While this summer brought challenges for Shuswap restaurateur Ivan Gracia, it also brought opportunities to expand.

Like other restaurant owners across the province, Gracia was forced to temporarily close his Salmon Arm business, Cantina Vallarta, in March 2020 as the B.C. government attempted to get a handle on the COVID-19 pandemic.

As restrictions began to ease, Gracia was able to re-open and transition from take-out only to letting a small number of customers back in the door. He said the response from locals and visitors alike was amazing.

91裸聊视频淩ight away, they were like, 91裸聊视频業 haven91裸聊视频檛91裸聊视频� been anywhere but I want to try your food;91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频業 didn91裸聊视频檛 go to Mexico this year91裸聊视频� instead of that, I come to your place.91裸聊视频� And I was, 91裸聊视频極h, that91裸聊视频檚 awesome, thank you very much!91裸聊视频� It was more like that than anything else,91裸聊视频� said Gravia.

As this was going on, Gracia was spending time in Sicamous where he secured commercial space to open a second Mexican restaurant, La Cantinita Sicamous.

In the midst of this, he was contacted about another opportunity, a proposed partnership on a restaurant in Lake Country.

91裸聊视频淪he talked to me about the restaurant and I saw the potential of it and I said that will be great if we can get it,91裸聊视频� said Gracia. 91裸聊视频淭hen I saw the numbers, and then I saw how much it would cost to get it, and I thought it would be doable. We have to invest a little bit and put a lot of time and effort, but I told her it91裸聊视频檚 doable, we can make it happen.91裸聊视频�

All of this resulted in the opening of La Cantinita Lake Country, located off Highway 97A at 9685 Winfield Plaza, and La Cantinita Sicamous, located at 444 Main Street, in the former Happy Corkers location.

91裸聊视频淚 know it91裸聊视频檚 a little bit risky but, at the same time, everybody is kind of sick of cooking,91裸聊视频� said Gracia about opening new restaurants at any time, let alone amid a pandemic. 91裸聊视频淪ociety and the culture here in Canada, it91裸聊视频檚 go out and eat. It91裸聊视频檚 part of the culture, it91裸聊视频檚 part of the thing that us in normal life we do. That91裸聊视频檚 why I took the risk.

91裸聊视频淲e have to take risks to make our dreams come true or whatever you are planning for in the future91裸聊视频� If we focus on the bad things that can happen, we never get it.91裸聊视频�

Regarding the Sicamous location, Gracia plans to keep it open year-round.

91裸聊视频淪icamous91裸聊视频� population is not as big91裸聊视频� But I say, if I get just five per cent of the population coming through the door, I91裸聊视频檒l be golden, I91裸聊视频檒l be great,91裸聊视频� said Gracia. 91裸聊视频淚 think we can make it. And local people like to support local and small business.91裸聊视频�

Compared to the Salmon Arm restaurant, Gracia said the La Cantinita locations will have fewer menu offerings, but for each item 91裸聊视频� burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas 91裸聊视频� there will be a variety of options. In addition, based on input from locals, Gracia would like to have the Sicamous location open for breakfast.

Along with opening the new restaurants, Gracia and another business partner, Kyle Schumacher, have seen growing success with their Caliente Hot Sauce Company. Along with being carried in local stores, the raw, formerly made-in-the-Shuswap product line is now on the refrigerated shelves of Buy-Low Foods stores across Western Canada.

Gracia explained the increased demand for the line of sauces 91裸聊视频� habanero (based on Gracia91裸聊视频檚 mother91裸聊视频檚 recipe), chipotle and jalapeno 91裸聊视频� required moving production from Cantina Vallarta91裸聊视频檚 kitchen to the Lower Mainland.

91裸聊视频淭he deal was to use local produce from local farmers. It was a little bit more expensive but it was worth it,91裸聊视频� said Gracia.

Rivera is grateful for all that he, his family, business partners and co-workers have been able to achieve. He said when he returned with his wife and children to the Shuswap in 2014 they had nothing. Having overcome past barriers, Gracia believes he, fellow business owners and North Okanagan-Shuswap communities as a whole can and will rebound from the challenges we face now.

91裸聊视频淚f you come from another country and you don91裸聊视频檛 speak the proper language and you have a lot of barriers91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� said Gracia. 91裸聊视频淚 had two little ones at that time and now I have four. Life is tough but when you go through all these difficult times, it keeps you going, it makes you stronger and makes you tell people it91裸聊视频檚 OK. It91裸聊视频檚 going to be OK.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚 know it91裸聊视频檚 tough right now but I think we have to believe in ourselves and also in our community and if we support each other, that91裸聊视频檚 the way we91裸聊视频檒l make it happen.91裸聊视频�

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