Today we’d like to introduce you to José Antonio Calderon.
Hi José, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Me, Antonio Calderon, and my sister Julieta. Calderon and her husband, Omar Rodriguez, had the idea to bring the flavors of Puebla, Mexico, a long time ago. It was until the pandemic that we started to work on the idea of having a Modern Mexican Cuisine Restaurant. So, as a result, we ended up with a traditional menu, full of flavors and made with fresh and unique ingredients, and the dishes we worked on a presentation that our clients will find very appealing to the eye. Most of the recipes and ideas come from our mother, like the Tinga and Mole Poblano. We also offer very good vegetarian options, like our Nopal Salad, Lentils a la Mexicana, and our signature Cielito Salad. But all of our dishes are very traditional, like our variety of tacos and enchiladas. Also, we offer steaks and fish dishes with a Mexican touch. Eating in Cielito is like eating in a local Mexican restaurant. We also like art, and our restaurant is full of paintings by Mexican artists. There are several paintings by a Mexican City artist who paints with his fingers, called Mahum. There are several paintings by Fernando Andriacci, a famous Oaxacan artist, and we also have two paintings by Casiano, who has a special technique for painting flowers.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, the road has been with its ups and downs. It is our first restaurant, so the learning price has been very high. But now, we understand business and economics.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My sister and I come from professional backgrounds. My sister Julieta is an accountant and worked for the company for 20 years, and now she moved into another company, which makes her happier. I am an economist; I have worked for financial institutions in Salt Lake City, then moved back to Mexico and worked for state governments; the last job I had was as a Chief of Staff for Puebla Governor. I also started many businesses, such as a microloan company and a plant for galvanizing auto parts.
My brother-in-law was a bartender, and most of the drinks and cocktails were made full of heart and passion.
What’s next?
In the short term, we would like to consolidate our restaurant. We see a lot of potential, but we also understand that it takes time to build, only with consistency and discipline. In the long term, I would like to open a second restaurant.
Pricing:
- Our average lunch ticket per person is about 19 dollars
- Our average dinner ticket per person is about 38 dollars
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cielitomexicanflavors.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cielitomexicanflavors/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CielitoMexicanFlavors
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/cielito-mexican-flavors-irving
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=cielito+mexican+flavors&client=safari&sca_esv=06eb692d555481e2&hl=es-mx&ei=O538ZZThDu-1wN4P-vqnsAo&gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0LDPIyspLS4o3YLRSNaiwMDNJtTAyT7MwMTWwSDGxtDKoMDZPMjAxMbFMNbW0NLc0MPQST85MzcksyVfITa3ITE7MU0jLSSzLLyoGAGhFF2o&oq=cielito+me&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIgpjaWVsaXRvIG1lKgIIADIOEC4YgAQYxwEYrwEYjgUyERAuGIAEGMcBGK8BGJgFGJkFMgUQABiABDIFEC4YgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAESN84UOohWKwwcAN4AZABAJgBgAGgAZcHqgEDOC4yuAEByAEA-AEBmAINoALZB6gCAcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAg0QABiABBiKBRhDGLADwgIZEC4YgAQYigUYQxjHARivARjIAxiwA9gBAcICExAuGIAEGIoFGEMYyAMYsAPYAQHCAgIQKcICEBAuGIAEGIoFGEMYxwEY0QPCAhMQLhiABBiKBRhDGMcBGK8BGI4FwgIKEC4YgAQYigUYQ8ICChAAGIAEGIoFGEPCAg8QABiABBiKBRhDGEYY-QHCAhAQLhiABBiKBRhDGMcBGK8BwgILEC4YgAQYxwEYrwGYAwOIBgGQBg-6BgQIARgIkgcDOS40oAePdg&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp
