George Mardikian

George Mardikian

About the Author

George Mardikian (1903-1977) was an Armenian-American restaurateur, chef, author, and philanthropist. His first job in America was washing dishes in a San Francisco cafeteria. He eventually bought the place and built it into a renowned restaurant, Omar Khayyam's, where he hosted notable people including Dwight Eisenhower and Eleanor Roosevelt. For his work to improve food service for combat troops in Korea, President Harry Truman awarded Mardikian the Medal of Freedom.