Zankou Chicken

Last updated

Zankou Chicken
Company type Private
Industry Casual dining restaurant
Founded1962;64 years ago (1962) in Beirut, Lebanon
FounderVartkes Iskenderian
Headquarters
Vernon, California
,
U.S.
Number of locations
17
Area served
 Los Angeles metropolitan area
Website zankouchicken.com
zankouchicken.la

Zankou Chicken is the name of 3 family-owned Armenian and Mediterranean fast casual restaurant chains located in the Los Angeles area. [1] The restaurants are especially known for their spit-roasted chicken, shawarma, falafel, tahini, and a "secret" garlic sauce. [2]

Contents

All of the locations operated by Rita Iskenderian serve halal-certified chicken, but her Anaheim location, near Little Arabia, also serves halal beef. [3]

History

The first Zankou Chicken was opened in 1962 in the Bourj Hammoud neighborhood of Beirut, Lebanon, by Armenian Vartkes Iskenderian and his family. [4] The name "Zankou" comes from the Turkic name for the Hrazdan river in Armenia. [5]

The chain was established within the United States in 1983 by his son, Mardiros Iskenderian, after the family immigrated to Los Angeles, California. After considering opening a dry cleaning business or selling men's suits, Iskenderian recognized a lack of restaurants catering to the growing Middle Eastern immigrant population in Los Angeles. [4] This included Armenian and Lebanese compatriots who fled Lebanon during the civil war. [6]

The first restaurant in Los Angeles opened in an East Hollywood neighborhood called Little Armenia [7] and is located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. The restaurant is especially known for its thick, paste-like garlic sauce, created by Vartkes' wife, Markrid [8] [9] and widely imitated. [10]

In 1991, the family agreed to divide the business when Mardiros wanted to open additional restaurants. The new restaurants would be owned by Mardiros, while the original Sunset and Normandie store would be owned by his parents and two sisters. [4] Vartkes Iskenderian died in 1992. [8]

On January 14, 2003, after a heated argument, Zankou Chicken owner Mardiros Iskenderian shot and killed his sister, Dzovig Marjik, and his mother Margarit Iskenderian; he then killed himself in a double-murder suicide. Iskenderian was in the late stages of colon and brain cancer, which is believed to have had an effect on his mental faculties. [4] [11] [12] The repercussions of this event, and the lasting division of the brand into two family factions, impeded the continuing growth of the business despite the restaurants' popularity. [8] In the California Court of Appeal case Iskenderian v. Iskenderian, [9] Mardiros Iskenderian's widow Rita unsuccessfully sought to attain sole control of the Zankou Chicken trademark.

In 2013, Zankou Chicken was one of the contributors for Green Armenia, which brings attention to environmental problems faced by the people of Armenia. [13]

Locations

Since opening, Zankou Chicken has expanded throughout the greater Los Angeles area. The restaurant chain's ownership is split into three: one group is operated by Haygan Iskenderian, daughter of founder Vartkes Iskenderian; another group is operated by Rita Iskenderian, wife of Vartkes Iskenderian's deceased son, Mardiros Iskenderian; and one restaurant is operated by Vartkes Marjik, son of Vartkes Iskenderian's deceased daughter, Dzovig Marjik.

Starting in East Hollywood, the brand first expanded into other areas with sizable Armenian populations before expanding beyond such areas. [14] .

Vartkes Iskenderian's restaurants, now operated by his daughter Haygan Iskenderian:

Mardiros Iskenderian's restaurants, now operated by his widow Rita Iskenderian: [15]

Vartkes Marjik's restaurant: [16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Zankou Chicken's tragic family rift impedes chain's growth". Los Angeles Times . March 18, 2010.
  2. ↑ Thompson, Elise. "Fast Food that Will Still Respect You in the Morning". LAist. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions" . Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Arax, Mark (April 2008). "The Zankou Chicken Murders". Los Angeles Magazine . pp. 124–129, 202–206.
  5. ↑ "Zankou Chicken's tragic family rift impedes chain's growth - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times . March 18, 2010. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Iconic Neighborhood Restaurants: East Hollywood & Little Armenia". KCET. November 30, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Neighborhood Project: Little Armenia". LAist. July 10, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Satzman, Darrell (March 18, 2010). "Zankou Chicken's tragic family rift impedes chain's growth". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Iskenderian v. Iskenderian, 144 Cal. App. 4th 1162 (2006)
  10. ↑ Sakai, Shuji (February 9, 2011). "Zankou's Garlic Sauce Clone". OC Weekly . Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  11. ↑ "LA Examiner: January 12–18, 2003 Archives". Archived from the original on February 21, 2006.
  12. ↑ Blankstein, Andrew; Michael Krikorian (January 16, 2003). "Restaurant Family's Tragedy: Cancer and stress may be why the operator of Zankou Chicken killed his sister and mother". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Green Armenia Inaugural Event a Big Success". Asbarez.com. August 14, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  14. ↑ Darrell Satzman (March 18, 2010). "Zankou Chicken's tragic family rift impedes chain's growth". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Extreme family feud at Zankou Chicken". Family Business Magazine. March 18, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ Carter Glascock (December 12, 2024). "The Mouth-Watering Los Angeles Chicken Spot With A Cult Following And Infamous History". Islands. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  17. ↑ Deborah Picker, "Preppie Living Wage: Ménage À Garlic Paste", LA Weekly , December 23, 1999.
  18. ↑ Janelle Brown, "Valet Parking? That's So 2000. In Los Angeles, Strip Mall Food Is Way Cool", The New York Times , August 20, 2003.
  19. ↑ Ogilvie, Jessica P. "'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Gives Not Subtle Shout Out to Zankou Chicken". LAist. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  20. ↑ Gold, Jonathan. "Palestinian Chicken Conflict: Only in Curb Your Enthusiasm or Is It Real?". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Rob Delaney: Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage". www.avclub.com. November 4, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Follow the locals for the best food on vacation". NY Daily News. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  23. ↑ "My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark – 32 – Just The 32 Of Us" . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  24. ↑ Team Coco (September 20, 2017). Conan Visits Jerusalem & Outlines Trump's Peace Plan | CONAN on TBS . Retrieved December 31, 2024– via YouTube.

34°05′54″N118°18′01″W / 34.09839°N 118.300266°W / 34.09839; -118.300266

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