Build Me Up: Feeding your passion with Med Box Grill

When Semih Ayhan and Tuncay Ozdenak moved to the U.S. from Turkey, they brought their passion for Mediterranean cuisine. When they met in 2014, they decided to bring their family recipes together and opened their first food truck. Med Box Grill quickly became a staple across Minnesota, and lines would be long and winding no matter where they parked the food truck. As demand grew, they decided they were ready to open their first Med Box Grill restaurant, moving to Market Street Station in Chanhassen. But the COVID-19 pandemic complicated things, with widespread lockdowns beginning just weeks after signing their lease and starting construction.  As the restaurant industry faced unprecedented challenges, Med Box Grill opened its doors in October and has found great success. It was voted Best Mediterranean Restaurant in Minnesota by the Star Tribune. To discuss how Med Box Grill came to be amidst the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, we are talking to Founders Semih Ayhan and Tuncay Ozdenak; and KA Realty's Vice President of Properties Cindy MacDonald.