Tony comes to Portillo with 30-plus years of foodservice experience. His career started with a culinary calling, with a love for food and a deep appreciation for the hard work that went into creating delicious dishes. After he honed his skills in the back of the house, he ventured toward the service side in the front of the house, working his way through the ranks with several leading industry concepts. Whether it was menu development or training, kitchen operations or customer satisfaction, Tony’s passion led to success.
In 2015, Tony decided to take his skills from the restaurant side of the world to the foodservice sales side of the business. His knowledge of the day-to-day operations in the restaurant business has led to a very loyal customer base. He is quoted as saying, “I don’t sell food; I offer my customers what I think would work best for their vision on the menu. People go wrong when they do not want to “know” their customers. Never try to sell a lobster tail to a $2 taco stand.”
Tony and his lovely wife Vanessa have been married for over 20 years with two amazing kids. Though he loves what he does, the most important aspect in life for Tony is being a father. Even as his children have grown to adulthood, he wants nothing more than to see their success.
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