Meet the General Manager, Juan Carlos Da Costa

Some people tend to stand out from the rest while working, showing the things that makes them different from the rest. If someone shows that he’s trustworthy and passionate, others tend to recognize it. That’s the case of Juan Carlos Da Costa, the current General Manager of RG Cocina Mexicana. He’s from San Felipe, Yaracuy in Venezuela, and he is 23 years old. When I started visiting the place, I saw him working in another area. And now, I can see that not only has he won a new position, but his way of working. Being the curious person that I am, I practically jumped at the chance to have a chat with him. He arrived at the restaurant on January 7, 2015, working as waiter assistant.

Early on, he knew that he wanted to learn a bit of everything. That’s the reason why he helped in every area, behind the bar, in the kitchen, taking orders in the system, among other things. He did it to get a grip on how the business worked from all the areas. At that point he had zero experience, and all he knows now it’s the product of his learning at RG Cocina Mexicana.  Four months later, he sat down with the owner, wanting to go a step beyond. At that meeting, Juan explained that he thought his time as waiter assistant was done and wanted a position with more responsibility. Like I told you before, people recognize talent; and that is what George Rodriguez did with him “He told me that he saw my desire to grow. At that point he was looking for a Manager, and that is what he saw in me”. That’s when his training as General Manager began. “I fell and I stood up. The things I know now are the product of his faith in me.”

His job is to make the staff work perfectly, and with passion. He likes to supervise that every single clients is perfectly attended, “It’s my responsibility to make them feel great!”. Juan also deals with the suppliers inside the kitchen, and out front. To him, the goal is to give his all “I tend to explain it like this: Every day is unique, and you have to give 100% of yourself in what you do with that time.” He organizes his work in a notepad, applying himself to deal with three main things a day, while also handling the normal schedule of the restaurant.

This experience, along with his title of Systems Engineer it’s what’s motivating him to learn more about his line of work. Short term, he wants to acquire more understanding in the area. “I don’t celebrate that I’m General Manager. There’s still a lot of information for me to grasp, and I will celebrate when I’ve reached all my goals!” . One of those is to be more calm about the restaurant and showing that by handling perfectly not only one, but two or even more! Juan also wants to develop an App for Restaurants, mixing his degree with the knowledge he obtained from his current charge at RG Cocina Mexicana. “I want to retire by 30. So I have to work hard now!”

When I asked him about his favorite food, he told me that he loved Carnitas. “The mix of the crunch and softness of the inside.” He loves to combine it with either corn or flour tortillas, making it a Mexican sor of sandwich. His favorite appetizer now is Croquetas Poblanas, and he told me that before he loved Sopes “The food it’s so good that it’s hard to pick just one, I love them all!”. He told me that the Mexican food was easy to identify, but the new interpretation that they had at the restaurant made it different from the rest of the mexican places. “It’s what makes Venezuelan and Mexican cuisine alike: They are very original on their own.”

Juan thinks that RG Cocina Mexicana what offers is going beyond plain customer service. “As George taught us, we go straight to hospitality”. He puts an effort to train the personnel, to teach them how to read the clients. “It sounds impossible, but we teach them how to identify the signs, to read their minds!”. He jokingly told me that the goal of RG Cocina Mexicana was to be the reason why people stopped cooking at home. He explained that the new brand of the restaurant looked fresh and sophisticated, that it was an image that showed clients that they were modern and elegant. He also told me that the symbol means “Harmony”, and that it was the reason why he loved it so much: It meant that the restaurant was a peaceful and familiar restaurant. “That’s what makes me love it!”

“It’s a pleasure that our clients picked us, an honor to make them enjoy their food. We love being part of their lives because that’s what we want to be to them: Another member of their family and homes.”

-Juan Carlos Da Costa-

RG Cocina Mexicana address is 314 72nd ST, Miami Beach, FL 33141. Their phone number is: 305-4647404.