Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Sotelino.
Mark, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up as the son of European immigrants in Chicago (and later grew up in Evanston). My father is a dedicated and acclaimed Chef from Spain, Gabino Sotelino, while my wonderful mother is from Zurich, Switzerland. I grew up around the various restaurants that my dad helped create and grow with Lettuce Entertain You: The famed Pump Room, which was LEYE’s first foray into fine dining; Ambria (which Chicago magazine ranked as the 7th greatest restaurant in Chicago history in 2010); Mon Ami Gabi bistro (formerly Un Grand Cafe); and Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba (Chicago Mag’s 15th ranked in 2010).
My dad was a workaholic and I definitely got that from him as well as an intense passion for food, wine and the dining experience. I went to school at DePaul with dreams of being a journalist but also worked at Ba-Ba-Reeba on the side as a host when I turned 19. That is where my passion for the industry was really stoked into a fire. Despite my dad’s wishes that I finish school and pursue another career, I became obsessed with the inner-workings of the restaurants and asked to start training as a manager when I was 22 years old, leaving school early in the process.
So I began training as a manager at Ba-Ba-Reeba and also several other LEYE restaurants to get a well-rounded education. I trained both in the dining room and in the kitchen at Mon Ami Gabi, Ambria, Shaw’s Crab House, Vong, RJ Grunts and other LEYE restaurants. In 2000, I was on the opening team for our Mon Ami Gabi-Oakbrook location, then moved to Washington D.C. to open our Mon Ami Gabi-Bethesda location in late 2002. After a year in D.C., I took some time off and then decided to come back to Chicago and work at another LEYE location, Scoozi, which was a great Italian concept in the River North/River West area.
I became General Manager there after about a year and really loved the restaurant, but about 4 years later (2007) the then-General Manager of Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba was being promoted to a Supervising Partner and was taking on more restaurants and responsibilities so he needed someone to step in for him as General Manager. Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba was my first restaurant love and obviously meant a lot to my family so I jumped at the opportunity to return to my roots.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The restaurant business can be tough – long hours, working weekends and holidays, working late nights; you have to be a little crazy to choose it as a career. Familial and personal relationships can be strained, so I have had my fair share of bumps in the road while trying to find a professional and personal balance.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I was General Manager of Ba-Ba-Reeba for about 9 years before I took over a Divisional Supervisor role with Lettuce Entertain You. I now supervise Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba and the Mon Ami Gabi concepts. I feel my strengths lie in my understanding how to run both a kitchen and a front of house; and running a healthy business while still promoting a creative and fun work environment.
That balance can be surprisingly rare in our business. I often tell people that I fully “drink the Kool-Aid” of Lettuce Entertain You values and culture. I love to help train and develop our front of house and back of house teams and I am constantly using the touchstones of our Lettuce philosophies and culture. We take great care of our guests and our employees equally, and we have managed to sustain incredible growth without compromising any of our core values.
What role has luck (good luck or bad luck) played in your life and business?
I think it is foolish to think that a person thrives or struggles in their professional or personal lives based solely on their skills, intelligence and savvy. Luck and the environment you grew up in and currently reside in play huge roles. I have been extremely lucky to have a great and diverse upbringing along with a rock-solid support system of family, friends and mentors. And in business, I am only as strong as my team.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2024 North Halsted Street
- Website: http://cafebabareeba.com/
- Phone: (773) 935-5000
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafebabareeba/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CafeBaBaReebaChicago/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cafebabareeba?lang=en
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-ba-ba-reeba-chicago-3
Image Credit:
Anjali Pinto, Zoe Krey
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