In March 2020, Khalil Elzein was visiting the Seychelles, a group of islands off the east coast of Africa, with his wife, Lolo, when the world shut down. When they returned home to Santa Barbara, it was to that unwelcome news that so many received in the early days of the pandemic: The jobs they held no longer existed.
Forced to adapt, Elzein’s daughter Emilie had an idea: Marshaling more than 40 years of experience as a professional chef, Elzein could start a delivery business that would bring the mouth-watering dishes of his native Lebanon — from halibut with bulgur wheat and tahini sauce to succulent lamb shoulder braised with cumin and stuffed with rice and pine nuts — to the people of Santa Barbara.
And so began Meals by Khalil, which offers a variety of dishes that have something for everybody. Each week, the main dishes, which cost between $16 and $28, include meat, poultry, fish, and vegetarian options, with accommodations for factors like allergies and gluten-free diets. They’re all delivered free of charge by Lolo herself.