SAN DIEGO — Aspiring restaurant owners are gaining the skills to build their business thanks to a program in City Heights.
"It was very scary, very confusing and I didn't know the correct way to do it," said Fernando Alvarado, owner of Nandos Hotbox.
The "CHOPPED" program is helping home cooks and food truck owners learn skills to grow and successfully operate in San Diego.
"We love working with small businesses that is the bread and butter of most communities like this," said Michelle Ascencio, the economic development program manager for City Heights Community Development.
She's been teaching the free 8-week program.
"If you know anything about City Heights itself, it's a community of refugees and often times refugees don't have the classic 9 to 5 job. They cook from home. They sell from home and we would love for them to do that formally and grow that business to support their families," she said.
There's a wide range of participants, from bakers, to businesses selling breakfast food, wings, desserts and so much more. Alvarado runs Nandos Hotbox, selling tacos and burritos.
"We started doing small pop up markets and getting to know people around the city of San Diego," he said.
After participating in this program, he's in the process of starting a catering business and one day looks to have his own brick and mortar restaurant.
"It's really motivating because I've always been so dedicated to being in the kitchen and working very hard in the kitchen but taking a step back as a business owner understand your profits and losses, where your revenues are going. It has been really rewarding for me," he said.
CHOPPED will be happening again Spring 2025.
