who have either been employees since the restaurant’s founding nearly 30 years ago, or since the Stachowiaks took ownership.
The restaurant is open for lunch, dinner and an all-you-can-eat brunch on the weekend.
Some customers eat at the restaurant several times each week, and it’s important to the staff to make them feel like part of the family.
“We’re trying to create an atmosphere that is friendly and that is making our customers feel like they are in Greece,” Stachowiak says. “But also they feel like they’re our personal guests.”
