Our story
Greek roots. A business built from scratch.
I’m Stavros Tsaklas, the founder of Stav’s Souvlaki—a first-generation Greek-American, chemical engineer, and someone who loves bringing people together through food.
I started Stav’s Souvlaki to share the flavors I love and make them easy to bring into your own kitchen. Today, I’m building that business here in Savannah, one bottle and one customer at a time.
It started with a bottle labeled “souvlaki.”
When I started making cooking videos, I always kept a bottle of my own seasoning mix in the cabinet, labeled simply “souvlaki.” It was something I mixed for my own cooking, long before it became a business.
After leaving my corporate job, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. My first idea was a food truck. But then I realized there was another way to share my flavors: through the seasoning itself.
Instead of cooking every meal for someone, I could give them a little of what went into mine—and let them make it their own. That bottle in my cabinet became the starting point for Stav’s Souvlaki.
Finding community in Savannah
Building Stav’s Souvlaki has also helped me feel more connected to Savannah. Through Startup Savannah, I’ve built meaningful relationships and found people I can turn to when I need advice. That support has meant a lot as I grow the business.
A milestone that meant a lot
Winning first place at the GRIT Pitch competition felt incredible. It reaffirmed my belief in what I’m building with Stav’s Souvlaki and helped me see a clear path forward. It gave me even more confidence to keep going.
Sharing my story with the Greek community
Being featured in The National Herald was a proud moment for me. It made me feel recognized within the Greek community, and I felt the article truly captured my story and how Stav’s Souvlaki came to be.
Read the feature in The National Herald Opens in a new window.