Kendra and Zach Baroudi, owners of Kabob It Mediterranean restaurant in Bowling
Green, Ohio, dreamt of bottling their restaurant’s authentic dressings and marinades for
retail sales years ago.
The Baroudis grew up together through the Sylvania school district “We both went to
Maplewood, Arbor Hills and graduated from Northview, me in 2007 and Zach in 2006,”
said Kendra Baroudi. Today the Baroudis reside in Sylvania with their two children
Laila,10, and Zain, 8, and stay busy running two successful businesses.
The couple began dating in May of 2009 and worked for Zach’s father, Nabil Baroudi, at
his Kabob It restaurant in Franklin Park Mall. Nabil is also credited for the dressing and
marinade recipes from his family which he brought from Tripoli, Lebanon where he was
born and raised. In 2014, Nabil opened a second restaurant in Bowling Green at 132 E.
Wooster St. which Kendra and Zach bought in 2018.
“The idea for the retail products was something we talked about for a long time. Then
during COVID, we had to shut our restaurant down. We had to get creative and began
delivering meals to families around BG and lower Michigan,” explained Baroudi. “People
were asking for our dressing and marinade recipes and wanted to make Mediterranean
food at home. It was then we thought about launching our second business. It was our
dream, and we knew it was time,” she added.
By 2021 the Kabob It At Home product line was in full production. We treat the two as
separate businesses. Zach runs the restaurant, and I take care of the retail. The couple
use the Northwest Ohio Cooperative Kitchen in Bowling Green to produce and package
their products.
Kabob It At Home products are available at several area grocery stores including
Sautter’s Market in Sylvania and at the Sylvania Farmers Market on Tuesday evenings
at Olander Park. Products may also be ordered through the company’s website
kabobitathome.com.

“Currently, we have four products, two salad dressings and two marinades. The
dressings can also serve as marinades,” said Baroudi. “Our Signature Greek Dressing
is red wine vinegar based with olive oil, garlic and spices. The Mediterranean Salad
Dressing includes olive oil, lemon juice, mint and sumac. Our Shawarma Marinade is
made with red wine vinegar, all spice and cinnamon. It will make your kitchen smell so
good! Our top seller is Mediterranean Grill Marinade which is tomato based with olive oil
and lemon juice,” she explained.

What’s next for Kabob It and Kabob It At Home? “We want to offer our hummus, garlic
sauce and tahini. Cold products are a whole other ball game though and we’re still
learning. We want to expand locally and hit big box retailers. I love it so much – it’s such
a fun journey,” said Baroudi.
Baroudi offers the following recipe ideas for summer entertaining. “Greek pasta salad is
a favorite of ours. Just cook some pasta, drain, add veggies and feta cheese then stir in
our Greek dressing.”
“Another favorite is a chicken sub we make with our Mediterranean Grill Marinade. After
the chicken is marinated and cooked, we chop it into small pieces, add it to a sub bun
with lettuce, onion, tomato, and feta cheese, and then top it with our Greek