El Jannah

El Jannah Franchise Company Pty Ltd[1] (lit. 'paradise' or 'heaven') is an Australian fast food restaurant chain that specialises in Lebanese cuisine. Its main menu items are a Lebanese style charcoal chicken with a garlic sauce (toum). The chain has 51 stores across New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, as of March 2026.[2]

History

Founded by Andre and Carole Estephan, the first El Jannah store opened in the Sydney suburb of Granville in 1998.[3][4] The chain's early coverage says its first shop "amassed a cult-like following".[5] The Estephans stepped back from the day-to-day management of the chain in 2019.[6] Brett Houldin, a former chief executive of Craveable Brands, became CEO of El Jannah in 2020.[7]

The restaurant has expanded to more than 20 outlets across the Sydney metropolitan area, as well as in the Sydney CBD and Macarthur by the late 2010s and early 2020s.[8]

The chain opened its first outlet outside of Sydney, in the Melbourne suburb of Preston in April 2022,[9] and its first store in Canberra, in the suburb of Gungahlin, opened in May 2023.[10]

In late November 2025, El Jannah was sold to American private equity firm General Atlantic. A sale price of A$800 million and "almost $1 billion" were reported. The Estephans and Houldin retained a minor stake in the company.[2][11]

Products

El Jannah's menu centres on Lebanese style charcoal chicken and its garlic sauce (toum).[12] The garlic sauce is an emulsified garlic condiment served alongside the chicken. The company describes the sauce as a family recipe and does not publish the exact formulation.[5] The charcoal chicken is typically sold whole, half or in portions and is cooked over charcoal.[13]

In December 2024, El Jannah introduced a breakfast menu at select Melbourne and Sydney outlets.[14]

External links