Golden Plate's owner living the American dream
Adil Yilmaz leans against a brick wall, his eyes casually scanning the crowds of people milling in front of him.
He appears content— completely engulfed in the morning sunshine and his cup of coffee.
Nearly 50 years in business are etched into his face, but his blue eyes gleam bright. He reminisces about the changes that have come and gone, the reinventions he has seen.
He recalls how it felt when he first came to America, with nothing more than a small suitcase and a dream.
"I had absolutely nothing," he said, smiling at the memories, pride evident in his voice, still thick with a Turkish accent.
Time has been good to Yilmaz, who now has one of the most successful businesses in Ocean City, with five-star ratings on Trip Advisor, Facebook and Yelp to prove it.
For the last 46 years, he's built his empire from the ground up, crediting everything to homemade recipes and a strong work ethic.
Yilmaz's restaurant, named Golden Plate, has won "Best Boardwalk Stand" for the last three years, and is in the running for 2017, competing against Ocean City powerhouses like Thrasher's French Fries, Fisher's Popcorn and Dolle's Candyland.
"I went from nothing to everything," he said.
"I knew I would stay"
Yilmaz grew up in the bustling city of Istanbul, Turkey, where he learned how to cook at a young age. Life there was hard, and Yilmaz found solace in the kitchen.
At the age of 31, he left his war-torn country for America, with a plan to one day open his own restaurant. He landed in New York City and made his way down the east coast, securing a job in Washington D.C.
He pulled from his grandmother and mother's teachings, and honed in on his "old world" cooking skills. He learned American flare, and was able to prepare elevated courses for esteemed dinner guests such as John F. Kennedy and Neil Armstrong.
Yilmaz anticipated spending the rest of his life in D.C., but one trip to Ocean City changed everything. The Maryland beach town's slow-paced, sleepy vibe was something he had never seen before.
"I fell in love," he said, staring ahead, his shirt collar flapping in the breeze. "I remember I felt peaceful, and safe. I knew I would stay."
Yilmaz moved to Ocean City and opened a small restaurant on 33rd Street. He named it Golden Plate, because, "the best food is served on gold," he said.
He offered Greek inspired dishes, such as lamb gyros, shish kebab subs and homemade bread pudding. When he had earned enough money, he sent for his family.
More than a restaurant
Yilmaz traded the 33rd street location for waterfront property in 1970, and opened Golden Plate on the boardwalk.
He had to ditch the heavy dishes for options more appropriate for the beach, he said, offering homemade funnel cakes, freshly squeezed lemonade, burgers, hot dogs, cotton candy, pizza and snow cones, and of course, gyros.
Located at 1st Street and the boardwalk, Golden Plate quickly gained recognition among locals and tourists alike, as a family-owned business with exceptional food. Yilmaz ran things with his daughter and son-in-law, Yasemin and Ali Karaman, and their daughters, Yesim and Yagmur.
Yilmaz is now 77 years old, and has drastically scaled back on his involvement.
But Golden Plate is expected to remain within the family. His granddaughter Yagmur plans to take over after her parents retire.
"I cannot imagine doing anything else," she said. "This restaurant has given everything to my family. I grew up here, playing in the walk-in and doing my homework under the counter. This restaurant is my heart, my home."
For decades, Golden Plate has served the Ocean City boardwalk, capturing the hearts, and stomachs, of all ages while earning attention from local and national travel magazines.
Looking back, Yilmaz never fathomed he'd achieved such success.
"I came to America with a few socks and just one sweater," he said. "I went from nothing to everything."
He turned around and pointed to his family behind the counter.
"They are everything."
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302-537-1881, ext. 209
Golden Plate
Where: 1st St, Ocean City
When: 10 a.m. until business ends
Call: 410-289-4488