‘My father is gone but he left behind a legacy that will never end’

Energy Monday 27/May/2019 20:50 PM
By: Times News Service
‘My father is gone but he left behind a legacy that will never end’

Muscat: The popular owner of one of the oldest restaurants in the country has passed away at the age of 90.
Awad Al Jadidi opened his restaurant in Wilayat Ibri in 1967 during the reign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s father Said bin Taimur.
Al Jadidi’s restaurant is believed to be the first in the wilayat. Salim bin Awad Al Jadidi spoke to Times of Oman about his father’s life.
“My father opened the restaurant when he was in his twenties. At that time, military personnel and local citizens would visit his restaurant. He told us that it was always filled with life.”
Located at the centre of Ibri Souq, Al Jadidi served meals such as different types of bread and rice which he prepared himself.
Over the years, Al Jadidi developed his restaurant, which was initially built with wood and palm tree branches, into a building. The restaurant moved to the top floor and on the bottom floor he opened a store which sold home appliances. Al Jadidi continued to work at the home appliance store until he was diagnosed with liver cancer in August of last year.
“When my father passed away last month the entire wilayat mourned his death with us. He was very popular within the community. My father built a private Majlis which community members used on occasions such as Eid celebrations, weddings and funerals. He also paid 40 per cent of the funds needed to build a public Majlis,” Salim added.
The father of 10 girls and 8 boys was able to ensure that even as his children grew up, they all remained close to him, “My father was very caring and always tried to give us the best life possible,” Salim said.
Al Jadidi provided each of his sons with a plot of land on his farm so that they would not struggle to find a home and have to live apart.
“May Allah have mercy on him, my father gave us all a plot of land, on which we built our eight houses, all next to each other,” Salim added. Al Jadidi’s restaurant is no longer opened. However, one of his sons decided to follow his father path and opened a large store in the wilayat for the sale of home appliances.