From Greece to the Grill: John’s Journey to Restaurant Stardom

by Eliana Mulkey, Originally published in the Marian High School Journalism 1 Digital Magazine

Coming to the U.S. with $20 in his pocket, John Sakkas still managed to become one of the most successful, hardworking, and dedicated restaurant owners in Bellevue and the best grandpa in his family’s heart. How did he do it?

There were many bumps along his journey to becoming successful. He didn’t receive Nebraska fame until his late 60’s. He went from a small village in Arfara, Greece to city life in Omaha, Nebraska, which was a big adjustment. In the end though, it was all worth it for John Sakkas because, “I brought my family here for a reason, for a better life, and I don’t regret a single thing.”

Sakkas’ life before immigrating wasn’t a challenge for the weak, but he stayed strong, John was the eleventh child to a low-class family in a small village in Greece called Poliani. He always had a passion for cooking and didn’t let his family’s income stop him. He knew he didn’t want to be stuck farming for the rest of his life.

At the ripe age of 14, John moved to the big city of Athens where he found a job at a coffee shop. This was the start of Sakkas’ food industry journey. When he turned 17, he was enlisted into the army; as a male in Greece it was a requirement to serve the country.

John and five others cooked for 600 soldiers a day, every day during his time serving in the army. He worked hard in the army and showed he could handle the long lines of hungry people at a young age.

After he finished his service with the army, he went to Crete, the biggest island in his country, where he became a police officer. Being an officer didn’t spark Sakkas’ interest, “I didn’t like it; it didn’t feel the same as cooking.” Sakkas later got into a major motorcycle accident on duty and made the final decision to resign his officer gig. Sakkas always dreamt of going to the United States and after the accident he knew it was time for a change.

With a quick stop back to the village, he reunited with the love of his life days after her mother had died, and asked her if she wanted to join him in immigrating to the U.S.

Sakkas’ then took his first steps in Omaha, worried about what life would look like. His wife had two brothers working at the Union Packing House in Omaha, so it worked perfectly for Sakkas and his newlywed to get the feel of how America worked in Nebraska. Sakkas joined his wife’s brothers at the packing house for four years, where he slaughtered animals daily. He got to work with animals, but not the way he wanted to.

Sakkas then jumped to other occupations after the packing house, such as Energy Savers Installation and hauling garbage. Sakkas had three kids by this time and was still trying to find where he belonged. Sakkas’ last job before he took on his entrepreneurship was working at a Greek restaurant in the Southroads Mall, working day and night to save up enough money to buy the restaurant from the owner, which he did not too long after. He finally found a sense of belonging, and his dream cooking finally came true.

Sakkas finally could cook, and this time it was in his own restaurant. In 1981, the doors opened in the Southroads Mall. Sakkas had all three children and his wife working at the restaurant. He said, “The restaurant became a part of the family.” His 8 year old daughter cleaned the dishes while his 10 year old daughter worked the register. Sakkas worked hard to provide for his family, “I didn’t want my kids to live like the way I did in Greece.”

Sakkas and his family also do good deeds like feeding the homeless, police, and firefighters. For 20 years, Sakkas fed the soldiers at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue and, to this day, he still donates gyros to the base. After people heard about Sakkas’ good deeds and good food, they knew they had to stop by for a gyro; this is where all the magic happened.

Sakkas’ gyros are what keeps his restaurant, John’s Grecian Delight, alive. He wins the Best of Omaha Award for best gyros every year, and he recently won iHeart Radio’s ‘Best Budget Friendly Restaurant’ in the state of Nebraska. When The Reader used to print magazines, John’s Grecian Delight won ‘Reader’s Best’ five years in a row. Sakkas says another ‘award’ that he is proud of is, “I have three kids and six beautiful grandkids.”

In March of 2023, when Sakkas’ phone line went out for three weeks, he came close to closing his doors. However, customers showed support by coming in and leaving tips that were more than the cost of their meal to help save John’s Grecian Delight from closure.

With all of his support through the years whether it is from his customers, his family or friends, he still manages to show his hard work and dedication to his restaurant. Coming from a poor family to winning awards for his food shows that anyone can do anything – you just have to work hard for it. He didn’t do it alone. He had three kids and a wife who supported and helped him throughout his journey of fame and now has six grandchildren who look up to him and hope someday they can follow his footsteps in running the business.

Editor’s Note: Writer Eliana Mulkey created this in her journalism class at Marian High School. John is Mulkey’s grandfather, and she has a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him. Rightfully so. Over 43 years later, John’s Grecian Delight continues to serve amazing food six days a week in the Southroads Mall. Park and enter near Bob’s Gym and head back into the mall. Your nose should guide you the rest of the way.