Hind and Tony Moussalem in their restaurant Le Cèdre in Rodez. (Credit: Nuuk Photographies)
In the large, sunlit dining room of her restaurant Le Cèdre, among carefully arranged tables, Hind Moussallem can’t hide the nostalgia inside her, the homesickness that still sometimes takes hold, despite her strong roots in Aveyron.
She has built her happiness with her family in this rural area: "We have two countries, two cultures and a lot of love," she says.
"Often on my weekly day off, I play Fairuz all day, especially since Ziad Rahbani's death. Some songs make me cry. You don’t forget. Even after 20 years, we keep that connection," she added.
A fresh start for the future
Hind, Tony, and their three children — Fouad (9), Pamela (6), and Fadi (1) — had lived in Bireh in the Chouf district. In 2002, due to economic instability, they chose to leave everything behind to secure a better future for their family.
Tony moved first after securing work as a mason, and Hind and the children joined him a year and a half later.
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"We were settled in 2004 with our papers. The children started school right away. We already spoke French, but had to adapt to the accent, the pace," Hind said.
They landed in Rodez, a more than two-millennia-old city and the seat of Aveyron, a vast rural region with varied landscapes — plateaus, valleys, hilltop villages — where they knew no one.
From family kitchen to entrepreneurship
Very quickly, in this region where people love good food (José Bové and Aveyron’s farmers’ unions dismantled a McDonald’s that tried to open in 1999, a symbol of junk food), Hind stood out for her culinary talents. Sunday meals became unmissable events.
Then came the first catering orders. "We cooked in our apartment for 50 people, with trays everywhere in the house," recalls Fouad, the eldest son.
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In 2007, with only 3,000 euros in hand, Hind took out a loan to buy a struggling restaurant. Le Cèdre opened its doors. Tony traded his trowel for the stove.
"For 10 years, we worked seven days a week, lunch and dinner, with my husband. I was in the kitchen, serving, and being a mom to three kids. Looking back, I don’t know if I’d be able to do it again," Hind admits.
In Rodez, 20 years ago, few people knew Lebanese cuisine. Le Cèdre was, in fact, one of the first world cuisine restaurants to open in the land of aligot and fresh sausage.
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"Everyone told us it was a crazy gamble to open a Lebanese restaurant in Aveyron," recalls the owner, whose place now seats 80 and has two terraces on either side.
"We passed on our know-how, our cuisine, because the flavors — the orange blossom, rose, za’atar, sumac — are what we have left when we leave our country."
The bet paid off, with the people of Aveyron enticed by authentic local cuisine. "Our meat comes from here, our vegetables too. We transform everything with our spices and Lebanese expertise."
The restaurant, decked out in the country’s colors, offers kebbeh, falafel, shawarma: "Everything is homemade, with my mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. I’ve never changed a single recipe."
Born to a line of women cooks, Hind learned from her grandmother and mother. "I always loved cooking. On her farm in Saghbin, my grandmother made cheese, bulgur, keshek, tomato paste… which she sold in Zahle, Beirut and to city dwellers visiting the village," the entrepreneur recalls.
She instilled a work ethic in her children from a young age. "They always helped me at the restaurant. Fadi, at three years old, was already cutting Lebanese bread with his father."
Beyond the flavors, it’s also the family spirit that impresses customers. "The welcome, good products, respect for others: We adapted to Aveyron’s culture, and we were accepted right away," Hind says.
"We have a lot of values in common with Aveyron," adds Fouad, "because here, it’s very warm, very welcoming. Obviously, at first it’s tough because no one knows you. But once you fit in, it’s great."
Growing family project
Today, Le Cèdre employs seven people. Fouad joined the business after starting a career in optics. The family is preparing to open a new Lebanese counter at the Halles de Rodez this October.
With his arrival, the eldest son brings fresh energy to the family business — projects in Paris, trade fairs, Lebanese grocery: "He runs at 300 miles an hour. He develops, he organizes, he thinks of everything," his mother says with admiration.
Prompted by the young man, who also manages social media, the company has also gotten involved locally: partnerships with sports clubs, street-food stands at festive events and an expanded catering service for weddings and corporate events.
"In a year, he has brought more change than in 19 years!" Hind exclaims.
Solidarity and commitment
"Now we’re hoping the next step will be a wedding. We’ll have two parties, one here and one there!" says Hind, who could already see herself as a grandmother, while her son continues interviews ahead of the counter’s opening at the Halles de Rodez.
Still deeply attached to their home country, the family hasn’t just succeeded in Rodez — they have also offered a helping hand to Lebanon, especially after the double explosion at the Beirut Port in 2020.
Spurred by their customers, the Moussallems created Cèdre solidaire, an association to deliver medication and school supplies directly to families in need. "A lot of people wanted to help but didn’t know how. So we organized charity evenings, fundraisers, trips with suitcases jam-packed."
And in their suitcases, they also take Aveyron’s specialties to share with Lebanese friends and family on visits home, including aligot — this potato purée with fresh tomme cheese to which the Moussallems add plenty of garlic — as well as Roquefort, foie gras and spit cakes.
"They loved it! Even the pâté, which they eat with lemon!" says Hind.
Le Cèdre, 15 Bd Denys Puech, 12000 Rodez, France.
Phone: +33 5 65 42 19 03.
Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, and Sunday for lunch.
Instagram: le_cedre_rodez.
This article was translated from L'Orient-Le Jour.
