Buxton’s ability to handle the rapidly evolving situation
due to COVID. “We closed on Friday mid-
was further demonstrated
day, and we were like, ‘What
when dining rooms reopened
are we going to do with all
in July. She had to organize
this product?’” remembers
the safety measures required
Alejandro “Alex” Velasquez,
to keep everyone well, while
operations manager of the
managing a new flow of dining
restaurant. That brief moment
room customers and main-
of indecision for Velasquez was
taining the constant to-go and
followed by months of innova-
delivery business.
tion and long hours that put
“We were hit right away with people who wanted to come
Cyclone Anaya’s on a strong footing.
inside,” she says. “It’s really a
“Instead of Alejandro suc-
cool dynamic since we’ve been
cumbing to the pressure of the
open for inside dining, we’ve
pandemic, he rose to the chal-
actually seen an increase in
lenge and immediately looked
sales from last year. We had
for other avenues to keep the
some huge losses in March,
business going,” wrote Ricardo
April and May, but we’ve been
Valencia, owner of the res-
able to see the gap close.”
taurant, in his nomination of
Buxton, who enjoyed a long
Velasquez. “He took every op-
career at Carrabba’s Italian Grill
portunity to enhance our busi-
before joining El Toro, says her
ness and it shows. He has been
attitude towards staff pays off
an integral part of our success
in overall restaurant success:
during this pandemic.”
“When you take care of your
Velasquez, who has worked
Alejandro Velasquez
area, so we could have more
how important it is to know
own people first, everything
at the restaurant for eight
business. He also added a
how everything in the kitchen
else falls in line. The numbers
years and has been in his
DJ on weekends to offer
works. We made it through.”
fall in line because staff don’t
current position for three,
entertainment to guests,
want to waste food; labor costs
quickly pivoted the restau-
since bars are closed.”
fall in line because they don’t
rant to off-premise service.
waste time; and customers are
He and his staff created some
many challenging moments.
remains strong. “We used
happy because staff want to
new packaging ideas, with
Velasquez remembers one
to do $1,500 to $2,000 to-go
make them happy.”
input from their distributor,
day when the kitchen man-
sales each week, and now it’s $7,000,” he says.
Of course, there were
Today the restaurant is open at 75 percent indoor capacity, but off-premise
Sysco, that streamlined the
ager called and said he had
SECOND PLACE: Alejandro Velasquez, Cyclone Anaya’s
take-out business. And when
a kidney stone and could not
the governor announced that
come in. They had already
his team for the restaurant’s
Tex-Mex Cantina, Austin, Texas
restaurants could offer alcohol
trimmed staff because of
success during this crisis,
Velasquez is quick to credit
The staff of Cyclone
to-go, Velasquez and his crew
COVID, so losing his kitchen
and he believes an essential
Anaya’s Tex-Mex Cantina
developed half-gallon and gal-
manager could have been
management skill is being a
in Austin were expecting a
lon to-go margaritas.
a crisis.
good educator.
big St. Patrick’s Day week-
“As the state opened up to
“It was just me and one
“Everything you know
end in mid-March and had
serve, Alejandro found ways
manager in the kitchen,” he
doesn’t have value if you
$70,000 worth of food ready
to utilize the outside seat-
remembers. “I said, ‘Don’t
don’t release that and teach
to prepare. Then on Friday,
ing,” Valencia remembers. “He
worry,’ and started to put
the people around you,” he
March 17, the whole situation
also was able to convince the
the kitchen together. I was
says. “At the end, the more
changed: The city ordered all
landlords to allow us to add
reading the recipes and
they know, the easier it is for
bars and restaurants to close
additional seating to our patio
everything. That just shows
everybody.” OCT/NOV/DEC 2020
| el restaurante
11
