Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Villarreal.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Victor. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my journey like many others. Washing dishes at 15 was my introduction to the kitchen. When I was 16 my family moved to England my senior year and I got a prep cook job on the base at The Galaxy Club. A historic club, restaurant, and casino. They must have seen something in me because they sent me to Sembach, Germany to attend U.S.A.F.E Culinary school. After learning the basics, they used me for everything! My Chef David Anderson gave me one task. Learn. As much as possible. And I did. No task was too small or big and I made my bones by trying to be the best I could be. After a few years, I got sent back to the states to my hometown Abilene, TX. Being as there wasn’t much for cooking in my small town. I made the best I could and took any decent cook position I could. From Retirement Homes, Fast Food Italian and even a Hibachi Chef for two years.
After a while, I kinda got burnt out. And in 2001. I got married and switched careers. I was a polysomnographist and studied sleep disorders for six years. Then, my boss, had me read Kitchen Confidential a few years after it came out. And I knew I had to get back into the game. But this time I would do it better, and be better than I ever could imagine. So I looked up the top players in the game and John Teasars’ name came up and The Mansion on Turtle Creek. I volunteered for a party they were throwing and ended up getting hired for a whopping eight bucks an hr. lol. Needless to say, my ex-wife wasn’t too thrilled. But I took the job and was in heaven. It was everything I ever wanted to work in. So I did absolutely everything they let me do. Grill, banquets, sauces, cold pantry. You name it, I worked it. After about a yr and a half, I had to make a decision to work a little closer to home here in Fort Worth.
So I started working at Grace and Brownstone. It is those places where I started shaping who and what I wanted out of cooking. I got really into butchering and using everything to make some money off my whole pigs. Learning the process in which you take the time to make wonderful charcuterie, sausages, and other products became who I was. As Time went on and I went on to become Head Chef of Sera, Max’s Wine Dive, Savor Culinary services and even Culinary Specialist for TCU. I honed my skills and went back to the food that I loved. I took things I loved as a kid and turned them into what I had learned. And that was amazing looking food for the everyday man. I call it “The preservation of old-world style cuisine.” Which is mostly pre-refrigeration date. One day last year I got a phone call, asking if I’d like to open my own place. I was like sure…but what’s the catch?? The catch was I had to do pizza. I had never even worked at a pizza restaurant. But figuring as I’m a decent cook, I figured why not get my foot in the door. So I accepted. Now 1 year later and here we are. It was definitely not what I pictured my 1st restaurant as, but I definitely can see myself where I wanna go. #CoOkFrEeOrDie
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are ALWAYS ups and downs. It’s the service industry. lol
Please tell us about Abe Fromans of Fort Worth.
Abe Fromans does everything. But we are known for our sausage, charcuterie, pizzas, Pasta, and use of seasonal produce. I make 100% everything from scratch. There are no shortcuts.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8177181832
- Email: theabefromanoffw@gmail.com
- Instagram: Abe_froman_of_fw
Image Credit:
Nathaniel Gassett
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