Born in Marjayoun, Lebanon, to a Greek Orthodox family, Sameer Eid immigrated to the United States in 1961 to study banking and finance at the University of North Texas. Lured to the Detroit area by a cousin and a well-paying job in the drapery business, Sameer gave it all up to become a restaurant owner on a fateful day in August 1971 when he walked in for lunch at his favorite Lebanese-owned diner in Highland Park, Mich., and walked out owning the place. The rest, as they say, is history. In the five decades since, Sameer continually improved Phoenicia while growing a fiercely loyal regular clientele. To this day, Sameer still wakes up at the crack of dawn a few days a week to visit the Detroit Produce Terminal, where he inspects and hand-selects produce for the restaurant, maintaining a fanatical level of quality and consistency. Sameer has fed paupers and presidents and is full of more stories about them than a New York high rise. The secret to his longevity is hidden somewhere in his daily routine, which includes a mandatory midday siesta and copious amounts of Lebanese olive oil consumption. In those rare moments when he’s not at Phoenicia, Sameer can be found playing backgammon with a group of longtime friends, doting on his grandchildren, or relaxing with his wife and family in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

SAMEER’S LAST MEAL ON EARTH: One bite of each item on the Phoenicia menu.