There’s a new hamburger and steak restaurant in Mississauga that is creating some serious competition for the other hamburger restaurants.

“It was always my passion to open a restaurant,” said Ali Ibrahim, who opened Gladiator Burger and Steak about four months ago with his wife, Zena Yahia.

Ibrahim, who has a master’s degree in business administration from Wilfrid Laurier University, worked in the corporate world for all of his life, in the Middle East, Qatar, Dubai and Toronto. But, one day he decided to pull the plug and follow his dream to open his own restaurant.

“I’m so excited I made the move,” said Ibrahim.

For two years, Ibrahim worked in the restaurant industry to get the outside experience he needed, doing everything from cleaning up garbage and cleaning bathrooms. Taking advantage of his background in business, Ibrahim created a business plan.

Yahia used the knowledge she gained from her degree in marketing and management from the University of Toronto.

The couple worked with designers to create the artwork for the new restaurant, named after Ibrahim’s favourite movie — Gladiator.

“He made me watch the movie 10 times to come up with the menu,” Yahia added.

“I wanted it to be a fun place,” said Ibrahim. Menu items include things like: General Maximus, Unleash My Hunger and Fearless Knight. All meat is fresh, never frozen and he only makes hand-cut fries.

The couple spent six months with a realtor looking for the perfect location, finally settling in at 6039 Erin Mills Pky., at Britannia Road, in Mississauga, just five minutes from their home in Churchill Meadows. It was a welcome relief to Ibrahim, who travelled an hour-and-a-half to work in Toronto.