A big CaféChavalos welcome for Lilly Filipow who joins us as the new chef trainer. While, as many of you may already know, we’ve had problems recruiting for the position, in the end the solution was right on our doorstep.
Lilly trained as a professional chef and has a career including a spell as a cooking teacher working with both young children and teenagers.
In addition she has also had her own restaurant in California and a catering business in New York.
An eclectic career also includes time recipe testing and menu planning for major food corporations.
More recently she's worked as a restaurant consultant here in Nicaragua, with a number of establishments.
Plus, in Granada, home of CaféChavalos, she ran Lily’s Restaurant which was located inside Casa San Francisco.
Now she’s working with Café Chavalos founder Donna Tabor to prepare for the opening of the new restaurant which is on the corner of Calles Martirio and Arsenal. Opening night looks likely to be before the end of June.
Lilly lists her big challenges with the Chavalos as quality, accountability, consistency and service.
She comments: “I’ve been knocked out by the guys. Where they have come from and how the Chavalos program has helped them turn their lives around is incredible.
“On the one hand, I want them to learn, not just about how to make great food but the entrepreneurial skills that come with running a restaurant and the all round package of keeping a business afloat and organised.
“But, of equal importance, I have to ensure that for our customers their trip to CaféChavalos is a memorable one for all the right reasons.”
While the CaféChavalos team waits for the work to be completed on the new restaurant, Lilly is making sure they don’t forget any of their culinary skills.
A number of group bookings have been taken and have been served at Lilly’s own home – behind the Santa Lucia Social Club on Calle Santa Lucia – another project that Lilly is locally well-known for.
The events to-date, all well-received by diners, have ensured that not only much needed funds continue to help support the project, but also the Chavalos legend is not forgotten and everyone continues to eagerly anticipate the new location.
Donna comments: “Lilly will be a vital member of our team and her knowledge of the hospitality industry will be invaluable. She has the dual advantage of knowing and understanding the local Nicaraguan culture as well as the requirements of tourists and expats from the States and overseas.”
In the meantime, for Lily, the success of Donna’s Building New Hope projects has demonstrated what can be achieved and she is eager for the challenge of the new CaféChavalos.
Visiting us right now, here in Granada, Nicaragua, is Spokane-based artist Katherine Staib Derrick.