Charitable owner of Buffalo Grove eatery celebrating its 22nd birthday
Pete Panayiotou has served the Buffalo Grove community in ways that are as varied as the items on his eclectic menu.
For 22 years, the owner of The Continental Restaurant & Banquets has dished out matzo ball soup, ice cream and other favorites to devoted customers like Wheeling resident Dave Wolovick.
"Pete is more than just the owner," he said. "He is like a friend. He goes the extra mile to make everybody feel welcome. It's not like you're just an object. You're not just a number."
His employees share a similar bond.
Michelle Roman, lead server, who has been working there for 10 years, said of the owner, "He's tough. But he only wants the best for you. You give him a 100 percent, he'll give you a 100 percent."
But this tough guy also has a heart of gold, making himself and his restaurant available to seemingly endless community and charitable organizations.
Earlier this year, he was honored in a proclamation from Village President Beverly Sussman for sponsoring innumerable fundraisers, donating refreshments or restaurant space to groups including the American Cancer Society, Haitian Earthquake Relief, the Buffalo Grove Arts Fair and the Illinois Special Olympics.
"Pete is a wonderful person. He is very philanthropic," Sussman said. "He donates whenever he can to all kinds of organizations. Nothing is too much for him to do."
As Monday marks the 22nd birthday of the restaurant at 788 S. Buffalo Grove Road, he is offering a "two for 22" deal.
"Anything that can ordered for two people is going to be $22," Panayiotou said. For instance, "Two lamb chops is fifty bucks. Twenty-two dollars."
It is a characteristic gesture of a man who puts customers and community first.
Police Chief Steve Casstevens said that Panayiotou has been particularly generous with the police department. In one example, Panayiotou and Casstevens teamed up to host a Special Olympics Trivia Night.
"Pete donated all the food," Casstevens said. "There were 120-some people that attended that event. But that's just the kind of guy Pete is. He wants to support the local community."
Panayiotou's is the classic immigrant tale of coming to America and making good.
Born the son of a farmer on the island of Cyprus, he found his calling at a restaurant in Crystal Lake, where he worked first as a dishwasher, then as a busboy before graduating to the kitchen as a grill man.
Working his way up the job ladder, gaining the skills he needed to become an owner, the restaurant business grew more attractive and he dropped his ambition to be a computer engineer. Above all, it was his love for people that determined his career path.
"As soon as I started working in the business, I fell in love with it."
After 10 years, he began looking around for his own business. He opened in a location that was just two doors over from the current one, which he occupied in 2001 and expanded to a banquet facility in 2011.
The trust of the customers is of the utmost importance, he said.
"If they spend $100, they want to get $100 worth of food. You cannot give them 99. You cannot give them 96. It has to be 100. Because they trust us. We got to give them 100 percent.
"We have to keep the promise to our customers."
With the menu, which is extensive, he said, "Quality is the number one ingredient. … Everything we buy has to be choice or prime. Fish has to be fresh."
Among the highlights is the matzo ball soup, with which, he said, he first came into contact on a trip to Israel in 1977.
"Around the Jewish holidays, we send out probably 3,000 matzo balls," he said.
Panayiotou, who lives in Long Grove with wife Zena, daughter Aria and son Angel, was surprised when he was honored in January.
"As soon as I saw my name on the agenda … I told (Casstevens), 'I am going to leave.' And he said, 'You cannot leave. I've got three guys by the door.'"