Dear Francis,
Thanks for your email.
Yes, I know the family and the restaurant—both are still around, and the restaurant and is a great place have lunch on the west bank in Luxor. It's called the Marsam.
And, yes, Hussein Abd el-Rassul (spellings vary) DID discover the tomb of Tutankhamun—or so the story goes. He was the 'water boy' on the excavation, responsible for setting up the workers' round-bottomed water jar, and as he was digging out the ground to settle the thing he observed a flat stone surface. It proved to be the top of a first step leading down to the blocked tomb entrance. There's a famous picture of the boy wearing one of the spectacular necklaces Carter recovered.
If you are interested in learning more about the tomb and its discovery and potential take a look at my new book, just published in the US: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Tutankhamun-100-Years-Discovery/dp/0500052166/ref=rvi_sccl_1/142-4991346-8859017?pd_rd_w=9k6ph&content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=B6YJV7B4EBPMXYZ5SWR6&pd_rd_wg=vH1jB&pd_rd_r=37fe672a-3f3a-46f2-b6d2-de8dc84c634a&pd_rd_i=0500052166&psc=1
Good wishes,
Nicholas Reeves
