Description
Gabriela Zerpa
Arepa, Tequeños and the delicious Venezuelan food traditions
Admin | Comune di Milano
20/06/2022
Can you please tell us something about yourself?
My name is Gabriela Zerpa, I am Venezuelan and I love the typical food of my Country. I have lived in Budapest until 4 years. I am 48 years old; I am an architect and I am married with 3 children. I am dedicated to homework, of which the one I like the most is cooking and eating delicious food.
Can you please tell us how you had the idea to start your business?
The idea to start my business was born in 2018, when I moved to Budapest. Observing and analysing the local market, I realized that it was characterised by a multi-ethnic offer in terms of gastronomy, with the presence of typical food from many different countries of the world. But there was no restaurant specialised in Venezuelan food.
Thus, I thought of introducing arepas as an alternative for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in the daily life of Hungarians and other inhabitants of this city.
Can you please tell us about the main obstacles you have encountered and how you managed to overcome them?
The main obstacles I encountered are: the language, the permits, and the infrastructure required to formalize my business activity.
Currently, I am still unable to overcome these issues, but they have not been an impediment to consolidate my activity. I have the firm intention to achieve my goals, also thanks to the proper guidance and support of experts and other entrepreneurs who have already been able to do it.
Has the recent pandemic affected your business and how did you overcome the challenges?
The recent pandemic did not affect my business; on the contrary, sales increased through home deliveries.
How do you see the future of your company?
The future of my business, or rather, our family business, is focused on overcoming the obstacles mentioned above and continue introducing arepa, tequeños and the delicious Venezuelan food in the Hungarian market, preparing the basis for export to other countries.
Is there anything you would like to tell to your fellow entrepreneurs? #somethinginspirational
Dreams are achievable with clear ideas, organization, determination, willpower, support from family and friends and mainly with trust in ourselves and God.
Our dream is to achieve that the arepa and the tequeños are as well-known as the Mexican Tacos, the Gyros of the Arab countries, the pizza of Italy, etc., becoming an important part of the gastronomic options of the city.
This has been achieved in other countries where some Venezuelan immigrants have been able to make know our cuisine and have managed to position themselves as a preferred option for many people.
