Josué Pérez, from Lanzarote, had no experience in the hospitality industry, but when he saw that the management of the Teleclub in his town, Tahíche, was about to be auctioned off, he didn't hesitate and contacted Christian Ramírez, his childhood friend, a cook with extensive experience in the field.
They've been running it for six months, and their success with traditional Canarian cuisine and local products from Lanzarote has been such that they've had to hire an entire kitchen team.
In an interview with the radio program Más de Uno Gourmet from Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero, they share the dishes they offer and their future plans.
* **Josué, how did you end up in the hospitality industry?**I am always looking for alternatives to move forward and progress. I found out a year ago that the Tahíche teleclub was going to be auctioned and, since I had no experience in hospitality, I contacted Christian, a friend of mine since childhood, and we have been at it for six months now. * **Christian, tell us about your experience in hospitality...**
I come from a family with a lifelong hospitality business, so it's something I've always done.
* **How did you design the menu?**Josué: We were always clear that the menu was going to be very typical, of Canarian food. * **Are there more workers on the staff?**Josué: We were going to do it between the two of us, but the boom and expectations on social media have been such that we've hired a whole kitchen team, in addition to Christian, who is a professional cook. * **What can we find on the menu?**Christian: I would highlight the ceviche, which is not a typical dish, but we wanted to integrate local products into it, such as the sweet potato from San Bartolomé. Josué: On Canary Islands Day, we had cherne sancocho, and we made it with spines, the traditional way, which they no longer have in many places. * **How are things with the neighbors in Tahíche?**Josué: The neighbors are very welcome. We've gotten a discount on drinks for members of the association. Christian: We want to take care of society, have more events, and activate the Socio-cultural Center. We have also spoken with the town hall to have some lights installed in the park outside. * **When I've gone, I've seen that many tourists go...**Josué: Google reviews are a great boost for any business if you do things right, and if you have good reviews in the end, people will give you a chance. You have more reach. * **What role does it play that the ingredients are mostly local?**Josué: You can really tell, people want to try local products, they value them more. Lettuce, cilantro, parsley, tomato, pepper... we buy most of the ingredients directly from farmers in Lanzarote. * **How is the topic of company Christmas dinners presented?**Christian: We have several dining rooms, and as we head into winter and Christmas, we're going to make typical spoon dishes like millet broths, sancocho, Canarian rancho, puchero... * **How can they contact you?**Josué: Either directly at the Teleclub or through Instagram. We send some sample menus, which can be adapted to the client's taste.
