Six Bronx restaurants representing a variety of cultural cuisines are receiving a financial boost from recently awarded microgrants.
Rosa’s At Park, Mon Amour Coffee & Wine, Cafe Colonial Restaurant and Grill, La Cocina de Yala, Chocobar Cortes and Colima Taqueria were recently awarded $6,500 each as inaugural winners of the Rising Restaurateur microgrant program by the Bronx-based nonprofit Oyate Group, in partnership with Grubhub and the New York State Latino Restaurant, Bar and Lounge Association.
A total of 30 independent restaurant owners across the city received the microgrants, which are intended to help diverse entrepreneurs cover their short-term expenses. Winners will also receive business development training.
The selected owners were honored at an Aug. 5 celebration at Il Sole in the Inwood neighborhood.
“The Rising Restaurateur grant program is a lifeline for our city’s small and minority-owned restaurants, helping them cover essential costs, invest in growth and drive innovation,” said Sandra Jaquez, president of the New York State Latino Restaurant, Bar & Lounge Association.
“With this critical funding, restaurants will have the opportunity to better serve their communities and support positive change in our industry,” said Jaquez at the ceremony.
The Bronx Times spoke with two winners who, despite hard times, said they are thankful for the grant and grateful to still be around in the post-pandemic era.
“I’m living the dream; it’s my passion,” said Carmen Baez, chef/owner of La Cocina de Yala at 1756 East 174th St.
Baez told the Bronx Times she opened the restaurant seven years ago but had quite a circular path to get there.
She grew up admiring her mother and grandmother’s cooking and attended culinary school, but after graduating, she bought a hair salon — like her late mother, who had owned several salons.
But Baez couldn’t escape her love of cooking. She got “a little grill from Sears” and held cookouts for guests and staff at her salon. Soon, her food caught on and she opened the restaurant and even wrote a book about her journey.
Baez said she plans to use the microgrant to pay for repairs to her soda fridge and other equipment maintenance. Restaurant life is never easy, but right now, it seems especially tough, as food costs are high and summer sales have been a bit slower.
“I’ve noticed it more this year than any other year,” Baez said.
Fellow-winning restaurant Cafe Colonial is also feeling pain.
“[The microgrant] is gonna help us so much,” said Priscilla Orozco, a human resources manager for Cafe Colonial and assistant to the owner, Sandra Cruz, whose restaurant at 2070 White Plains Rd. has served the neighborhood since 2008.
In an interview with the Bronx Times, Orozco called the grant “a lifeline” as “everything has increased,” especially utilities. She said they plan to use the money to cover some outstanding bills.
Orozco explained that during the pandemic, many restaurant owners were able to delay vendor payments or get other breaks, but they are now struggling to stay afloat.
At Cafe Colonial, menu prices had to be raised slightly, and some dishes were removed because they were no longer cost-effective. However, the restaurant has kept some of its best-selling dishes, including a riff on traditional mofongo with plantain and cassava smothered in a creole sauce.
With the microgrant, Orozco and Cruz will have “one less thing to worry about,” she said.
Hundreds of business owners applied for just 30 grants — showing a “huge need” for more small loan availability, said Tomas Ramos, founder and CEO of Oyate Group.
Ramos told the Bronx Times that many owners cannot get small loans through traditional lenders and end up seeing loan sharks just to make ends meet. The Oyate Group conducted research and found that offering smaller grants to more businesses was a “more impactful” way to help.
The many grant applications, along with the nonprofit’s other work with small business owners, gave Oyate Group a solid understanding of the issues facing restaurant owners in the Bronx and citywide, said Ramos. They often need help with tech upgrades, accounting and vendor pricing — and as the Rising Restaurateur microgrant program expands past its inaugural year, the organization looks to offer greater support.
“We’re able to provide more resources the next go-round,” Ramos said.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
