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In an industry where staff can have a high turnover rate and longevity can be something of a rarity, these dedicated souls are not only committed to their craft of hospitality, but they are also passionate about the team they work with. According to the following restaurant lifers, their co-workers are more like family members. And when you care about the people around you, staying in the same place is a no-brainer.
Jennifer Shoop, Director of Operations at PROSECCO
Having grown up outside St. Louis, Jennifer Shoop’s small-town experience completely changed when she moved to Chicago to finish her undergraduate degree at Columbia College Chicago. She graduated with a degree in marketing, however, she declined an advertising job that was offered to her. When a friend connected her to a job at a restaurant, “it was love at first shift,” she describes.
Two years later, she took an opportunity to work with partners, Mark and Stefania Sparacino of PROSECCO. This past August, she celebrated her 10-year anniversary with them. She not only believes that PROSECCO’s hospitality and food are second to none, but that the owners truly value all the skills she brings to the table. When she can’t be near her real family every day, the staff of PROSECCO is the second best option she could have ever dreamt of.
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José Lozano, Server Assistant at Blackbird
With an impressive 19 years under his belt, José Lozano is one of Blackbird’s most faithful employees. Lozano got his start in the restaurant industry in Jalisco, Mexico. Shortly after moving to the US in 1993, he worked at restaurants in California. He swapped the West Coast for the Midwest in 1996 and began working in downtown Chicago’s buzzing dining scene. In 1998, one year after Executive Chef Paul Kahan opened the doors of Blackbird, Lozano applied and was offered a server assistant position.
Since joining Blackbird nearly two decades ago, Lozano has gained more insight about the food/beverage/hospitality industry than he ever imagined. For this, he thanks all his mentors, including One Off Hospitality Partner and dear friend, Rick (Ricky) Diarmit, who passed away in 2018. Today, Lozano maintains his position amid his teammates that he admits are more like family members. Nineteen years and counting, Lozano is an integral part of the concept. Without him, it wouldn’t be Blackbird.
Gerardo Castillo, Manager at Vivere at Italian Village Restaurants
Gerardo Castillo grew up in Central Mexico with a very large family. After deciding that neither farming nor the family store was his calling, he headed to California and worked with his uncle at a local restaurant as a dishwasher. When he moved to Chicago, another family connection introduced him to Ray Capitanini, the second-generation owner at The Village. Castillo started out as a busser at The Florentine Room (now Vivere), working under the mentorship of Angelo Castillo from Italy.
When the third generation of the Capitanini family took over in 1990, Vivere was born, and as one of the most experienced servers, Castillo found himself serving notable guests, including Mayor Richard Daley, Frank Sinatra, and the likes. He eventually was promoted to a management position. “I truly enjoy working in the restaurant industry…I wear many hats, and I wear them with pride,” he shares. “Everyone is important, and I treat my team members like family.”
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Kevin Haladay, Private Dining Captain at The Signature Room at the 95th®
After growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Kevin Haladay moved to Chicago in 1977 to study theater at Northwestern University. Being an actor, he took to waiting tables in order to provide a steady income while pursuing his ambition of making it big. In 1983, he began working at what was then called ‘The 95th’ alongside Rick Roman and Nick Pyknis. Roman and Pyknis eventually became the owners of the The Signature Room at the 95th® in 1993. Since the switch in ownership, Haladay has served as the banquet captain, leading the operations side of private dining. “Private events are very much like doing a theater show,” Haladay admits.
This career satisfies his passion for the arts, and Haladay has had the honor of serving a multitude of famous guests, including Bobby Knight, Barack Obama, and Jimmy Carter. Haladay isn’t the only “lifer” at The Signature Room; 21 employees have been here since the 1993 opening, and over 40 employees have stayed for more than 15 years.
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Rafael Lopez, Maître D’ at Le Colonial
Maître D’ Rafael Lopez joined the Le Colonial family in 1997, greeting and seating guests six nights a week. Over twenty years later, Lopez still steers the ship of hospitality. Known for seeing what’s coming before it arrives, Lopez is an integral part of the staff that keeps this celebrated French-Vietnamese restaurant going strong in Gold Coast.
At the end of the year, Le Colonial will be moving into a bigger space on Oak Street. Lopez, along with the rest of the team, will be moving to the new location as well. “Our guests and the team at Le Colonial are my family, and I love treating our guests the same way that I would in my own home,” Lopez says with a smile.
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Ernesto Rosas, Server at Spiaggia Restaurant and Lounge
Ernesto Rosas’ first foray into the working world began with a job at Spiaggia, way back in 1985. Interviewed by Cathy Mantuano herself, Rosas started his career in the restaurant industry as a busser. Three decades later, he has become an integral part of Levy Restaurants/Compass family.
Now working as a server at Spiaggia, Rosas is a staff favorite and can be found buzzing throughout the main dining room. With 33 years worth of memorable moments to call upon, an interaction with Mark Levy stands out. “It was 1989, and I was working as a busser in Spiaggia,” says Rosas. “Mark Levy was dining in for lunch that day. He overheard me saying that I was going to Mexico in the coming weeks to marry my sweetheart, Otilia. He congratulated me and gave me a $200 wedding gift. I will always remember that.”
By Nari Ho
The post The Chicago Food World’s Industry Lifers appeared first on DiningOut Chicago.