EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated with the news that Yassin's Falafel House was named the winner of "Nicest Place in America" on Thursday by Reader's Digest, "Good Morning America" and 10Best.com.

Yassin's Falafel House unwittingly found its way into a political whirlwind just days before the restaurant was named the "Nicest Place in America."

The controversy erupted when a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper providing security for gubernatorial candidates Bill Lee and Karl Dean divulged information to the Lee campaign about Dean's camp holding a "Muslim event."

Providing that information was a violation of the trooper's nondisclosure agreement. But the conversation prompted someone from the Lee campaign to ask another trooper whether his staff could obtain a photo of Dean in a mosque, according to THP memos obtained by the USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee.

More:Yassin's Falafel House named 'Nicest Place in America'

More:Falafel House owner Yassin Terou honored with Knoxville Peace Award

A Lee campaign spokeswoman said the GOP nominee had "no recollection" of such conversations taking place.

The event that actually took place was a meet and greet for Dean at Yassin's Falafel House on Sept. 7. The Knoxville restaurant is owned by Yassin Terou, who is Muslim. The event, however, was not a religious gathering.

Terou took to Twitter to explain his position on the controversy, saying that "our doors and hearts are open to all, different races, different colors and different beliefs."

Community honors, 'Nicest Place' award

Terou is an honored member of the Knoxville community, having received the 2018 Peace Award from the Rotary Club of Knoxville for his work in the community.

His restaurant has now been named the "Nicest Place in America," in a contest conducted by Reader's Digest, 10Best.com and "Good Morning America."

Yassin's Falafel House was one of 450 locations across the nation nominated for the honor, and it was ranked in the top 10 by the contest's judges. The voting public selected the winner, which was announced at 8:30 a.m. Thursday on "Good Morning America" on ABC.

Terou came to Knoxville from Syria in 2011. His move was prompted by "things getting worse in Syria," he said in an earlier interview with the News Sentinel.

After applying for asylum, he made money selling falafel sandwiches at Annoor Mosque in Knoxville following daily prayers. He turned that enterprise into a restaurant, and now the business has two locations, at 706 Walnut St. and 159 N. Peters Road.

Yassin and his entrepreneurial success were the subject of a 2017 documentary by Jack Dorsey's Square Inc. The documentary was selected to compete at the Tribeca Film Festival and won two Webby Awards.

Yassin's also was voted "Best Middle Eastern Food" at this year's "Best Of Knoxville" competition sponsored by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Community reaction

Inside the downtown Knoxville restaurant, the Wednesday lunch crowd was steady, seemingly unaffected by the attention it had received a day before.

One customer, when asked if she had heard about the news story involving a mix-up over the restaurant with a THP trooper and gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee’s campaign staff, was puzzled at the question.

“Who?” she replied at the mention of Lee’s name.

Attached to the restaurant’s magenta walls is the sign that’s always there: “Welcome,” followed by “All sizes, all colors, all ages, all sexes, all cultures, all religions, all types, all beliefs, all people safe here at Yassin’s Falafel House.”

More:Customers of Yassin's Falafel House already knew it was the 'Nicest Place in America'

More:Yassin's Falafel House: 5 things to know about the 'Nicest Place in America'

It’s a place with good Middle Eastern food, said Matthew Ooten — a 38-year-old who works in the building above the restaurant and comes every couple of weeks — and always with friendly service.

“You can’t judge a restaurant by who runs it,” Ooten said of the owner’s religious beliefs. “It’s a restaurant. These guys, they came here to start a business, and the people who come here love this place.”

More:Knoxville restaurant owner reacts to travel ban, reflects on his own mission as Syrian refugee

On whether he believed many people in the city seemed to mind the restaurant’s ties to the Muslim community, Ooten said it shouldn’t matter.

“This is a restaurant,” Ooten said. “There’s no religious event here, and even if it was, who cares? People do prayers in all these other downtown restaurants. What difference does it make? Show a little tolerance and acceptance.”

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee reporter Natalie Allison contributed to this story.