Mirza Salguero, Luis Gonzalez, Milvia Salguero, Noel Castillo, Marieny Salguero, Hector Chavarria.
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By Natalia Otero
Running a seafood restaurant is challenging in ways most other restaurants are not. Price variability, fish quality, handling, and preparation make selling seafood demanding.
The owners of Ocean Paradise in Fairfax, Virginia have 30 years of experience working with fish. They are a partnership of six—three Guatemalan sisters and their husbands: Mirza Salguero and Luis González; Marieny Salguero and Héctor Chavarria; and Milvia Salguero and Noel Castillo.
The first four partners have extensive experience preparing fish, and the last of the sisters and her husband are experts in restaurant management. With each person’s knowledge, they guarantee fresh fish, high-quality dishes, and the experience of a sophisticated restaurant.
The partners opened Ocean Paradise in 2021, when they realized that there was no place in Fairfax specializing in seafood. They serve lobster, fresh fish, salmon, tuna, crab, shrimp, prawns, oysters, and other seafood. All are delicate fish that require the utmost care when ordering and storing.
Quality and Price Fluctuate
A selection of the cuisine at Ocean Paradise.
The quality and price of fish can fluctuate more than meat, and quality varies depending on the season and supplier.
To deal with that, Milvia Salguero created a list of suppliers the partners trust. Prior to opening the restaurant, the partners worked at Whole Foods, so they knew who the best fish suppliers were and where each sources its fish.
Before setting the menu, the six partners met with each supplier and tasted the fish they would be buying. They didn't mind if the price was higher for better quality.
Prices in the seafood market fluctuate frequently, but Salguero made a strategic decision to limit menu price changes: “I change the menu only twice a year. That way, if I see that I need to raise the price of a dish, I do it, but only twice. Seafood prices always go up and down, but I know that I have to allow a 10% margin for that fluctuation in order to make a profit and not lose money.”
This also ensures consistency in the menu, making sure that customers are satisfied without feeling that prices are changing all the time.
Handling and Cooking
Fish is more perishable than meat and requires very careful handling to avoid contamination and maintain freshness.
“Based on our sales during the week, we know that weekends are busier and Mondays and Tuesdays are slower. So I know I have to order less for those days, because everything we order has to be consumed that day,” Salguero explains.
They do have coolers and freezers to store the fish, but they try to make sure that nothing is left over and that everything served in the restaurant is fresh fish caught that day. This is a huge challenge that requires coordination between the kitchen and the administration.
“To have a partnership of six, communication is very important, as are management teams that allow all areas to communicate with each other,” says Salguero. Specifically, as far as she is concerned: “The challenge is to keep an eye on everything. I am also in charge of looking at reviews, which are very useful for us to know how we can improve. As well as feeding the social networks and being present in the dining room, having direct contact with customers.”
According to Salguero, the sisters inherited their cooking talent from their mother, Petrona Grijalba. Every dish on the menu – which includes many traditional seafood dishes and several with a Latin twist -- is made from scratch.
Popular appetizers include chorizo mussels and crab guacamole. A feature of the entrée menu is a list of fresh caught fish, such as salmon, tilapia and tuna, that customers can pair with any of a range of sauces – including Cajun, ginger miso and lemon caper cream – and two sides.
Although a fish restaurant can present unique challenges, the team at Ocean Paradise demonstrate that good management, excellent supplier relations, and skilled preparation can lead to success.
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