Safa Jeneidi, co-owner of Iyad’s Syrian Grill on Vashon, has been named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Jneidi, with her husband Iyad Alati, accepted the prestigious prize at an event, held on May 3, at the Museum of Flight, honoring local SBA winners from Washington and northern Idado.

The savory and sweet results of Jneidi’s entrepreneurial efforts have a loyal following on Vashon.

Since 2019, Iyad’s Syrian Grill has offered up food lovingly prepared with traditional recipes from Jeneidi’s and Alati’s home city of Aleppo, Syria — mouthwatering Mediterranean fare including creamy hummus, savory rice, gyro lamb, chicken shawarma, grilled vegetables, falafel, and baklava.

The food cart, open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday, can be found at Vashon Villages, or, in season, at the Vashon Farmers Market, held on Saturdays at the Village Green.

The couple’s business has also now expanded to offer catering services, as well as packaged meals, appetizers, and desserts offered in the deli counters of Vashon Thriftway and Vashon Market IGA. Packaged desserts are also available at other locations, including Caffe Vino Olio, the Burton Coffee Stand and Minglement.

Jneidi and Alati moved their family to the United States in 2017. After fleeing Syria as refugees and spending four years in Turkey, they were relocated to Washington state by the United Nations. Through an invitation by the Vashon Resettlement Committee, the couple found a new home on Vashon, where they now reside with their three children.

Once settled, the couple knew they wanted to open their own business.

Prior to leaving Aleppo, the Alati family owned a textile shop — a business that has been in Iyad’s family for centuries — but it was his passion for cooking and sharing food that sparked their new journey as entrepreneurs.

“Iyad has always loved food, and loved to cook,” Jneidi said. “He has photos of himself as a child, cooking alongside his grandmother, who was famous for her food in our area. These days he will spend hours in the kitchen, testing recipes, perfecting a sauce.”

During their time in Turkey, Alati worked in restaurant kitchens, honing his skills. When the couple came to Washington state he enrolled in Project Feast, a nonprofit with the mission to empower refugees and immigrants by providing pathways to sustainable employment in the food industry. Once he graduated, he found work in local restaurants, while the couple hoped to start a venture of their own to showcase their cuisine.

While Alati crafted his recipes, Jneidi enrolled in English language classes and began navigating the process of starting a food business, learning about licensing and permitting, and acquiring the equipment they needed to launch their food cart at the Vashon Farmers Market.

“It is an honor to recognize Safa Jneidi with this award,” SBA Seattle District Director Kerrie Hurd said. “Small business ownership is the heart of the American Dream, and Safa and Iyad have worked hard to make that dream come true. They deserve all the credit for their success, and we are happy to be able to support them in this journey.”

The SBA Seattle District Young Entrepreneur of the Year award recognizes a young entrepreneur under the age of 35 that demonstrates staying power and substantiated history as an established business with at least three years of business operation.

Winners must also show growth in net worth and business expansion, increase in jobs and sales, innovativeness of products or services, response to adversity and contributions to community-oriented projects.

“Winning this award means a lot to us,” Jneidi said. “It makes us proud of ourselves, and of the hard work we have done. It makes us feel that we are a part of this country, and it gives us the motivation to continue to grow our business. This is just the beginning.”

After launching in 2019, Jneidi’s business soon faced the challenges of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. By following local health guidance, they were able to implement social distancing measures and continue to sell their food outdoors, but it was a challenge to stay afloat.

Jneidi was able to utilize funding from the SBA COVID Economic Injury Disaster (EIDL) program to help cover expenses and remain in business while experiencing a reduction in revenue.

“It was a hard time to stay in business,” Jneidi said, of the pandemic. “The opportunity to get this loan from the SBA was a big help, to cover expenses, to buy ingredients, to keep advertising. We are thankful that the SBA was there to help small businesses like ours to continue, and to survive.”

Today, Jneidi and Alati are ready to give their business a bigger footprint, planning to soon offer their meals soon through the delivery service, Vashon Eats, and also expand their catering services.

The demand from customers grows, they are developing more packaged items, and have plans for a mobile food truck to bring their cuisine to more locations.

With their sights set on expansion, they are quick to credit their local community for giving them the support they needed along the way.

“We are grateful to each and every one of the people here on Vashon Island,” Jneidi said. “Without them, we would not be here, we are lucky to be here in this great community.”