YYC's Original Asian Street Food Experience - Eats Of Asia

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jay del Corro, owner of Eats Of Asia, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are Eats Of Asia, a family-owned Asian street food restaurant located in Calgary, Alberta. Our food is Asian-inspired street food in a fast-casual setting that we’ve been serving since 2012. Many of our regular customers have been with us since the beginning, through 3 locations, various pop-ups, night markets, festivals, and dinner clubs. Though we do have a regular menu, we also have a secret menu that we feature on our Instagram, where we promote special dishes. The specials are where things get fun as they are often inspired by the ingredients we get the same day from our fellow vendors at the market.

Tell us about yourself

I am Jay del Corro. I started this business back in 2012 as a seasonal restaurant in a summer market while I was still working in my corporate job. After the first season, it was evident that I wanted to pursue the food business full-time, and I quit my job to open Eats Of Asia. I am also the creator of a YouTube cooking show called The Aimless Cook which I’ve been doing since 2009. Between the restaurant, YouTube, and other new online ventures, I actively enjoy taking part in events to promote and share Asian culture through food.

I also love mentoring young students interested in the culinary arts, and we teach at high schools a few times a year. We’ve been involved in teaching cooking for immigrant women in a program in our city as well. As for motivation, the biggest motivator is the satisfaction of bringing all this great knowledge to make a difference in all these lives. We teach job skills, instill confidence, and give people opportunities they might not always have.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest accomplishment for any small restaurant owner is staying open. It’s staying relevant in an industry that’s always changing and responding to new trends. We like to keep ourselves in a space where our customers see us as part of their everyday lives. Like my family before me, who have owned businesses, it was always about being a part of the community first. Knowing your regulars like they were family, watching their kids grow up, seeing new babies, new spouses, graduations, etc. As a family business, a lot of my regulars have seen my kids grow up as well. This is a restaurant. Let’s not kid ourselves. Success doesn’t come from money; it comes from the legacy you create and the friends you make.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The emotional rollercoaster that comes with the day-to-day of running a business. Every small business you see opening is someone’s dream. In the world of small mom-and-pop shops, the opening of those doors is the realization and fruition of a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and a lot of money. It’s no joke. There’s a lot on the line, and you’re reminded of that every day.

There’s also the fact that when you go about pursuing the life of an entrepreneur, no one other than other entrepreneurs are going to relate to you. You have a mindset like no one else. Where normal people often give up, we are always there to think of more ways to solve problems, create solutions, fill voids, and see opportunities. We also think irrationally, almost crazy, and will put incredible time and effort into making our ideas work. Of course, all this comes with a cost that we hope will pay off in the journey. Notice I didn’t say “in the end” because it doesn’t end.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Don’t look to the orthodox ways to start a business. No matter what you decide to do, you can be assured that you can start a business without a huge amount of capital or an expensive lease. So much can be started with little funds, and you can grow from there. For example, we started our restaurant when my mentor took over a contract to provide food for a summer market. The kitchen was already there. All we needed was the licensing, permits, insurance, etc., to start selling food and see if we liked it. Be creative and resourceful. You can rent a kitchen and do DM orders on Instagram, get a stall at a small farmers market, and do a ghost kitchen that does delivery only. The options are endless.
2. Get a mentor. A mentor in the business you want to pursue is invaluable. Not only have they been through what you are about to go through, but they also have all the information and all the insight into what they’d do smarter if they were to do it again. And that just means a benefit for you.
3. Get an accountant. Don’t say that you can’t afford an accountant. You can’t afford NOT to have one. A good accountant will be able to advise you in all the steps of your business, not only making sure you are dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s but finding you money where you never thought to look. They will also ensure that you will be in great shape for tax time. This is very valuable as it frees up your time to do what you do best.

Where can people find you and your business?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EatsOfAsia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatsofasia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EatsOfAsia

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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