Rick's Cafe

Former member of the US diplomatic corps in Morocco, Kathy Kriger brought the imaginary gin joint from Casablanca to life. But instead of letters of transit, she begged for letters of credit. Instead of Captain Renault, the governor of Casablanca watched her back. And at the piano, playing "As Time Goes By," was not Sam but Issam Chabaa. Along the way, she encountered paper pushers with greasy palms, absent architects, mad chefs, remarkable craftsmen, and surprising allies. It took all her diplomatic skills, but Rick's Cafe opened in March 2004-to rave reviews. Here is the remarkable story of how one woman turned Hollywood fantasy into Moroccan reality and made her dream come true.