Some People Are Meant to Stay in Your Life
There are some people you’re simply meant to keep in your life. Chef Marwan Chebaro is one of them.
I’ve known Chef Marwan since the 1990s, when he owned Tribal Grill and Café Rumi on the 39th Street Corridor. Café Rumi operated for more than 13 years in the space that is now home to Aladdin Café, becoming a favorite gathering place for lovers of Mediterranean cuisine.
Years later, while I was working as an educator at KU Medical Center, I happened to run into Marwan in the hospital cafeteria. He recognized me immediately and shared his newest venture, Culinary Innovations LLC., his research, development, and corporate dining company. KU Medical Center became one of the first organizations to feature his fresh take on Middle Eastern cuisine, offering an exciting alternative to traditional cafeteria fare. That dining concept is still thriving today and remains incredibly popular.
A Return to Public Dining
Now, in 2025, Marwan returned to the public dining scene with the opening of Nours at 3855 Warwick Blvd. in the Park 39 Complex, just a short distance from his longtime culinary roots along 39th Street.
Nours is much more than a restaurant. It is Chef Marwan’s heartfelt tribute to his late daughter, Nour, whose name means “light” in Arabic. After her passing in 2018, Marwan created this beautiful space in her honor. A small memorial in one corner of the restaurant invites guests to pause, reflect, and remember loved ones of their own.
A Restaurant Filled with Heart
The restaurant combines Lebanese comfort food, a neighborhood market, and a welcoming community gathering place. The interior is bright, colorful, and inviting. Designer John O’Brien of Hammer Out Design incorporated playful details and pieces of his own artwork, creating a space that feels both warm and soulful.
The menu offers an impressive selection of mezze, including hummus, baba ghanoush, gazpacho, and falafel. Guests can also enjoy a fresh fattoush salad, an assortment of wraps and sandwiches, and traditional Lebanese entrées. Standout dishes include baked branzino served with spicy tahini sauce and vermicelli rice, along with grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, and beef specialties.
Our Dining Experience
We began our meal by sharing several of the house-made dips with warm, toasted pita bread. I ordered the shrimp skewers, while my husband chose the grilled beef kabob. Both entrées were served with vermicelli rice, roasted vegetables, pico de gallo, and what can only be described as a “to-die-for” garlic sauce.
Before leaving, we picked up an order of the mujadara to enjoy at home. This comforting combination of rice, lentils, caramelized onions, and citrusy cabbage was just as delicious served warm as it was cold the next day.
A Kansas City Culinary Treasure
As always, Chef Marwan pours his heart and soul into everything he creates. Many Kansas Citians may not realize that he has been quietly shaping the city’s appreciation for Lebanese-inspired cuisine for more than two decades. He is a gifted chef, an innovator, and one of our local culinary treasures.
Every dish reflects his generosity, passion, and love for hospitality. He never disappoints. Nours is the kind of restaurant you’ll be talking about long after the meal is over.
Thank you, Chef Marwan, for continuing to share your gifts with Kansas City. You make us proud.