“In the late 1950s, Irish-American entrepreneur Jack McDonnell moved his family to Calgary in hopes of building a fast-food empire and beating Canada’s other booming ‘Mc’ restaurant. The Burger Baron brand thrived, then filed for bankruptcy in 1961 to revive, but arguably not in the way its founder would have predicted.
This synopsis could be the “prequel” to the story of Omar Mouallem, son of Lebanese immigrants in Alberta (Canada), but above all son of the first baron of the Burgermafia. It’s just not a feature film, but a true story that is being told today in a documentary called Lebanese Burger Mafia.
The “Burger Baron”, a crunchy recipe for immigrant life. Photo DR
Eat fast and live fast
“I was born in Alberta (Canada),” says Omar Mouallem. My father came from the region of Kab Elias and emigrated there in 1975 and my mother in 1980. I was almost born in this restaurant called Burger Baron. My parents put me in a high chair so I could eat my fries properly while I was at work. So I think I’m best suited to make this film. The Mouallems opened this restaurant in 1985 to provide financial and social security for their children who had been lost in Lebanon. It was a family affair that many other Lebanese immigrants had experienced in other parts of Canada. At that time there were about fifty of these fast food restaurants. Burger Baron has always been a part of my life, but I never really thought I would make a movie out of it. During my domestic trips in Canada, my father would always stop in front of a chain store for lunch or dinner. I didn’t understand why we didn’t go to other restaurants when I realized that this franchise was still run by a Lebanese man. That’s why he wanted to see his Lebanese friends. »
Later, in 2013, when Omar Mouallem became a journalist, he wrote an article that revealed the truth behind Burger Baron. “The story became very popular. We remember it to this day. The idea for the short film came about in 2021, at the time of the pandemic. Four months later the documentary (The Last Baron) is finished. It achieves great success on CBS and on Twitter. But there were still so many stories to tell that the director is considering turning it into a long format. “So we kept shooting and raising money for a feature film. The crowdfunding was a success and we even managed to get a sponsor: Kyle Johnson, a Canadian basketball player who was enthusiastic about this project. »
The whole secret is in the sauce
“The Lebanese Burger Mafia” is a road movie, an adventure that combines the landscapes of the great Canadian expanses and the family behind closed doors. “We spent a lot of time along the way researching these burger barons, whose recipes were admittedly not entirely identical, but who were united by the same jealously guarded magic sauce formula. And to continue: “At its peak, thanks to a wave of Lebanese immigrants arriving in the 1970s, Burger Baron had more than 50 outlets and became independent owners and operators of the Burger Baron brand in several small Alberta towns.” It currently has more than 25
To uncover the mysterious origins of the restaurant, writer-director Omar Mouallem – heir to the Burger Baron throne – tours restaurants even in small towns. Along the way, he meets dozens of Lebanese families, like his own, who have brought the restaurant’s trade secrets to their communities’ attention while vying for trademark rights to a company none of them founded.
Through this fast food chain he discovers his origins and his connections to the Lebanese diaspora. As the owners and their descendants reflect on the opportunities and obstacles in their family businesses, the documentary filmmaker celebrates this unique immigration experience. “This film is a love letter to Lebanese expats and to all Lebanese. Yes, we have our flaws, he says, and we are often very difficult to deal with, but the independence, willpower and skills we display can only be an inspiration for future generations. Certainly not all young people will take over, they will no doubt find more lucrative opportunities, but it is evident that their parents’ struggle for a place in the sun will have been an example for them. »
After premiering at Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival, The Lebanese Burger Mafia received an honorable mention at the Toronto Arab Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Alberta Film Festival. He even managed to secure a deal with a distributor for the Middle East. “I hope that one day the film will be shown in Lebanon,” concludes Omar Mouallem.
“In the late 1950s, Irish-American entrepreneur Jack McDonnell moved his family to Calgary in hopes of building a fast-food empire and beating Canada’s other booming ‘Mc’ restaurant. The Burger Baron brand thrived, then filed for bankruptcy in 1961 only to be revived, but arguably not in the same way as their…