AIKEN, S.C. (AP) - He’s known as “Jay” to many of his employees and neighbors, and after this weekend, Celalittin Ocak will also be known as the former manager of the Waffle House on Richland Avenue West.
A native of Istanbul, Turkey, he now lives in Aiken and has gone by the shorter name - easier for Americans to handle - since his early days in the United States. He’s retiring this month, having been with his employer since 1985.
“It’s been a great ride,” he said. “I enjoy my work … I like serving people. I have the servant mentality, so to speak.”
“I know customers love him to death,” said Angela Chitty, the district manager serving Ocak’s location. “When he’s on vacation or it’s his day off, they’re wanting to know when he’s coming back, and making sure he’s coming back.”
She described him as “a hands-on manager” - not one to fade into the back of the restaurant, out of sight.
“A lot of people have come and gone here,” Ocak said, recalling his three decades behind the counter. “We probably served half of Aiken … and the other half, one time or another, worked for me …
“Seriously, I cannot go anywhere right now, after 32 years … Most likely, I’m going to find somebody that’s going to say, ’Hey, Jay! What are you doing, man? What’s up?’”
The restaurant, he said, has become like “a real home,” and Aug. 20 is to be his last day on the job.
Ocak’s introduction to the United States came in 1977 by way of Atchison, Kansas, a small town where he enrolled at Benedictine College, studying English and focusing on a master’s degree in marketing, to build on the bachelor’s degree he already had (from Turkey) in business administration. He also attended the University of South Carolina in 1979, and wound up with such employers as a Columbia gas station (Ward’s Gulf, where he pumped gas), Red Lobster and Krystal en route to Waffle House.
There have been some bumps along the way, he confirmed, recalling two divorces. Highlights include five children: two boys and three girls, in that order, all of whom are now spread between Georgia and South Carolina. Ages range from 11 to 31.
“Few things have been steady in my life,” he said. “Waffle House has been there all the time, steady … It’s been good to me, and I’ve been good to them.”
Ocak’s original location, on the other side of Richland Avenue, was the home of the third Waffle House built in the suburban Atlanta-based company’s history (which dates back to 1955). Relocation occurred in 2001, and the site is now the home of a Subway.
Deborah Greene, a waitress with 23 years of Waffle House experience, said Ocak is particularly known for his omelets. “He makes them nice and fluffy, and everybody loves them.”
Aiken resident Roger Brock, a Westinghouse retiree who frequents local Waffle Houses, said he has known Ocak for about 20 years. “He’s the glue that keeps the Waffle House going on Richland Avenue West. Just about any time you pull in, you’ll see his car there.”
Ocak’s routine includes managing employees, running the cash register, cooking (“He’s a great cook”) and taking out the trash. “He’s a wonderful role model for his employees … I think, when employees see that their manager’s all business- and very customer service-oriented, it rubs off on them, and I think that’s why the Richland Avenue Waffle House is one of the best in the area,” Brock said.
“All the customers love him,” said Chitty, the district manager. “They’re dreading him leaving, for his retirement. I think he put it off a couple of times, but I think this one’s it. He’s really going to retire this time.”
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Information from: Aiken Standard, https://www.aikenstandard.com
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