Finding my voice in the kitchen during covid-19
Harold Villarosa
I started working and cooking at McDonalds when I was 15 years old. I also cooked a lot of Filipino food with my father in the South Bronx. But I think I really found my voice in the kitchen during Covid. That was when I decided to coin the phrase “Filipino Soul Food” – it would become my niche in the industry.
I’ve always felt that the best way to manage teams is with a total buy-in. Everyone has to have their own roles to fill and have the opportunity to speak up and voice their opinion about what they believe needs to be done, or what needs to change. I also believe using family meal as a learning and teaching moment is very important – your team needs to become as close as a family. That’s why I value honest input and hard work - you need to be able to bring something to the table. I enjoy surrounding myself with people to discuss the cuisine of their country, their origin stories, and seeing where that leads.
Since Covid happened, things have changed. It affected me by not allowing me to run my restaurant anymore and forcing me to pivot and find a new lane for myself, - recreating my brand. But I used the opportunity I had. Using my unemployment I propelled myself into the position I am in now. I used the government help to really focus on myself, my wellness and to find a new angle into the restaurant industry.
I disagreed in pushing for quick reopenings. I know that if things continue to worsen, it’ll effect the economic stability of our city. From our farmer suppliers, to real estate and the consumer’s income. I think if you want to be safe, and maintain the economy than you don’t want to open too fast. I feel like after this, the restaurant industry will never look the same. You’ll no longer have these huge spaces seating 140 people. I think it will all change, and we needs to find a better way – a better system – in order to make restaurants work again.
Ellis
“I’ve been working in the kitchens for about three years. During that time, I’ve held every position. I wouldn’t replace this job for anything else. What I love here, what keeps me looking forward is my chef and my team.
Right now everyone has fallen into hard times and I know having a job is a blessing, but what keeps me going are the people I work with and the experiences we have. I know that is unique.
Just like everyone, I have my bad days sometimes, but as soon as I walk into the kitchen pre-shift, all that negativity goes away and I feel good again.
I’ve seen a lot of people come and go. I think they don’t realize the commitment this takes and that things will only get easier once you’ve learned and made a habit of them. You need to keep pushing yourself, loyalty and consistency are what will keep you moving.”
Omar
“We started out in a little truck with a 2 foot wide griddle. It would just take 15 tickets for us to get in the weeds. But in time, we started growing and eventually moved to a kitchen trailer and started focusing on our expansion strategy.
Today, we finally have our brick and mortar restaurant. It’s situated in an up and coming neighborhood that we immediately fell in love with.
To be honest, it’s been our customers that have lifted us up to this point. Without them, we’d still be back in that first truck. We strongly believe in the importance of being a part of a community, so with this one we’re playing our cards close to the chest.
These times are tough, but we need to stay educated and keep learning. People are stressing out about everything they hear in the news, but news is made to be blown out of proportion - you can’t listen to everything without losing your mind.
One thing that seems to be clear, Covid isn’t transmitted through food. So with that, keep calm, keep supporting your favorite restaurants. Our industry has trained its whole life to properly handle food and with these new changes, you’re almost sure to have a safe meal.
We cannot surrender our dreams. As a community of cooks, we need to support each other now more than ever. There is a light at the end of this tunnel, we just need to make sure we help each other find it.”
