OUR STORY
— From Hamburg to Alanya —
The Story Behind ALV Homes
Chapter 1 — 1987 – 2000
The Belief in a Better Life
Hamburg, early 1990s.
With courage in their hearts and the hope for a better future, our parents came to Germany as immigrants. They arrived in Hamburg determined to build a new life for their family, starting from scratch with discipline, hard work and a clear vision.
Our father, Azim, began at the very bottom as a dishwasher in the kitchens of Hamburg’s restaurants. He observed, learned and worked relentlessly, day after day, step by step. From these humble beginnings, a well-regarded Italian restaurant in Hamburg was born: Stella D’oro (The Golden Star).
For more than 20 years, Stella D’oro was not just a place to eat. It became a fixture in Hamburg’s dining scene, a meeting place for regulars, friends and food lovers. It drew discerning guests and gourmets, including actors and other well-known personalities, and many loyal regulars. Our father ran it with a focus on quality, warm hospitality and steady discipline.
He showed us that self-employment is not just about owning a business. It is about taking responsibility, adapting constantly and leading by example. His values of discipline, honesty, perseverance and vision became the foundation of everything we do today.
This was not a formal education.
This was the education of life.
Chapter 2 — 2000 – 2013
Between Plates, Tables and School Homework
We, his sons Romiou and Fabian, grew up between the tables, plates and stories of this house. After school it was not the football field waiting for us but the service area, the kitchen or school homework at the regulars’ table in the middle of the restaurant. Holidays meant busy evenings, long shifts and a life right in the middle of everything. Many of our guests saw us grow up and some became true companions along the way.
During those years, we learned to roll up our sleeves, stay flexible, and work as a team. It was not an easy youth, but it shaped us deeply.
Chapter 3 — 2013
Responsibility and Destiny
At that time, we were already an integral part of the family business. We carried responsibility, managed operations independently, and looked to the future with energy and confidence. But life doesn’t only write stories of success—sometimes it delivers turning points that change everything.
Fate struck unexpectedly: our father suffered a severe stroke. From one day to the next, the world stood still. Our beloved father suddenly no longer recognized us. He was no longer responsive; we could neither talk to him nor explain anything to him. Because of his diabetes, he could no longer inject himself regularly, which threw his immune system completely out of balance. As a result, he became a dialysis patient and passed away in 2020 at the age of 57.
It was a double blow of fate – the loss of our father and, at the same time, the feeling of helplessly watching the decline of his body and mind. While we tried to put our lives back in order, we ourselves fell into an existential crisis. Our life plan had shattered, and we had to start again from nothing.
Since there was no legal agreement between parents and children, we were unable to take over the restaurant against his will after this incident. The business we had built and managed since our childhood slipped through our hands. We had to watch as the place that once represented our future slowly faded away. Our professional and family foundation was at stake.
Suddenly, we found ourselves at the edge of nothing. Yet we knew only one path – the path of independence. So we made a clear decision: we would carry what we had learned into a new chapter.
This experience brought our family even closer together. Through our unity, we became stronger, more focused, and deeply grounded.
Chapter 4 — 2014 – 2024
A New Beginning with Avantgarde “RA”
After the loss of our family’s life’s work, we faced a clear decision. Either give up or create something new ourselves. Giving up was never an option. We had grown up with responsibility, knew the craft and believed in our abilities.
With the last of our savings, the support of loyal friends and a great deal of courage, we took the leap into independence. The name of our new restaurant was found quickly, Avantgarde.
In a military sense, the term describes the vanguard, those who lead the way and open new ground. In an artistic sense, Avantgarde stands for breaking conventions, creating new movements and embracing creative freedom. For us, cooking was always a form of art. The kitchen was our studio and the dining room our stage.
In 2014, we opened our own restaurant. Within a very short time, we set everything up, developed our philosophy and created a place that carried our personal signature. Romiou was 26 years old, Fabian 16. Two brothers who took the lead with a clear vision.
Avantgarde soon became more than a restaurant. We built our own brand, RA. We were fully booked weeks in advance, night after night.
Chapter 5 — from 2024
Farewell to the Dream
After ten intense years, the Avantgarde chapter came to an end.
Guests appreciated that we combined first-class service, genuine hospitality and creative cuisine. Every week we developed new compositions and original creations, combining ingredients to craft new taste experiences. With great attention to detail, we created an atmosphere that guests could feel the moment they walked in.
When we announced our closure, the press followed our story closely. Our community, led by the mayor, honored us personally and presented us with a certificate. It was a moment we carry deeply in our hearts.
The farewell period was emotional, like something out of a storybook. Guests who had been with us for years came by with tears in their eyes to say goodbye. Even those who could not get a table in the final month stopped in just to share a few personal words. Our living room quickly filled with gifts, hand-painted portraits, albums full of memories and heartfelt letters. It was a farewell filled with gratitude and genuine connection, showing how much this place meant to so many people.
But this farewell was not by choice. Another stroke of fate forced us to let go.
With one tearful eye we looked back, and with a smiling one we looked to the future.
At the end we realized we had stopped at the very best moment. We are grateful to God, that we were able to experience this once in our lives. We trust Him, and we believe He has more surprises in store for the new chapter ahead.
Chapter 6 — 2024 – Today
A New Chapter: Alanya & ALV Homes
After all those years in Germany, a new chapter of life began for us. We packed our bags, left our previous life behind and moved to Turkey together with our mother. Our father was no longer with us, which made time with her even more important. She felt at home here from the very first day, and that was decisive for us. When our mother is happy, we are too.
Today, we live where others go on holiday. Alanya has become our new home, a place where we have found family closeness, cultural connection and new opportunities.
At the same time, we were able to build on our experience from Germany. Real estate had accompanied us for a long time, through investments, renovations and a keen sense for spaces, aesthetics, people’s needs and creative design. Everything that once defined us in the gastronomy sector, our passion, our discipline and our ability to understand people, we now combine with our new professional field.
This is how ALV Homes was born, our boutique real estate agency with its own platform-based website, which we built and programmed ourselves. Today, around 800 to 1,000 people visit our website every day. Our steadily growing YouTube channel now has more than 145,000 subscribers.
Our experience in gastronomy, entrepreneurship and creativity now flows together here, in a new environment, with the same energy.
The stage has changed, but our ambition has remained the same.
To make people happy, with clarity, passion and a strong foundation.
The story continues in Chapter 7...