He recalls her rising at 3am to mix the dough that would be used to make fresh breads and pies for weekend gatherings.

Food was always a family affair in the Saliba household with Grandma the main cook and everyone pitching in to chop vegetables and help create the delicacies cooked in a traditional wood-fired oven.

“Every weekend was a celebration of food at Grandma’s house,” Mr Saliba said.

Loyal patrons agree this passion comes through in every morsel on the menu at his La Maison Cafe.

Over 10 years Mr Saliba has grown the little cafe on the causeway into a thriving six-day-a-week restaurant.

He believes its success boils down to a winning combination of modern Australian and Middle Eastern flavours.

“Our chef Stacey Gordon reckons she has Lebanese and Asian blood in her because she is so fluent in this food,” Mr Saliba laughed.

His brother Carlos recently closed the door on Albury’s iconic Cafe Victor after three decades.

But Mr Saliba and his wife Marcia are expanding their hospitality horizons.

The business will be renamed La Maison Restaurant, Function & Bar with a newly expanded capacity to accommodate larger events.

Renovations include a modern deck extension catering for up to 130 guests while plans for changes to the bar and kitchen areas are still with council.

This change of direction will mean the end of breakfasts after Sunday, August 6 with the cafe closed on Sundays and Mondays.

But for Mr Saliba, his family and many long-serving employees it’s about ensuring the longevity of the business and continued quality of food dished up.

"This is a natural progression for us,” he said.

“We want to invest in new ideas and give chefs more time to be creative with dishes.

“Because everything is made from scratch, the biggest challenge is the time to do it well and there are just not enough hours in the day to fit in everything.

“We want to thank our customers for their continued support.”

- JODIE O’SULLIVAN