Med Deli NC | Beloved Chapel Hill restaurant Mediterranean Deli reopens 2 years after destroyed by accidental fire

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) — It’s been 780 days since Med Deli in Chapel Hill has had diners inside the building. That day, July 22, 2023, a roofer was making repairs to the roof using a blow torch and moments later, the beloved restaurant went up in flames.

“We’ve been rebuilding since then. It’s been a lot of anxiety. It’s been a lot of really hard dealing with things,” said 64-year-old owner Jamil Kadoura.

The fire destroyed the restaurant, which has been a community staple for decades.

Their soft reopening on Tuesday, as Kadoura mentioned, will give his employees a chance to get settled back into the swing of running the restaurant.

“I learned so much about life during this two-year period. Not to take anything for granted. Do what you teach your kids to do every day. You would be fine,” said Kadoura.

He credits teachings from former Duke men’s basketball head coach, Coach K, former Tar Heels head basketball coach Roy Williams, and former NC State University great Jim Valvano for keeping him motivated during the time his restaurant was closed.

“Because they on a team like me. This is my team. I’m a coach. We’re just a team of cooks. They’re a team of players. It’s the same concept,” Kadoura said. “So, reading those books with those coaches, you learn so much how to manage your team. How to connect and have a relationship with them. It’s the exact same thing. He coaches basketball. I coach cooking. I promise you, it’s the same thing.”

Kadoura said “in about a week” he plans to reopen to lunchtime customers.

“This business has done so well here because of me and the community,” added Kadoura. “I’m so committed and just love doing it. The second day the fire happened, I put a sign in the window saying we would rebuild.”

Med Deli is located at 454 W Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.