Abstract:
Open Kitchen Restaurant in Charlotte, owned by Christina Skiouris and her brother, Dean Kokenes, began in 1952 as a curb-side hamburger joint run by her uncle, Speros Kokenes. Her father, Steve Kokenes, joined the business in 1954, introducing the first pizza pie to Charlotte. The restaurant was groundbreaking for serving some of the city’s first international fare and continues to offer traditional Italian dishes.