UP CLOSE: Behind the tucked away restaurant in Ealing Common serving some of the best Moroccan food in London
Leila Moroccan & Lebanese Restaurant has become the second-best spot in the capital for authentic Moroccan food according to TripAdvisor.
With a rich background in hospitality and a passion for bringing people together through food, Leila's General Manager, Presley Ferrao, spoke to Ealing Nub News on what has shaped the restaurant's success.
Still in its infancy, the eight-year-old establishment, underwent a change from Greek food to Moroccan and Lebanese food when the reins were taken over by the current owner.
Ferrao, who joined the team over two years ago, reflects on his diverse career in the hospitality industry and the expertise he has brought to Leila.
"I climbed the ladder and I've done everything—bartending, waitering, food runner", he said.
"Then I became supervisor, food and beverage manager, operations manager, and now GM of Leila Moroccan & Lebanese."
The restaurant's unique fusion of Moroccan chefs and Lebanese owner is what makes Leila's dishes authentic believes Ferrao.
He explained: "The chefs cook their traditional food, and the owner also adds his own ideas to the menu.
"We have meetings about how to keep our menu fresh and exciting for customers. We also listen to what the customers want, to then add to our menu like a dish of the day."
The general manager highlighted Leila's commitment to freshness in every dish, with tajines braised for hours to traditional Lebanese wine on offer saying "everything is from scratch. We cook everything fresh."
Ferrao also expressed admiration for Ealing and the community who continue to visit the restaurant for a quick bite, an afternoon tea or dinner.
"The people are very nice in Ealing. I've never found anyone here who gets angry with the service or food," said Ferrao.
He added: "We have customers ordering through delivery apps and we recognise the names and they put funny comments that would make us smile.
"We know the people that have dined with us."
Ferrao's reaction to TripAdvisor recognising Leila Moroccan & Lebanese as the second-best Moroccan restaurant in London didn't come as a surprise to him.
Ferrao admitted: "I wasn't really shocked as our food has always been great but when my boss told me the news, I just asked him who was first?"
Despite recent success, Leila remains focused on improvement says Ferrao by implementing review cards to customers after dining to gather feedback and carrying out mock scenarios to ensure the staff are confident during service.
Ferrao's advice for those aspiring to achieve in the restaurant industry reflects his own journey.
He explained: "Just believe in yourself and be confident. You need to have the basic knowledge about your role, profit, loss, and stock.
"You need to be very good with the staff because they're your team supporting you and the restaurant. Engage with customers and just be confident in everything you do. That is all I would say."
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