Interview to Cándida Pérez, Chef and Founder of “The Food Station”

Congratulations on your restaurant’s anniversary! How did “The Food Station” start?

This concept was born from the idea of having a small venue that was welcoming, cute and unpretentious to provide a casual dining service. We serve Puerto Rican creole food with a little fusion. Even though it is for the general public, we did think a lot about the working class that only has an hour lunch break.

What type of food do you guys serve, and what are some of the favorite dishes? Do you have a page were the public can follow “The Food Station”?

We serve breakfast and lunch. There is a bit of everything…we have appetizers, soups, sandwiches, hamburger 100% homemade, salads and desserts. One of the crowd’s favorite is the Pumpkin Cream and the “Serenata de Bacalao con Majado de Viandas”. Another favorite one is the “Fricasé de Pollo” made with beer. Our page is on Facebook, Instagram, Trip Advisor, and Yelp.

Tell us…how was that process of initiating your business? Were there moments where you felt alone and with no support? Is there a community that provides support through other businesses, associations or non-profits?

This process of initiating a business was and is truly very up hill. The design, building and remodeling process for the kitchen and salon was a very big challenge. There was no budget to pay for an architect or designer.

I had to do it myself, in order to afford a contractor’s services. It was a lot of hard work, but I am very satisfied with the result. Support??? I have had no support from any agencies or associations. Sadly the support that small businesses receive is zero…

What do you consider are some of the “pros” and “cons” of having a business like this one currently in Puerto Rico?

My small restaurant is an alternative diner where you will find a gastronomic offer of fresh products, prepared daily at indisputable prices. Variety and a high level service with the attention deserved. We work hard for this.

We have on our disadvantage the high operational costs, plus all the excessive taxes that are constantly increasing and preventing us from increasing our revenue. This last one is my mayor problem currently and I don’t foresee any positive changes in this realm. Very sad reality.

Based on your experience, what would you tell an entrepreneur that is starting to gather funds and ideas in order to open their business?

My advice is to be cautious when opening a new business, such as this one, nowadays. They should do a marketing study according to the concept and the area where you are looking to implement it. Dreams sometimes should be postponed, but never abandoned.

We want to thank Cándida for her time, and wish her the best of successes with her business!

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