True story: Two guys walk into a holiday barbecue, grill some burgers, drink some beers, and come up with one of the hottest Latin franchises in Miami.
The best part is, they weren’t even serious about it. Yet.
“It all started off as a Fourth of July joke,” says Nedal Ahmad, CEO of Pincho Factory. “I was hanging out with my cousin Otto Othman and my brother Nizar, grilling some burgers and kebabs. After a few drinks, Otto exclaimed ‘Let’s open a restaurant!’”
Funny how that happens.
That joke led Ahmad and Othman to opening the highly successful South Florida franchise, Pincho Factory (a name translating to “kabobs” in Spanish). Starting off with just one outpost on Bird Road, the fast casual chain now resides in Coral Gables and inside the American Airlines Arena, with 10 more locations on the way in the coming year.
Launched by a couple of guys who had “zero experience” in the field (Nedal once thought he’d be working in real estate law), Pincho Factory hasn’t done too bad. Actually, it’s been presented the Burgies Award for Best Speciality Burger three years in a row (2011, 2012, 2013) for creating one of Miami’s most iconic burgers—and that doesn’t include pressed ham and Swiss cheese.
“The Toston burger was my wife’s idea,” Nedal says. “She brought up a traditional Venezuelan dish that was plantains as the buns with shredded beef in between. Little did we know back then this random idea would become what our entire company is known for today.”
A random idea, but a good one. It’s hard not to love a patty smothered in cheese, lettuce, tomato and house-made cilantro sauce that’s sandwiched between two perfectly crisp fried plantains. Between the “combination of unique flavors” and Miami’s love for plantains, this burger reflects the diverse palates of the city without being pretentious about it. Are you drooling yet?
But it’s not just the Toston burger that keep their customers coming back, it’s the entire package.
“We’ve taken the all American burger stand, and paired it with a street kebab vendor, and modernized it with a cool atmosphere,” says Nedal.
A cool atmosphere indeed, as the vibe is fast casual and comfortable, but still completely modern. Exposed ceiling and dangling light fixtures give off a trendy industrial feel that’s anything but your ordinary fast-food dining experience.
And the same goes for the food. Growing up Middle Eastern and living in South Florida, Nedal’s family’s dinners consisted of a flavorful eclectic mix of grub like fried Nicaraguan cheese, sweet plantains and summac chicken, which helped shape Pincho’s menu today, including the award-winning Croquetessa burger. It scored big with the judges this year at the 2015 Food Network and Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Burger Bash.
With an ever-growing menu of diverse dishes, there’s lot’s more to enjoy on the way like new dressings added to the salads and more veggie options for the lighter eats. And while not necessarily new, the chicken sandwich is worth bringing up. As one of the most underrated items on the menu, Nedal says it’s probably “the best chicken sandwiches you will ever have.”
Care to accept the challenge?
While Pincho Factory’s menu and ambiance is a huge selling point, Nedal knows he wouldn’t be where he is today without hiring the right staff. “We have some of the best people in this business who will out work anyone,” he says. “Our current GM at our Bird location started off as a dishwasher 2 years ago, and our director of development started by my side in the kitchen a few years ago. Seeing the way everyone has adapted to our growth has been amazing, and I can’t wait to see more people continue to grow with us.”
Of course working with family isn’t so bad either, especially when you know how to do it right.
“We know how to fight, and leave those fights in the office and go back to being a family after work” Nedal says.
Who’s laughing now?
Photo credit: Giovanny Gutierrez