PUBLISHER’S NOTE: One of the highlights of each year for the staff of el Restaurante is reading the nominations for our Manager of the Year Contest, and this year was no exception. The candidates this year were all highly talented managers, and it was difficult — as always — for us to choose the best managers. But we think you’ll agree when you read the profiles below that the winners are exceptionally skilled managers that any restaurant would be lucky to have. Congratulations to all of them, and to the runners-up! And thank you to Gordo’s Foodservice, our generous sponsor for this year’s contest.
BY ED AVIS
FIRST PLACE: LUIS SOLANO, Felipe’s Taqueria
Luis Solano
When Luis Solano found a job at Felipe’s Taqueria in New Orleans in 2014, he wasn’t seeking a restaurant career. The single father of three children had worked in construction until that time and was really just looking for a job.
“It was not my type of job, but I soon realized this job was right for me,” Solano says, adding that he has felt called to be a leader his whole life, and the job at Felipe’s gave him that chance. “I like to be proud of what I do.”
And Solano has a right to be proud. Lon Nichols, director of human resources at Felipe’s, which has eight locations, wrote in the nomination form that Solano mastered all of the kitchen positions within three years. He became the general manager of the restaurant’s French Quarter location in June 2021.
“In my time as the HR director of Felipe’s and more than 25 years in hospitality, I have not worked with a better man than Luis,” Nichols wrote.
When Solano took over the French Quarter location, he quickly brought the staff up to the restaurant’s quality standards. But he did it by being a fair and gentle leader.
“I never scream or try to offend anybody,” he says. “I like to teach people how to do the job right. I don’t care how you talk or walk; all I care about is what you do in your job.”
Other people at Felipe’s have noticed how well Solano does his job.
“Luis is someone who is pensive, retrospective, and cares about others,” wrote Pike Howard, the company’s director of finance and development, in his nomination of Solano. “He cares about how his actions impact others and realizes that being a leader is less about yourself and more about the overall health of the team.”
Perhaps the best endorsement of Solano came from the nomination form submitted by Katie Gerig, the restaurant’s catering event manager. “Luis is amazing, he manages his restaurant with ease, has respect from all his team, and cares for each and every one of them,” she wrote. “Our French Quarter location is a well-oiled machine because of his skill and management style and oversight. We are lucky to have him!”
SECOND PLACE: AMANDA GARAY, El Toro Mexican Restaurant
Amanda Garay
When Amanda Garay comes into El Toro each morning, she greets every employee with a high-five, a fist bump, or at least a friendly “Hi!” Doing that is one way she makes sure that everyone feels valued. Another way she does that is by leading with positivity.
“I like sitting down with people and focusing on their strengths and coaching them on their weaknesses,” says Garay, the kitchen manager of the Clute, Texas location of El Toro, which has six locations in that state. “You leave with a new skill without me tearing you down as an employee. I take great pride in that.”
Garay, who has worked in jobs ranging from electronics sales to medical coding, joined El Toro a little over two years ago and became the kitchen manager about nine months ago.
“The El Toro team and myself have been very impressed with the work Amanda has been doing,” wrote John Mayes, vice president of operations and pastor of El Toro, in his nomination of Garay. “She has done everything we have asked in the kitchen and more. We have had many individuals in charge of the kitchen in Clute, but no one has been able to achieve the results like Amanda.”
One key move Garay made when she started as kitchen manager was formally evaluating each kitchen employee. Not only did this let her get to know everyone, but also eliminated an attitude of “every man for himself” and encouraged employees to work as a team.
“We combed out the negativity,” she says. “Now it’s very much teamwork activity.”
Garay lives in Houston and drives 52 minutes to work each day. During the last five minutes of that drive, she turns on the theme song from the movie “Rocky,” which fires her up for the work day.
“Rocky was the underdog who persevered,” she says. “I’m an addict in recovery — I have been sober for three years — so I have come from that situation. I really discovered who I was as a manager when I got sober. Some people in recovery want to return to who they were before the addiction; I became more than I was.”
THIRD PLACE (TIE): TAYLOR GARNER, Taco Mama
Taylor Garner
One day Taylor Garner noticed that the floor in Taco Mama in Hot Springs, Arkansas was not swept well, and she asked her staff who swept last. A new server raised her hand and said, “I did! Did I do a good job?” Garner replied, “Well, not really, but maybe you could do a better job tomorrow.”
That tender reply exemplifies Garner’s management style. She treats everyone with kindness and respect and encourages them to seek her help when needed.
“We want people to have a great working environment and not be stressed out,” says Garner, who has worked at Taco Mama for four years and became the front of house manager about a year ago. “I’m always nice to people, and I make it so I’m the first person they come to if they have a question.”
Another key to Garner’s success is that she never hesitates to jump in to help. In addition to all of her managerial tasks, including scheduling, hiring and training, she is the restaurant’s main bartender.
“I try to perform any role they need me to, including managing staff, waiting tables or tending bar,” she says. “I feel like that helps put me at the level of the servers. Sometimes when you’re a manager you forget what it was like to be a server, and I don’t want to do that.”
Taco Mama owners Shane and Diana Bratton praised Garner’s can-do spirit when nominating her: “Taylor’s attention to detail and her customer service are impeccable and her smile and attitude keep our customers coming back to see her. Taylor is an unbelievable asset for us at Taco Mama.”
THIRD PLACE (TIE): JHONATAN SANCHEZ, El Taco Macho
Jhonatan Sanchez
When Jhonatan Sanchez became the manager of El Taco Macho in Painesville, Ohio two and a half years ago, one of the first changes he made was to instill a sense of teamwork in his staff.
“I come from a culture of teamwork and if you work as a team, things will flow better,”
he says. “When I came to the restaurant and started as a manager, people were very individual. In other words, you did your job and you didn’t care about the work of others. So, I said, ‘We have to improve that — let’s work as a team.’”
But he didn’t stop there — he also made process improvements. For example, when he noticed the restaurant’s ordering and inventory processes were not ideal, he created a system that carefully reviews each week’s orders to better estimate how much of everything to order.
“I think that was one of the things that made my boss very happy, because the bills began to drop,” he says.
In the nomination form for Sanchez, his boss noted that Sanchez also has been essential to improving the overall experience for customers: “He makes decisions about which dish to improve, which recipe to change, which new drink to offer. He knows what will give customers a good experience from the moment they enter.”
Sanchez is quick to credit his staff for some of the restaurant’s success. He listens to the ideas they offer and sometimes makes changes based on them.
“My co-workers have ideas that can be much better than my own,” he says. “For example, a waiter can tell me the lighting is too dark or the music is too repetitive, or someone in the kitchen can tell me this sauce needs a bit of spice or we can change the presentation of this plate to make it better. What makes a good manager is to know how to listen.”
The results of Sanchez’s efforts are clear, his boss wrote: “Many things have improved since Jhonatan arrived at the restaurant. Now our clients are satisfied, they place good reviews, and every day morecustomers come to us.”
Ed Avis is publisher of el Restaurante.
2022 HONORABLE MENTIONS
The quotes are from the nominating forms submitted for each winner.
• Gabriel Camacho, Porkyland, San Diego:
“Gabriel is not afraid of jumping on the cooking line or doing the register. Gabriel’s incredible value is his honesty.”
• Wendel Cebada, El Bruno’s, Cuba, New Mexico:
“She goes above and beyond not only for her customers but her staff as well!”
• Maria de Hoyos, Gios Taqueria, Carrollton, Texas:
“La mejor tanto como manager, chef y administradora del negocio siempre con una carisma y sonrisa.”
• Alex Garcia, D’Casa, Tupelo, Mississippi:
“Alex goes above and beyond for his customers.”
• Edgar Garcia, Margaritas Kitchen and Cantina, San Diego:
“He has formed an incredible teamwork with his leadership skills.”
• Paulo Ochoa, La Playa Mexican Café, San Antonio:
“Es apasionado con lo que hace y sobre todo se la pasa bien porque le gusta lo que hace.”
• Adriana Oseguera, Taco Mama, Hot Springs, Arkansas:
“Not only does she take pride in her craft of cooking; she also excels in every aspect of the kitchen.”
• Patrick Service, Las Casuelas Terraza,
Palm Springs, California:
“Pat has stepped up to the problems and overcome the issues he inherited. The staff respect him and work hard to be sure the quality of food and service are top of the line.”
• Claudia Vazquez, La Baja Birrieria Tijuana,
Stockton, California:
“Tiene excelente servicio al cliente muy amable y sobreto responsible.”