How Chef Rachid Eido Is Bringing His Family’s Table to Maryland with Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen

Some traditions are passed down through recipes. Others are carried through in the way a family gathers around a table, shares what they have and makes room for one more. 

For Chef Rachid Eido, those traditions are inseparable.

A third-generation Lebanese chef who grew up in Beirut surrounded by chefs, Eido learned from his father that food was never simply about following a recipe. It was about preserving where you come from, bringing people together and making everyone who sits at your table feel welcome.

Now, after decades of building his culinary career in the Washington region and beyond, Eido is bringing that family tradition to a new table in Maryland with the opening of Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen.

The restaurant invites diners to experience the depth and variety of Lebanese cuisine through family recipes and traditional time-honored cooking techniques. At the center is Kareem’s signature hummus, a family recipe that takes three days to prepare.

For Eido, bringing those flavors to Maryland is about sharing a piece of where he comes from.

“Opening Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen in Gaithersburg is much more than opening a new restaurant for me, it’s an opportunity to bring three generations of my family’s Lebanese culinary traditions to Maryland,” said Chef Rachid Eido.

From Beirut to the DMV

Eido’s connection to food began long before Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen.

Growing up in Beirut, he was surrounded by chefs and immersed in the traditions of Lebanese cooking. His culinary career later brought him to the Washington region, including the Four Seasons in Washington, D.C., before he helped bring Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen to Naples, Florida, in 2018.

Now, his culinary journey has come full circle.

At Kareem’s, the menu reflects the food Eido grew up with while giving diners the opportunity to explore the many layers of Lebanese cuisine. Guests can begin with handmade mezze and freshly baked breads before moving into grilled favorites like Shish Taouk and Farrouj, or heartier dishes such as the slow-cooked Lamb Mouzat.

Fresh Fattoush brings another classic to the table, while the restaurant’s hummus offers its own taste of the family’s culinary traditions. Prepared over three days using a traditional process, the signature hummus is available alongside variations including beet and harissa.

And then there is the crab hummus.

Created specifically for the Maryland location, the dish combines a beloved Lebanese staple with Maryland crab, giving Kareem’s menu a local touch while staying connected to its roots.

“It’s just one part of the story,” Eido said of the restaurant’s hummus. “At Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen, we want to introduce people to the depth, variety and hospitality of Lebanese cuisine while staying true to the traditions that have been passed down to me.”

A Table Built for Gathering

The name Kareem captures another important part of the restaurant’s story.

“Kareem” means “generous” in Arabic, and that idea is woven into the experience Eido hopes to create. For him, Lebanese hospitality is not simply about what is placed on the plate. It is about opening the table, sharing generously and making people feel at home.

That spirit was on full display when Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen officially celebrated its Maryland opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 1 at Rio Lakefront. Chef Rachid, Karim El-Hibri of East West Hospitality Group, the Kareem’s team, local leaders and community members gathered to celebrate the restaurant’s arrival.

The occasion also marked a special moment for the city, as Sept. 1 was officially proclaimed “Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen Day” in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

For Eido, the meaning behind the opening extends beyond bringing a new restaurant to the area. It is an opportunity to share the food and traditions that shaped him with a new community, in a region that has also been an important part of his culinary career.

“Opening Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen in Gaithersburg is much more than opening a new restaurant for me, it’s an opportunity to bring three generations of my family’s Lebanese culinary traditions to Maryland,” Eido said. “My hope is that when people leave Kareem’s, they don’t just remember what they ate—they remember how they felt sitting around the table.”

Now open at 212 Boardwalk Place at Rio Lakefront, Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen welcomes Gaithersburg to its table with the flavors of Lebanon, a taste of Maryland and a dining experience centered on the joy of sharing a meal.

To plan your visit and learn more, visit Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen or call (240) 328-6364.