George Mardikian
Four Remarkable things about George Mardikian
Patriotic – willing to fight for his country
Made friends everywhere
Worked hard for his dream
Helped other with his skills and open heart
How does someone go from dishwasher to restauranteur to helping the American soldier? You begin with an immigrant who celebrates his birthday on the day he first saw the Statue of Liberty after fighting in his home country against the government which was trying to rid the world of his countrymen – the Armenians. He was imprisoned, worked in orphanages and eventually landed in the United States.
George Mardikian was born in Tiflis, Georgia in 1903. His family moved to Constantinople, Turkey (now Istanbul) in 1908 when the Young Turks deposed the Red Sultan who was responsible for the horrendous massacres in Armenian villages in Turkey. Growing up there George’s best memories had to do with food – its preparation and indulgence. His nickname was “shishko”, Armenian for ‘Chubby’, because he loved to eat.
On April 24, 1915 after George’s father was taken away during the roundup of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople, he ran away to join others to fight the Turks and win Armenia’s independence. In 1918 the First Republic of Armenia was established but was short-lived due to fighting between Turkey, Russia and the fledgling country. He went to fight again but was quickly captured and imprisoned. He served two years before a friend of his from the Near East Relief told the prison commandant that George was an American and demanded his release. Upon return to his mother and relatives he was advised that he must quickly go to the United States like his older sister Baidzar. Right after his ship sailed, the Turkish police came to his mother’s house demanding the return of George. His family said he was dead. After ransacking their house the police left.
George Mardikian continued to teach and share his love for food to everyone.
George arrived at Ellis Island on July 24, 1922, the date he adopted as his new birthday, a truly new “birth” day. George soon traveled to San Francisco where he joined his sister, her husband Aram and their younger brother Arshag. After working at a couple of restaurants for a few years, George decided what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to help Americans learn to eat better. He wanted to prepare the finest dishes and serve them to Americans. In 1929, he decided to work as a steward on a ship that was sailing around the world and collect recipes from chefs in each port. It was his dream to open his own restaurant and as he said in his autobiography “Song of America”, “ I pictured how it would look – rich wood paneling and a thick carpet on the floor and soft lights, gleaming silverware on white tablecloths, tables crowded with happy, fashionably dressed patrons, waiters leaving the kitchen with trays of Armenian and Near Eastern dishes….” ‘I even had a name chosen for my restaurant: Omar Khayyam’s.”
After his ship docked George studied for the naturalization test to become a citizen of the United States. He had studied hard for seven years and was so proud when he was pronounced an American Citizen! In 1930 he married Naz Ruzvanian from Fresno and they settled there with her family. George worked at a lunch counter his father-in-law had with a business partner. After some time George suggested they serve more substantial meals and offered to take on the extra cooking involved. He still had the vision of his Omar Khayyam restaurant but knew it would take time to develop.
Dinner at Omar Kayyam’s was first published in 1944.
The following year, 1931, George began looking for a property to house a proper restaurant in Fresno. He found one and opened for business on February 12, 1932. It was the first “Omar Khayyam’s”. By 1938 he opened a second “Omar Khayyam’s” in San Francisco which was a very big success serving Armenian and Middle Eastern dishes. Some of his recipes can be found in one of his books entitled “Dinner at Omar Khayyam’s”.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1942, the United States entered WWII. One of the busiest embarkation points was San Francisco and along with other restaurants, Omar Khayyam’s was jammed every day with soldiers preparing to be shipped out to battle. That same year he was appointed as a food consultant to the Quartermaster General of the United States Army. He held that position until 1954. Without regard for his personal safety he visited company kitchens and mess lines on the battle front. He earned the title “The GI Chow Champion”. In 1951 President Harry Truman awarded George with the Medal of Freedom for his work with the Army as a civilian.
George donated his services as caterer for the United Nations Conference on International Organization that was held in San Francisco in 1945 which led to the establishment of the United Nations. After the end of WWII he found many displaced Armenian families throughout Europe and convinced and helped more than 5,000 to immigrate to the United States by forming the American National Committee to Aid Homeless Armenians.
In 1976 George was honored by Presidents Nixon and Ford during the Bicentennial Fourth of July Commemorations for his sincere devotion to the United States and his great contributions to the greatness of the American democracy. In 1977 he was honored during the ceremonies for the opening of the Ellis Island Museum with five other prominent Americans who first saw the U.S. from the island.
George Mardikian’s recipe for a good life has three basic ingredients: belief in yourself, belief in your country and, most important, belief in God. Combine everything and back it up with hard work and a sense of humor – you can’t miss!