Today we’d like to introduce you to ANTONIO CHAVEZ.
Hi ANTONIO, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always loved cooking, Since i was a kid, I was inside the kitchen learning from my mom, and grandmother the secrets of cooking based on the family recipes, but I never worked on a professional kitchen, I followed another path and became a Computer Science Engineer and developed an strong career on IT, Following this path, and after several years working for the corporate world in Mexico, I was promoted to a corporate role and this is how I came to the US 23 years ago, to continue my IT path for several more years, but never stopped cooking at home, discovering this was my real passion. Through my kitchen I loved to be creative and discovered that cooking was a way to give love to the people around me. Finally, after 42 years of developing my professional career, I decided it was time to do what I rally love the most and decided to go for it and open my own restaurant. My family supported me and I left everything, used my all life saving and risked everything to open Domingo, my dream. I worked hard as I didn’t have any real restaurant experience, learned from friends and family involved in the business and created my business plan, looked for the right place, designed my menu and put all my heart on it. Domingo is a reality now, after almost two years, we gained a solid position in the community and got several fabulous reviews. My model is working and we are trying hard to succeed in this very difficult business.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it hasn’t been smooth at all. part of it is due to my inexperience,, and I have learned through the process, but I have found difficulties I never expected. Managing a professional kitchen is very different, City requirements, licenses, permits, inspections and so, are very complex, Financially, I had also several challenges, coming to a break even point is taking much longer than what I anticipated and managing personnel has also being too complex. I have managed people all my life, but I was dealing with professionals and executives, now I need lo manage people that is fighting check to check to survive, with a complete different reality. Recruiting and retaining is very complex in this new world. Every day is something new to deal with, and now, I’m responsible for everything! there is no boss to go for help or guidance,
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Now I’m the Boss, the owner, the Executive Chef and cook. I’m 24/7 involved in my restaurant, From managing the inventory to defining recipes, managing the menu options and also cooking on the griddle. Start the day with early procurement analysis, defining the cooking requirements for the day and getting the team all onboard to be ready for opening, through the day, I cook on the line, validate each dish is leaving the kitchen with the required quality to be enjoyed by our customers and try to greet and talk with every table visiting us, At the end of the day, I supervise the closing and cleaning activities and get ready to go home, satisfied and very tired, to get ready for a new day
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I love my role because there are lots of satiation on it. Every time someone tells me my food is amazing, or every time I get a 5 star review, this is heaven, but nothing is perfect, and whenever a Fridge breaks, the AC stops working or a guy decides to leave with no reason, that is crazy, and I need to find how to solve it, Because of it I have ended washing dishes, mopping the floor, or fixing devices I never used before. But no questions about, worst thing is when I need to check bank accounts to see if we will be able to cover the payroll or if we have money to pay the rent, Money is hands down, the most difficult part.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Domingokitchen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/domingo.kitchen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557392847862
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniochavez/
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/F7QRBU7YYU5tq9_Q7lmJJg
