Arlington has too many community leaders to name, but one family that stands out and constantly gives back are the owners of Prince Lebanese Grill, the Kobty family. As an Arlington staple for many years, Prince has been such a reliable supporter of the city. Prince upholds the key messages of family, community, and hospitality, and they continually lead by example.
Their partnership with Arlington Independent School District has been impactful for the past several years and that is not including the time Aziz Kobty spent in the district as a student. Prince Lebanese Grill took a leap of faith over five years ago by assisting the curation of a practicum program that would coach and mentor an AISD student in food preparation and restaurant management.
Every year, one student in the culinary practicum pathway is chosen to work at Prince as a chef. From being interviewed to cooking Prince’s well-loved Chicken Shawarma, these students are put to the test and can begin to see their culinary visions come to life.
Aziz Kobty said, “By the time they leave this kitchen, they have become so confident in their skills and are a true force in the kitchen.” By bringing the students along to catering jobs as well as public events like cooking at the AT&T Stadium, Aziz is opening their eyes to much more than just working in the kitchen. He is teaching them how to build relationships and how being involved in your community can make your culinary creations even tastier.
If it isn’t apparent enough on the impact Prince is making on AISD students, one former mentee, Chef Preston Nguyen, went on to win first place in the chef category of the 2021 World Food Championships and ended up on the current season of Next Level Chef as member of THE Gordon Ramsey’s team.
Being a mentor for AISD students is not the only thing the Kobty family provides to those on the path to culinary greatness. Last year, they began raising funds for the Francis Kobty Hospitality Scholarship to honor their late father.
Francis Kobty was a master of creating his own American Dream and opened Prince Lebanese Grill in 1989. Francis, also known as “The Prince”, had a strong sense for hospitality, family and community. Thus, this was the perfect scholarship to honor his name and help students from AISD and Mansfield ISD continue their culinary dreams at Tarrant County College.
Aziz and the Kobty family have chosen to stay local and be true to who they are as a family and restaurant owners because they believe wholeheartedly that we are better together. “Everything goes hand-in-hand. You can’t really do it alone. Whether you are a business, school, church or event the Chamber, you’ve got to build relationships,” says Aziz. His passion for the community was instilled in him from a young age, but he has been shown countless times that if you have the community’s back they will always have yours.
Written by: Makayla Reed