Meet Toni Mehmedi | Owner of Celina Star Cafe

We had the good fortune of connecting with Toni Mehmedi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Toni, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the most important factor was believing in good food and service & treating every customer like family. I always believed that if a customer walks inside the restaurant, they must leave happy, no matter what. From the start, I trained my servers to pretend they’re giving customer service to their family, so they treat every customer good. The customer is always right! Our product comes from one the best food vendors in DFW, and we prepare everything fresh. So with that being said, good food and service is what makes our brand.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart is we make everything fresh from scratch daily. We do not cut corners! What makes me proud is when I see people walk out of our doors with a smile on their face or their hand on their stomach because they’re so full. LOL. I love when I see the younger crowd take pictures of the food when it gets to the table, or their face when they see their food coming. I got where I am today by putting my business first, then everything else after. Opening up Celina Star at 18 was tough because everyone my age was partying and going out, while I was worrying about contractors and staff, but I would do it all over again. One lesson I have learned is to never give up, keep going, and believe in yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely take them to Legacy West and The Star in Frisco. If my friends were visiting I would go to legacy hall because there is so many different options to choose from to eat, and its all in one place, Or I would take them to Fogo De Chao. After, we would probably get some ice cream there and then relax with coffee at Starbucks. I think the most interesting is when people come and see the growth and developments that are happening here. Everywhere you look, they are just building and building. All my friends and family that visit, are astonished.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes! I want to shoutout my mom for running the show in the front! She’s there 7 days a week, and will not take a day off even if we force her! My dad goes to the restaurant every day 2 hours before opening and starts the grills and prepares everything, including gravy made fresh daily. My sister who we can leave there when we are out of town, and can handle anything. My servers for continuing to show up to work with a smile on their face no matter their own situations and treat their customers with love. My cooks who prepare the food as their preparing it for their own family. “If you won’t give it to your mom, we can’t give it to the customers”

Instagram: www.instagram.com/celinastarcafe