Three remarkable restaurant managers have been chosen as the first, second, and third place winners in the 2016 el Restaurante Manager of the Year program. The program, sponsored by Jarritos, is designed to honor the hard-working, dedicated managers who power the success of Mexican and other Latin-cuisine restaurants in the United States.
“Managers are the unsung heroes of the restaurant business, and we were amazed at the stories we read on the nomination forms,” says Ed Avis, publisher of el Restaurante. “The three winners are among the absolutely best managers in the business, but all of the nominees in the program deserve to be proud of their accomplishments.”
The First Place winner is Miguel Solano, manager of Azteca Restaurant in Toms River, New Jersey. “Miguel has an easy going but serious personality which allows him to get the most out of all of our employees and still get along well with everyone,” wrote Tony Schiano, owner of the restaurant, in the nomination form. “He leads by example, and makes others around him better.”
The Second Place winner is Stephanie Gomez, manager of Rio Mirage Café in Surprise, Arizona. “We cannot say enough about what Stephanie’s dedication has meant to us,” wrote Rachel Gomez, the restaurant owner, in the nomination form. “Her guests love her and always ask for her, as she enjoys visiting them as much as they do her.”
The Third Place winner is Rachel Griffith, general manager of Go Burrito in Salisbury, North Carolina. “Rachel is the one person who makes me wish I had a cloning machine,” wrote Mikey Wetzel, owner of Go Burrito, in the nomination form. “She’s an excellent people manager, to the point that many employees who turn over end up asking to get rehired. She’s helped me build sales from $0 to $1.4 million annually.”
The three top winners received cash prizes and certificates, and will be profiled in the Fall issue of el Restaurante magazine.
All of the other nominees will receive handsome certificates and will be listed in the issue.