Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Ramos.
Hi Luis, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I came to the United States 17 years ago from my country, Guatemala, where I graduated in business administration. I started to look for a job and the first thing I found was for dishwasher. I took the job immediately without having any experience. They taught me to how to wash dishes, then they ask me if I wanted to learn how to cook and I said sure in the course of 4 months I was in charge of the kitchen.
That place was more than a school for they taught me everything I needed to know, what I am now, and the knowledge I have.
After that, I moved to Utah, where it was a hard change for me. I had to start all over without knowing anyone or having any relatives or help nearby. Me and My wife started looking for jobs immediately when we got here.
I found a part-time job which was much less than what I earned in NY, even with the experience that I had. I took the job and it was in a restaurant then I had to get another part-time job in car wash.
After some time, they put me in charge of the restaurant and I start to establishing myself economically again.
One of the things that I like is that we can do everything we think about, nothing is impossible. When I arrived to the United States, I said to myself that when I turn 25 years old, I wanted to have my own company. I did not know at that time what company it would be, but I had that dream of have my own company and to run my own business. I was 23 when I started my first restaurant, I was given the opportunity to open my first restaurant with a partner, then my older brother visited me and he liked the idea of the restaurant and told me to open another restaurant. I had to travel an average of 5 hours a day to get to the 2 restaurants and I started to get tired and decided to sell one and keep only one.
Over the course of 6 months, things were not good for the restaurant in 2008 when the recession was in and we decided to close. all my dreams had fallen apart. I thought I would never be able to start and get ahead again, losing everything economically and still being in debt I thought that I would never be able to get back up again.
Everyone looked at me like a failure, our friends stopped talking to us., so much lost.
But Then I thought I’m not going to give up and had the courage to start all over again, I promised myself that this time I would have another restaurant at 30 years old and I was 23 or 24.
I found a job in a restaurant always starting from the bottom and then becoming the manager of the restaurant then that restaurant that I used to work also closed in the course of 1 year then I found another job and then again to start from the bottom and then they put me in charge of the kitchen.
I always worked hard and with passion for what I did and that’s what made me different from others, after working in that place they invite us to participate in spice on ice in Logan. We accepted the invitation and it was a chef competition from most of the restaurants in cache valley and around the city. the competition consisted of cooking for an average of 350 people in which they would rate which would be the best dish and cook for some judges who would also rate the dishes
There were many overcooked chefs with a history of over 20 years cooking experience. I thought it was ridiculous that I was there, and I would not be able win anything. after cooking for the people and judges count the votes and the awards come, to the surprise I won first place in the people’s choice and first place in the judges and chef of the year 2013 that opened many doors for me, they invited me to several television shows and since then I told myself that I will never stop dreaming.
When I turned 30, I said to myself I can go back to my own business because I always work hard and with passion from another restaurants that are not mine, I could do the same for my own restaurant and I was given the opportunity to buy a restaurant but I had a problem that I did not have all the money and so I had to find a partner who would help me financially
I asked several of my family and friends if they wanted to join and some made fun of me and said that I had already failed once it was impossible for me to succeed.
My family also told me that why would I try since I had a good job, even my wife was afraid that we would lose everything again.
I questioned myself and asked myself if I would do it or not first of all, I make all my plans in the name of God and I said that I know the will of my heavenly father.
and I decided to start a business again, no close friend or family member wanted to invest with me thinking that I would fail again. then a person appeared without knowing him decided to invest without knowing me
Thank God, everything was a success in the first year.
Then I had the opportunity to buy and open other restaurants and we have 4 restaurants with an average of 80 employees now even family and friends who said no at first to me, want to invest with me now.
Many said that it was luck that I am successful now. But it’s not luck, it’s having passion and hard work that has made me successful and working 15+ hours 7 days a week is what makes the difference in success now.
Now my first failure, as many call it, I see it as a Lesson and I will always remember it, not to make those mistakes I made there.
I always have dreams and I have many plans that I am working on now and I will never stop dreaming because if I dreamed once, I know it will come true.
One of the restaurants (Los primos restaurant) we bought later we have worked hard to make it successful, and we are still succeeding. we had an invitation from food network to participate in con guy fiery diner and dives in which it was another of my dreams of being able to reach the food network.
I dreamed it, worked hard for it and made it come true again.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road to me, many challenges came through the course of so many years before I was able to be what I am and have now.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Firehouse Pizzeria, we are specialized in Pizza and Firestone-cooked meals (like pasta, bread, etc.) everything made in our kitchen from scratch.
Los primos restaurants, we are specialized in Latin Salvadorian-Mexican cooked meals (like tacos, burritos, etc.) everything made in our kitchen’s same day and from scratch.
What were you like growing up?
Me and My family went through so many struggles growing up, but I was always persistent and always work hard for what I wanted in life. Never to back up in my dreams and no matter how much I failed to always get back up and keep fighting hard for my dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: Firehousepizzeria.com
- Instagram: Firehouse pizzeria And Los primos restaurant
- Facebook: Firehouse pizzeria And Los primos restaurant
