My university started at like 9 in the morning, I had just two classes or so. And then two o'clock, I was going to the restaurant, going to the kitchen, helping the chef prepare Italian food. By five o'clock, which the restaurant was open for evening, I was a waiter going serving.
Then one day, the Spanish chef and Italian owner, they had argument. They had a kind of fight. And the Spanish chef left, he quit.
So the Italian owner said to me, ‘There is nobody in the kitchen. The ladies in the kitchen can cook but they cannot read the order in English and they cannot order food from suppliers.’
‘So you go to the kitchen.’
And that's how I went to the kitchen, learned Italian cooking from the two ladies, and then, uh, I was kind of chef in that kitchen. I think after two years from that date, I I opened my first restaurant, which was named Mr. Cappuccino.
You know, the barrier is not only for language, it's not just a skill. Because if you want to go start your own business, you need the capital, stuff like that.
My first loan for the restaurant was government small business loan, which is a loan that the federal government provides you.
It's still available today, but much harder. [Back then,] you have to guarantee only 25 percent of that loan, so it's easier. Or you get it from a financial institution. I got that loan to start my bigger restaurant.And there was always challenges, but today it's different. You know, today challenges, I think there's more challenges. It's harder. At that time, there was much more independent restaurants—Mom and Dad restaurant type of thing. Today, there's so many chains. It’s hard to compete with a chain because the chain has a lot of money [to promote].
Fred - Pasta Polo
During that time, promotion was different. There was no Internet there was no social media, so relationships and word of mouth was very important. [And so] today, with all these things, you have to promote yourself in different ways. My best supporter was always community. This restaurant still gets help from the community because I take care of the community.
Even when I'm successful, I do not forget my background. I do not forget other people." - Fred, Founder
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the 150 Time Immemorial Grant Program.
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