Aicha Bascaro regional director of operations, Popeyes, Atlanta
Aicha Bascaro knows about the power of choice. An immigrant from Guatemala, Aicha grew up in a country that offered limited opportunities
to women and lower-income people. But she had ambition, and made a life-changing choice to come to America to achieve her dreams. Today, she is a regional director with Popeyes. Success didn’t happen overnight. Aicha worked as a maid and a babysitter to put herself through school, delivered pizzas for two years, and even opened a small business
at one point. When she was offered the opportunity to step into a management position at Domino’s, she didn’t hesitate, and in five years moved from assistant manager, to manager, to international
trainer, to regional director. Because she has a passion for helping people learn, Aicha makes herself readily accessible to her employees. Under her leadership at Domino’s in Atlanta, four store managers were elevated to area supervisors, improved speed of service and significantly.
She also organized the “Power of Choice Day” for a middle school in downtown Detroit, recruiting
successful area professionals to talk to students about the power of the choices they make each day. “She moved to Popeye’s in November 2007. The American Dream is having a job you love,”says Aicha.“It lets you be who you are,and grow if you do well.”
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Franky Descoteaux owner, Mambo Grill, Lowell, Mass.
Franky Descoteaux owns a successful restaurant and sits on the boards of several non-profit organizations but says her greatest joy is in inspiring others. Franky’s hard-scrabble upbringing — her earliest years were spent in foster homes — gave her the drive to make a better life. She is the proud owner of Mambo Grill, a popular restaurant in a revitalized section
of Lowell, Mass. Franky says one of her proudest accomplishments is giving opportunity to others who live under challenging circumstances. She spotted a strong work ethic in one of her dishwashers — a homeless man from
Puerto Rico — and helped him move up from the dishroom to a management position.The restaurant’s
current manager-in-training also was living at a homeless shelter when Franky decided to give her a shot at employment.What is the American Dream to Franky Descoteaux? “Always understanding
that each individual in America ultimately determines the future success of the entire nation.”
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Lana Duke franchisee, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Metairie, La.
Lana Duke has always believed that “out of everything bad comes something
good.” She should know. As a 15-year-old, Lana was held hostage
during a bank robbery.She used money the bank awarded to her to move
to the United States from Canada.A product of foster homes,she took odd
jobs selling pots and pans door-to-door and worked as a short-order cook.
Lana eventually became an advertising executive, using $10,000 of her savings
to open her own advertising agency, Duke Unlimited Inc., which grew into a $15 million business and the largest woman-owned agency in the Gulf South. When the agency acquired the Ruth’s Chris Steak House account, Lana began a 26-year professional relationship with owner Ruth Fertel, and helped the company grow from two restaurants in Louisiana to one of the world’s largest fine-dining brands. In 1993, she became a Ruth’s Chris franchise owner, opening her first restaurant in San Antonio; three more locations followed. Lana’s experience in the foster care system led her to partner with Roy Maas’Youth Alternatives,a local organization that provides shelter
and counseling for abused and neglected children.“Out of every challenge comes an opportunity
to learn and exceed,” she says.“If I can touch people in a way that helps them believe in themselves
and get them through tough times, then that’s my purpose and my dream come true.”
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Labib Hajjar owner, The Beirut, Toledo, Ohio
Labib Hajjar came to the United States from Lebanon to continue his
education. When war broke out in his home country, he decided to
“wait it out” in the United States. Thirty-seven years, four businesses,
four children and one grandchild later, Labib is still here, living his version
of the American Dream. After working several jobs to support his
education, Labib enlisted some help from friends and family to start his
own pita-bread bakery in 1974. Over the next 25 years, he opened a 75-seat
Lebanese and Italian restaurant followed by two more restaurants. Labib’s restaurants are a starting point for many Lebanese immigrants. He has generously helped lend or co-sign loans for his employees’ education, families and health care.“As with any journey there are many setbacks, but with persistence one can achieve anything,” says Labib.“Even to this day the freedom this country offers resonates strong around the world, luring hard-working over-achievers
to join past generations in the hope of achieving the American Dream.”
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Ema Haq owner, Bailey’s Restaurant, Ema’s Restaurant, Lafayette, La.
For many immigrants to the United States, education is the first step toward the American Dream.Ema Haq made an 8,712-mile journey from Bangladesh to Louisiana in pursuit of an American degree. He paid for school by working in the University of Louisiana’s cafeteria as a dishwasher,
cook and waiter. He served as a mechanical engineer in Louisiana’s oil fields after graduation. In 1993, he opened Bailey’s Seafood and Grill, and today he owns three other businesses: Ema’s Restaurant, Bailey’s Support Services and Bailey’s Offshore Catering. The generosity he was shown by a friend’s mother who invited Ema to share Thanksgiving dinner with them serves as a model for his annual Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts; he and his volunteer staff serve and provide
transportation for 300 people in need each year. Ema also mentors and encourages his young employees.“I tell them,‘There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to buy me out in 10 years. I started
out where you are — you can do anything if you try in this country.’”
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Rafael Medina catering chef, Tom Douglas Restaurants and Catering, Seattle
Rafael Medina is proof that obstacles can make a person stronger. Growing up fatherless in Mexico, Rafael and his siblings helped his mother sell potato tacos on the street. By the time he was eight, Rafael was working a series of odd jobs to help his family stay afoot. Rafael knew this was not the life he was meant to lead. He later crossed the border into the United States, with helicopters hovering above and large security lights glaring brightly in his path. Rafael eventually landed in Chicago
and was hired at the Red Lion Pub, where his love of the restaurant business began. He quickly advanced from dishwasher to prep cook, soaking in all the culinary skills he could. He moved to the Hard Rock Café, which gave him the chance to move up in a larger company. On a trip west, he fell in love with Seattle and its sense of community. He was hired as sous chef and then head chef at Spazzo. Today, Rafael works at Tom Douglas Restaurants as the catering chef. He is a mentor
to many of the staff, teaching them the value of ownership and pride. Helping his community is part of the American Dream, Rafael says. He knows the barriers he faced — including immigration
challenges, no English-speaking skills and little education — drove his ultimate success.“For me, the American Dream means coming to the United States, learning English, buying a home, having a family, honestly working and helping the community.”
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Amrit Patel franchisee, Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, Chicago
Amrit Patel started his career at Dunkin’ Donuts as a baker, and at age 26 became the first Indian-born immigrant to purchase a Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in the Chicago region. Today, he owns more than 30 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants and 17 Baskin-Robbins shops. The son of tobacco and cotton farmers, Amrit achieved his American dream through education and hard work, keeping his Indian background and heritage
alive as he acclimated to U.S. culture.“I had to believe in what I was starting
and convince others of its merits as well,” he says of his initial days of building his business. He hired people with a strong work ethic, and helped them move up. A strong believer in mentoring, Amrit has helped his employees learn not only the foodservice industry, but overall business skills. Some of Amrit’s employees have gone on to become franchisees themselves, often with his financial and emotional support.
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Taru Patel franchisee, Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, Schererville, Ind.
Growing up in India, Taru Patel was fascinated with America. Her dream was to run a successful business, as her father and brother had before her. At a time when advanced education for women wasn’t widely accepted in India, Taru earned her bachelor’s degree in business and then a law degree. In 1987, she and her husband came to America, giving themselves six months to decide if it would become their new home. Within three days,Taru had her first American job,as a crew member at Dunkin’ Donuts.In 1994,she became an owner of a Dunkin’Donuts franchise.Today she owns seven stores. After Taru and her husband became American citizens in 1993, she vowed to help her employees realize their own American dreams by mentoring them to rise within the company. “I want to give back to the country that has welcomed me, and to the communities and people who have helped make my American dream come true,” says Taru.
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Jésus Puerto owner, Soul de Cuba Cafe, Honolulu
Jésus Puerto graduated from high school in 1985 with a 1.7 grade point
average. Just over two decades later, he is a restaurant owner, entrepreneur
and community leader.With his diverse family background — his
parents were African-American and Cuban — Jésus said he found it
tough to fit into any one community as a child.After a battle with spinal
meningitis, Jésus dedicated his life to service. He became a Peace Corps
volunteer, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity in American
Samoa, and a country director for the United Nations. Three years ago, Jésus opened his Soul de Cuba Cafe. The restaurant now has two locations, in New Haven, Conn., and Honolulu.Through a separate business,Jésus and his partners manufacture their Cuban sauces for retail customers, and recently won a contract to supply U.S. military commissaries around the world. Last year Jésus teamed up with three other Hispanic business leaders to start the Latin Business Association of Hawaii. Today, each employee at Soul de Cuba is offered the opportunity to work in any position at any level within the organization; when a team member is ready to branch out on their own, Soul de Cuba has pledged to work with them to establish their own franchise.“
Some time ago I began looking at the challenges I faced in life as opportunities rather than obstacles,”says Jésus.“This approach has helped me achieve the American Dream.”
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Paymon Raouf owner/operator, Paymon’s Mediterranean Café & Lounge, Las Vegas
Paymon Raouf, who grew up in Iran and awaited asylum to America while living in Turkey, says he is always careful to remember just how far he has come on his way to restaurant ownership in America. At 17, Paymon was drafted by the Iranian army for a mandatory two-year tour of duty and was eventually sent to the front lines. When it came time to leave Iran, Paymon had to spend two years as a political-asylum refugee before being allowed to come to the United States. He was eventually sent to
Las Vegas via a sponsorship from Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. Once here, Paymon overcame
struggles to learn English and make ends meet before he and his older brother opened a grocery store. Today, Paymon’s Mediterranean Café & Lounge includes a gourmet market with Mediterranean-themed groceries and spices, a main dining area, a courtyard area and a hookah lounge. Paymon remains committed to cultural diversity in his thriving business. After nearly 20 years in Las Vegas, he now has nearly 100 employees, half of whom are of foreign descent. He is committed to cultural diversity and staff development and retention is a primary mission.
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Jerry Reveron chef/owner, The Woodward House, Bethlehem, Conn.
Jerry Reveron credits a chef instructor at his vocational school with challenging
him to think big.Growing up in a poor household in the inner city, Jerry beat the odds that seemed stacked against him. Today, he and his wife own and operate their own restaurant. Jerry says his mentor reinforced
in him the message of hard work and hope,which drove him to work through the ranks of the restaurant industry to master the front and back ends of the business. Grateful for the opportunities given to him, he makes it a priority to mentor others, working with culinary students at a local inner city high school and leading them in national competitions. Jerry also hires young students to work in his restaurants and teaches
classes in the community to share his experiences and expertise.“I get up every morning and challenge
myself to be better at what I do, to work harder, to reach the next level,” Jerry says.“Most of all, I am thankful for all that I have and all that this great country has to offer.”
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Salvador Rico director of quality control, Mexican Restaurants Inc., Houston
Salvado Rico came to America at 16 in search of work as a roofer, but bad weather and a shortage of work landed him at Casa Olé restaurant as a dishwasher. Affectionately known around Mexican Restaurants Inc. (MRI) as “Rico,” his performance and passion were so evident early on that within months he was asked to become a chef and later kitchen manager. Since 1989, he has helped to design and open more than 40 new
restaurants for MRI. Although Rico has no formal schooling or training in the culinary arts, company executives say he rivals “some of the best in our business.” Today, as MRI’s head chef and director of food quality assurance, he develops new menu items, oversees training of more than 1,000 kitchen personnel and finds new ways to boost profitability across the company’s
seven brands and 80 restaurants. “I have been blessed to have had the strength and drive to work extremely hard to be able to overcome the single most challenging obstacle of my life — having entered into this wondrous country chasing that American Dream,” says Rico.
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Saúl Rubio owner, La Carreta’s Restaurants, Hammond, La.
Saúl Rubio fondly remembers “la carretas” — small wagons loaded with colorful, homegrown produce — that dotted the streets of his hometown
in Mexico.Today,he has turned a combined passion for his homeland
and the restaurant business into his own La Carreta, an authentic eatery with several locations in Louisiana featuring vintage architecture
and cuisine reminiscent of old Mexico. After finishing his schooling in Mexico, Saúl came to America to focus on making a better future. He eagerly
tackled any job he could — washing dishes, waiting tables and construction work — to save enough money to open his own restaurant. After three years of scraping together
money and securing a loan from his former boss, Saúl opened La Carreta’s. The majority of his staff is from Mexico — together, they help educate patrons about Mexican cuisine, language and culture to provide everyone with a unique dining experience. Saúl says his employees are the secret to his success:“Good employees are critical to any business, but in the food business, they have to like what they do.”Now 10 years later,Saúl is living his American Dream with business ventures
that have expanded into six locations including an Adobe Cantina and Salsa Restaurant.
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Viny Ruotulo Sarnataro owner, Italian Delight, South Boston, Va.
Viny Ruotulo Sarnataro knows all about hard starts in life. He grew up poor in Naples, Italy, and at age 12 was working 14-hour shifts washing dishes for $10 a day. But Viny believes that when “life is hard and nothing is handed to you, you learn responsibility, motivation and you appreciate even more what you earn and achieve.”Viny came to the United States in 1993, putting in long hours in his uncle’s restaurant. He sent money home to his family in Italy and saved whatever he could, learning English along the way.
In 1997,Viny had put away enough money to open a small restaurant with a partner,later buying out his partner to operate the business on his own. In 2002, Viny moved his business from a 1,500square-
foot building to a space of more than 8,500 square feet. While times can be tough in his town’s competitive restaurant business, he says his attitude is to always stay positive and work hard, knowing that things will always improve. Viny was awarded the 2004 Business Person of the Year Award and the 2007 Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “I am living the American Dream,” says Viny.“I have always tried to make the most of every situation, work hard and keep a positive attitude. If it’s smooth sailing all the time, you start to take things for granted.”
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Al Saleh owner, Native New Yorker, Avondale, Ariz.
Al Saleh came to the United States in 1985 from Iraq with his father, but found himself on his own when his father had to quickly return to their country. Speaking little English, Al started college and then secured his first job as a cook at McDonald’s, slowly working his way up the ranks at the quickservice giant,including a position as an operations consultant for
the company’s regional office. After 16 years at McDonald’s, Al was ready to venture out on his own. He opened his first Native New Yorker restaurant in
2003 in Avondale, Arizona, leading the location to double-digit sales increases each month for the first three years.Al was able to secure a Small Business Administration loan to purchase
the land and construct the building for a third location this year and has signed to open a fourth location soon. One of his main priorities as a business leader is promoting from within; all but one of his 14 managers started at the bottom and worked their way up. “I have always said Al is truly the American Dream,” says his wife Cathy.“He started with nothing other than drive, survivorship, a big heart, strong character and a positive outlook on life, friends and family. He believes that good fortune is measured from all the good things that you do in life for yourself, your family and others.”
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Tyronda Stewart Weinert owner, Potato Valley Cafe-Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Nev.
Growing up in some of the roughest neighborhoods of Washington, DC, with a drug-addicted mother and an absentee father would be tough. But Tyronda Stewart Weinert beat the sobering statistics and today is a successful restaurant owner. Tyronda is a mentor as well, coaching her employees in the restaurant business. Knowing how tough it can be to get started without support, Tyronda has offered to help several
of her employees write their own business plans so they can one day
open a cafe or start their own business.Tyronda is a powerful advocate for feeding the hungry and homeless, largely because she remembers her own days of going without food. She is also a big supporter of other small business owners on her block, feeding their workers on holidays or sending
over lunches when the shop has no one to cover the store.“The American Dream means to me the ability to care for my family, my community and myself,” says Tyronda.“Even in a big city like Las Vegas, I have turned my little cafe into our own real-life ‘Cheers’.”
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James Young founder/chairman and CEO, Abuelo’s/Food Concepts International, Lubbock, Texas
It’s a long way — and a huge cultural divide — from Taiwan to the heart of dusty west Texas. But James Young made that daring journey in pursuit
of his American dream, one of attending graduate school in the United States. Although he knew little English, James began to adapt to life in Lubbock while he worked two jobs — one as a waiter at a small Chinese restaurant and another at a local McDonald’s — to support his graduate school education. James and his new wife opened their own Chinese restaurant near campus one summer, paying $150 in month-to-month rent for a vacated taco stand. After three months, his little enterprise showed a profit. James never returned to school after that summer, instead bringing his parents from Taiwan to help open a second restaurant. By the mid-1980s, his Chinese Kitchen concept had grown to 16 restaurants throughout Texas and New Mexico. In 1987, James teamed up with an industry veteran for a new authentic Mexican fare concept, opening the first Abuelo’s in Amarillo,Texas.Today,Abuelo’s operates 39 units in 15 states and last year had sales of nearly $120 million. James feels strongly about helping others. His company uses an acronym — HEARTS — to demonstrate the company’s core values: Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, Teamwork and Support. “My enjoyment comes from seeing an opportunity and enlisting the help of others so that we can all benefit from that opportunity,” James says.“America is the land of opportunities! My ‘American Dream’ has been realized by setting
goals, maximizing the value of all the resources that are available to me, and diligently advancing myself by learning new knowledge.”
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