A Quarter of Century of Nizam's Restaurant
Beth Dabak, ATA NEWS - In March 2002, Nizam’s Restaurant celebrated 25 years of being in business. In early March, Nizam and Diana Özgür graciously agreed to an interview on the history of the restaurant, and their many successes. They have been long standing and well respected members of ATA-DC and the Turkish community in the Washington metropolitan area.

Beth Dabak: How did you get your start in the restaurant business?

Nizam Özgür: When I was 14 years old, I left Bolu (with my father) to become a cook’s helper at the famous Abdullah Efendi Lokantasi in Istanbul. At the time, there were 30 waiters and 30 chefs. … I learned to cook and serve there. I later went on to Switzerland to a chef’s school for six months. I also worked at the Grand Hotel in Paris for six months. Of course, back in those days, French was a more popular language to learn, so it wasn’t so difficult for me to go there.

Diana Özgür: When we were married, Nizam would always see these important people on TV - like Haile Selassie and King Faisal - and say "oh, I served them at Abdullah Restaurant".

Beth Dabak: When did you come to Washington, DC?

Nizam Özgür: I came to Washington, D.C. in 1970. I was one of six chefs at the Caeser’s Forum Restaurant in McLean, Virginia. Within two years, I got my green card - it was easier in those days to get one - but I never dreamed of staying here. Abdullah Efendi Lokantasi always wanted me to come back to Turkey. In early 1973, I met my wife who had just graduated from college and was working part-time at Lord & Taylor. In November 1973, we were married. I then went to work at the Key Bridge Marriott, in Rosslyn.

Beth Dabak: When did you start Nizam’s Restaurant?

Nizam Özgür: We knew the area well because Diana’s parents lived in Vienna. In 1977, we noticed that a (small) carryout restaurant was for sale in the Village Green shopping center (the present location), upstairs was a beauty shop. Diana always said we should open a Turkish restaurant - at that time, there were none in Washington, D.C.. On March 19, we signed the papers to take over the restaurant while our son John who was maybe two, napped on some of the restaurant’s chairs. We took all day Sunday to clean the restaurant, and on Monday we opened. I asked my wife what the name of the restaurant should be, and she said "Nizam’s, of course!".

Diana Özgür: I remember that day like it was yesterday. I immediately became the dishwasher, cashier and cook’s helper. We had 42 people in that first day in the span of half an hour. I’ll never forget Nizam asking me for a sandwich set up, and all I could think is "what is that?" At the end of the shift, every dish in the restaurant was dirty. We had bar stools at that time, so everyone could watch Nizam work.

Nizam Özgür : The first year was difficult. We were very grateful, though, that the Turkish Ambassador Melih Esenbel at that time was very helpful in bringing customers to us. Of course, no one knew at that time what Turkish food was. We made a lot of hamburgers, because that’s what people wanted to eat.

Diana Özgür: And what good hamburgers! He served them with chimichurri sauce. He would be cooking in the kitchen, and lean over and give people appetizers, things to try. They were mostly Turkish dishes, so people would get to know the food.

Nizam Özgür: Dr. Fuat Türkekul, a former Anesthesiologist at the Northern Virginia Doctor’s Hospital, was a long time customer. He had a summer house out in Ocean City, Maryland. He went to a food show and said he was from Nizam’s Restaurant - and bought us a machine for $500 to make döner kebab. We had no way to make it until then. Döner has been so popular that we’re now serving it seven nights a week.

The Washington Post did a great write up a year after we opened, and ever since then, we’ve had booming business. Ever since that first day, though, I’ve been working 18 hours a day on this restaurant. We have since bought out the top floor of the building, and now we have 120 seats, with the upstairs.

Beth Dabak: You are a constant on the Washingtonian’s Top 100 Restaurants, and are a regular on in the Washington Post’s 50 Best Restaurants. When did you first get the award?

Nizam Özgür: In 1984, I received my first Washingtonian award - since then, we’ve been on the list every year. The Washington Post’s former food critic Phyllis Richman once wrote "even Istanbul doesn’t have döner like Nizam’s".

Beth Dabak: What is your recipe for success?

Nizam Özgür: The majority of my customers are American, and about 60% of them are steady customers. I believe in providing quality food, and good service at reasonable prices. That’s how I keep a full house. My employees have been here for a long time, and I’ve trained them well. I don’t try and cheat people, and I work hard to maintain quality. Maintenance of equipment is difficult, and maintaining quality also isn’t easy.

In addition, Nizam’s is a family restaurant. I’ve brought relatives to work with me from Turkey. My son John went to James Madison University and got a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. He grew up here - and is now General Manager. My wife Diana is the owner, and I am the President of the restaurant. My nephew Yusuf recently came back from Turkey with his wife to help us.

Beth Dabak: Who are some of the important people you’ve served in Nizam’s?

Nizam Özgür: [Former] Turkish President Turgut Özal first came here when he worked at the World Bank. He was like a brother to me and came here a lot. I also have served President Süleyman Demirel, as well as Prime Ministers Tansu Çiller and Mesut Yilmaz. Of course, I also catered the Turkish Embassy’s parties for many years. Two years ago, for Cumhuriyet Bayrami, General Kenan Evren also came with the Military Attaché to Nizam’s. The restaurant is also popular with State Department and White House people.

Ambassador Nicholas Burns (former Ambassador to Greece) used to live close to us. One day he brought Mark Parris, who had recently received his posting as Ambassador to Turkey, and their wives. I called Hürriyet, and they came and took a picture of the three of us together. They published it in the paper when Ambassador Parris went to Ankara.

Beth Dabak: What does the future hold for you?

Diana Özgür: Nizam grew up in this business, so he doesn’t know any other life. Nizam is the President of the Village Green Shopping Center’s Business Association. He has done a lot over the years to improve this shopping center. He’s gotten a new sidewalk, new paving, a new sign, new lights and new fencing around back. The mayor of Bolu recently came here and he said that he would like to give Nizam the key to the city of Bolu, because he’s Bolu’s Ambassador here in the United States. Our goal is to pass the torch on over to our son when he is ready to take over.