Costa Arabatzis and Mary Cloutier-Arabatzis
	Costa has been in the family restaurant business since the age of eight when his career began as Assistant Dishwasher. He rose quickly (usually standing on top of a milk crate) to Assistant manager and Chef while apprenticing in his father's California restaurant.
	Costa received his formal education at Utah State and The University of Denver in their hotel and restaurant management program.
	In 1986, Costa and his father opened the Greek Bistro in Maui, Hawaii. In 1990, Costa moved to Dallas and opened the Greek Bistro on lowest Greenville. After selling the M Street Bistro to friend Teiichi Sakurai, owner of Teppo, Yakitori & Sushi Bar, he opened Ziziki's, in Travis Walk, in July, 1994 with his wife and partner, Mary Cloutier-Arabatzis. Costa's family recipes of his Greek grandmother and father and italian mother are recreated at Ziziki's with a more gourmet flair.
	In December 1999, Costa and Mary combined their talents and opened a second Ziziki's at the Shops of Spanish Village in North Dallas.
	"A lot of people say the restaurant business is tough. I think it's tough only if you don't make a product that's outstanding. It's like that in any business and particularly in the restaurant business where our best form of advertising and promotion is positive word of mouth from loyal customers." "We don't do a lot of specials at Ziziki's, usually only one each night. We believe it is more important to put the time and energy into making everything on the menu special. Our goal is to make every plate on the menu the kind of unique, fabulous flavor and presentation that our chefs, wait-staff and customers feel is the very best and will want to eat every day." — Costa Arabatzis [Back to the Top]
	Mary is a graduate from Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mary moved to Dallas in 1980 and became part of the marketing and advertising community as Media Supervisor at Tracy-Locke. In June, 1983, she joined Bozell, Inc. where she was promoted to Vice President. In May 1988 she left Bozell to open the Dallas office of NW Ayer as Vice President, Media Director.
	Mary managed her own Marketing and Media Consulting business in 1991, following which she joined American Airlines as marketing Director of the Publishing Group. She was responsible for developing successful marketing programs that increased readership and awareness for American Way magazine and was part of the re-design team that launched the current Southwest Airlines Spirit. Mary left American Airlines to return to the advertising agency business as Senior Vice President, Media Director at Levenson & Hill and in October 1993, rejoined Temerlin-McClain (formerly Bozell, Inc.) as Group Media Director managing JC Penney's media and promotion.
	While at Temerlin-McClain, Mary helped concept, build and open Ziziki's with husband and partner Costa Arabatzis. With a minor in art, she capitalized on this interest and decorated Ziziki's. In September, 1994, she joined Costa as a full-time working owner at Ziziki's. She is responsible for all details of the dining room, management of service, sales and marketing. Based on Mary's love for wine, she is also responsible for the development of the wine list which has been awarded the prestigious "Award of Excellence" by the Wine Spectator for five years, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999. She was also instrumental in designing and decorating their new location in North Dallas which opened in December 1999.
	"My philosophy has always been to provide the best, most attentive service possible. When you combine that with great food and an intimate casual atmosphere, you've created the kind of place people look forward to coming back to. I want each customer to feel as comfortable as if they were going to a friend's home." "Customers return to Ziziki's because of the attentive service and relationships that Costa and I have personally developed with them. We sincerely appreciate their business and listen to their needs. Our wine list, for example, was expanded because our customers wanted greater quality and diversity." — Mary Cloutier-Arabatzis [Back to the Top]
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