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| Favela's Fusion owner Veronica Favela, pictured at her Fairfield Restaurant. (Mike Greener/Daily Republic 2010) |
FAIRFIELD — Veronica Favela’s success with her local Favela’s restaurants won her a Telemundo television award earlier this year as one of the Bay Area’s top Latino business leaders.
She went to a ceremony in April at the Four Seasons hotel in San Francisco and that’s not necessarily the end. As a result of the award, she has been invited to attend the national Hispanic Chamber of Commerce convention this September in Florida.
But the Telemundo award, while recognizing today’s leaders, is also about the future.
“They represent the working spirit of our community and with their example they will inspire a new generation of Hispanic leaders,” Erika Diaz, station manager for Telemundo KSTS-TV48, said in a news release.
That’s a role Favela embraces. Besides running the restaurant, she also teaches Spanish to students in K-8 at Holy Spirit Catholic School. She knows the value of teaching, she said.
Latino youth face some special challenges, such as the stereotype that Latinos are lazy, Favela said. They will have to work to overcome such stereotypes, as well as to go to college when they might be the first in their family to do so, she said.
Favela attributes part of her own success to her parents’ efforts to put her and her brother and sister through college.
“They didn’t have the opportunity,” Favela said. “They gave us the opportunity.”
Favela graduated from Sacramento State University with a degree in business. Then, at age 22, she tried to decide what business to launch.
She talked to her father about starting a restaurant. He gave her family recipes and the first Favela’s restaurant opened in 1990 in a small storefront on Texas Street in Fairfield near the downtown. People ordered burritos and tacos at a counter and could eat at one of the several tables or take their food away in a bag.
A Vacaville restaurant followed in 1993 and another Fairfield restaurant, this one on North Texas Street, in 1998. Three years ago, Favela closed the original restaurant and replaced it with Favela’s Fusion on Oliver Road in Fairfield.
Favela’s Fusion is a sit-down restaurant with a bar with elaborate decor. Favela describes it as a fusion of foods from different parts of Mexico with the artwork that decorates the walls and music. This new restaurant really put the business on the map, she said.
“It takes Mexican food in Fairfield to a whole, new level,” Favela said.
Her advice to others who want to begin a business — work really hard.
“And to love what you’re doing,” she said, adding that the business should fill you with energy.
As for the future, Favela plans to help honor others. She plans in September to host a Solano Hispanic Chamber of Commerce event at Favela’s Fusion for 25 outstanding women in the community.
Article Source: Daily Republic
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