Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Oates.
Mike, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My first job, in 1985, was in a seafood market/restaurant – cutting, cleaning, cooking fish and seafood. A few years later, I moved on to a larger seafood market/production plant where we process all types of seafood, made spice blends, marinades, and pre-packaged, ready-to-cook dinners. I also worked for Disneyland in their culinary department, and as manager of a local restaurant in Fullerton.
While working in the hospitality/food service industry, I studied business, receiving my MBA from Cal State Fullerton in 1994. I have always loved to travel, and spent several years during and after my stay at Cal State Fullerton exploring Mexico and Spain. The idea for Cafe Hidalgo came to me while traveling in the Mexican state of Yucatan. I wanted to create a dining experience that combined the rustic flavors and decor of Mexico, with the elegant and artistic feel of old Spain. Miguel Hidalgo is considered to be the “George Washington” of Mexico – a revered figure who represents art, culture, style, and community. Most of the decor and recipes found at Cafe Hidalgo today can be traced back to my travels abroad.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has been windy and unpaved, with many twists and turns. I’d say the most difficult part has been adapting to the many social and economic changes the restaurant industry has seen over the past 20 years. When we opened, the first iPhone was still 10 years away. There was no Facebook, open table, google maps. We hand wrote our tickets and snapped them onto a spinning wheel in the kitchen. We used a primitive register, and when our credit card machine wasn’t working, we took hard copy impression of guests charge cards and entered the data later after we closed up.
As a restaurant owner, I had to embrace change. Surviving meant adapting not only to new technology, but to a new work force. Employees. My first round of employees were Gen X’ers like me. Now, most of my employees are Millennials, with goals, mindsets, learning techniques, and ideas as to what is truly important to them that are very different from my generation. Growth means being willing to change, and although difficult at times, I’ve tried my best to welcome new ideas and business models.
A restaurant is many businesses rolled in to one. Start with a concept, find a location, decorate it and make it comfortable, jump through the government regulation hoops, add a lot of perishable inventory, mix in a diverse hospitality and kitchen staff, and keep everyone happy. it takes constant monitoring and adjusting to maintain a consistent operation. And one of the most important things about our business is consistency.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cafe Hidalgo story. Tell us more about the business.
Cafe Hidalgo is one of the only Modern Southwest style restaurants in the Orange County area. We are famous for our Chimichurri steak, our sautéed calamari in roasted poblano sauce, and our award-winning Sangria, an adaptation of a famous Barcelona recipe.
Our decor is rustic and unique – A hip spot to see and be seen. Good for families, and for couples looking for a romantic night out.
We are located in The Villa del Sol building in Downtown Fullerton, a historic location.
Our courtyard, where we hold weddings and large events, is one of the most beautiful venue locations in the South LA/Orange County area.
Our front of the house staff is helpful and friendly. Our kitchen staff has been with me for over 15 years.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see many more restaurants going to an “order at the table” type of experience where orders are placed, server checkbacks are made, and tickets are paid all from a tablet device located right at your table. Several chains and owner operated locations already use this method of course, but with higher labor costs, and the increases in payroll tax, workers comp, and all the other costs that come with it, self-serve style experiences are going showing up more and more over the next 10 years.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve seen restaurants change from a restaurant driven experience, to a customer driven experience. What I mean is, it used to be the restaurant telling the diner what they wanted. “Here is our menu, this is what we serve, what would you like?” Now, the guest is telling the restaurant, “This is what we want, and we’d like it prepared this way, and if we can’t find anything like it on the menu, we will go across the street.” Sure, it may be a little bit of both, and who’s to say which one is really driving which. But there is definitely more of a call from diners letting the restaurants know what they are looking for. Perhaps competition is a reaction to this, or perhaps competition has spurred it. Remember, we didn’t always have “free refills.” In 10 years, with full automation, will the guest be able to create their own meals from scratch? Who knows. It may not me as farfetched as it sounds.
Pricing:
- Lunches range from $11 – $18
- Dinner entrees range from $18-$30
Contact Info:
- Address: 305 N. Harbor
111 - Website: CafeHidalgo.com
- Phone: 7144473202
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cafe-Hidalgo-87528232866/
Image Credit:
Joel Eckman Maus; Studio EMP
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