Meet Mohammad Altawaha | Owner & Founder of Abu Omar Halal

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

Hi Mohammad, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I spent several years working in various restaurants around Houston before deciding to open my first food truck. It was good for me in many ways. I was able to learn the ins and outs of the business, refining my cooking skills and understanding the management role. I’m naturally a very creative person though and there’s only so much freedom you have when you are managing someone else’s establishment. I actually opened my first food truck while I was still working full time elsewhere. I quickly realized, however, that to make my business successful, I would need to fully commit to its success – meaning I would devote all of my time and energy to my efforts, and also be financially dependent upon its success. There’s really no substitute for that type of motivation. Now, I am fortunate to have multiple food truck and restaurant locations. The upside to owning your own business is obviously the freedom. If I want to create something new for my menus, I have the ability to do so. If I want to take the week off to spend with my family, I can do that too. The catch is that you have to stay self-motivated, because there’s no one standing over your shoulder to make sure you do your job. If you can find the balance between that type of freedom and self-motivation, then owning your own business is amazing.

What should our readers know about your business?
I think what sets Abu Omar Halal apart from others is our originality. We were the first halal food truck to open in Houston, TX and the first food truck to serve our style of shawarma. Being first comes with a lot of challenges though. It wasn’t easy and it involved a lot of trial and error in the beginning. Now, I’m so proud of what our team has achieved. Nothing makes me happier than receiving messages from individuals all over the U.S. asking when we will be opening an Abu Omar Halal truck or restaurant in their area.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My interest (obviously) is in food and I think Houston has some of the best cuisine in the United States. Anyone who comes to visit me is definitely going to Taste of Texas for a steak. Pappas Burger and Khyber are close seconds though. If there’s time, we’re eating at all three!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely my wife. She works behind the scenes, but she does a little bit of everything for our businesses and manages to keep me sane all the while. We come from two very different backgrounds as well, so it’s always good to get her perspective on things. It helps me keep the bigger picture in mind.

Website: abuomarhalal.com

Instagram: @abu_omar_halal

Twitter: @abuomarhalal

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Abu-Omar-Halal-103499869990386/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/abu-omar-halal-spring?osq=abu+omar+halal

Image Credits
Ibrahim Halawa; Shadi Ardekani