By: BrieAnn Murphy
Posted In: News
Photo credit: BrieAnn Murphy
Twenty-two year old chef, Jason Viteri poses in his new Ecuadorian restaurant, La Balanda.
After seven years in the restaurant business, Jason Viteri decided to open a restaurant that served food that he was used to eating at his parents’ home using his Ecuadorian heritage and cooking experiences.
This past summer, at the age of 22, Viteri opened La Balandra, a restaurant that focuses on South American cuisine located on Farewell Street, off Broadway, in Newport. The recipes are traditional, and many he received from his family. In a city that has restaurants on nearly every corner, this restaurant definitely sets itself apart from the others. Q: How long have you been in the restaurant business? A: About six or seven years…since I was 16 years old. Q: Where was your first restaurant job? A: I started at Dave’s and after four years I went to the Wharf Pub and then I was at Buskers. Q: What does La Balandra mean? A: La Balandra is a theme my father came up with. A city that he used to vacation in Ecuador was a fishing village, and he and his friends and cousins would hang out on the beach and when the boats would come in, he would help them take in whatever came off the boat and they would give him fish to take home. I thought it would be a nice theme. Q: Were you nervous about opening your restaurant at such a young age? A: I wasn’t so much nervous. I knew what had to be done. I was more anxious. Q: What was involved in getting the restaurant started? A: I needed to re-establish my connections with food vendors, and I also asked advice from people I knew in the restaurant business. Q: How has business been? A: Business is what I expected it to be. I expected it to slow down at the end of the summer. The clientele has been 50 percent of the local Hispanic community and 50 percent of people who wanted to try new things. Q: Describe a typical day at the restaurant. A: I get there around 10 to open around 11:30. I make sure everything is clean. I turn on all the equipment. I set the tables. If there are any orders, I get them in. I check inventory; prep the food. I cook throughout the day. From 3 to 5, I take a break and then I’m back to work. Then I close the restaurant by cleaning everything. Q: What’s your biggest challenge as a chef? A: Same with any chef…making sure you have everything you need. Also, keeping a safe, organized working environment. Q: Where did you lean to cook? A: I took two years of vocational cooking classes at Rogers High School. They taught me the technical stuff. I didn’t feel the heat until I worked at Dave’s. That taught me I had to be fast and food had to taste and look good. Q: How many hours a week do you normally work? A: At the beginning, I would get there at 9 a.m. and leave at 2 a.m. I had to be open the good parts of the summer. I had to get a system going. Now, it’s easier. I get there at 10:30 a.m. and leave at 11 p.m. with a two hour break during the week from 3 to 5. Q: What is your favorite item on the menu? A: I try not to get a favorite thing. I would recommend the Bistek. Q: What do you do when you’re not working? A: I like to play metal music. I want to get the restaurant under control so I don’t have to be there 24/7. I would like to get back into music and recording. Q: What is your favorite thing to cook outside of work? A: I don’t really cook when I’m not here. I’m usually here or asleep or cleaning or doing chores. Q: Lastly, in a city full of restaurants, what sets your restaurant apart from others? A: We are the only South American restaurant. We tend to get compared to Latin American restaurants, but if you were to sit down and compare the menus, our restaurant is different. Everything on the menu is traditional. My aunt from Ecuador came and asked why we didn’t have Sopa de Bola. My mom is going to teach me how to make it so we can serve it. Also, the Hispanic community doesn’t have to drive to Providence to get the food they’re used to eating at home.
