Meet Allan Gonzalez Barquero

 

We recently connected with Allan Gonzalez Barquero and have shared our conversation below.

Allan , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from my experiences, support from friends and family, personal values, and how I handled challenges in the past. Family is a powerful source of resilience.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

A large part, or practically all, of my life has been focused on gastronomy. I quickly became the Executive Chef of a large chain, thanks to my hard work and dedication. A couple of years ago, I started and took over a family business (a bar). Little by little, we are making subtle changes to the menu and managing costs and employees to take the business to another level, allowing me to enjoy more quality time with my loved ones. With my experience in the culinary world, we are offering a broader range of flavors to our customers, as the bar has been in operation for over 40 years. Our business is a family-friendly and welcoming place where people can quickly feel like part of the group. I am excited about providing unique and tasteful experiences to diners, expanding their culinary horizons while always maintaining our tradition and respect for what my parents created.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Family values, hard and focused work, and a strong desire to succeed. Never give up; there will always be setbacks and sometimes people who don’t contribute anything to our lives. We must be consistent and keep our eyes on the goal, all while thinking about not harming anyone. Hard work and effort pay off on their own—always move forward and alongside those who support us unconditionally: our family and friends.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

Recently, the challenge has been having the right staff. It’s been a year of many changes, and forming a team that I can trust to do their work with love and goodwill has been a struggle. Right now, we have a new person in our kitchen who seems very willing, and we hope they stay with us for a long time and become part of our small family.

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