North Bay Woman

36 NORTH BAY WOMAN | S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 The shop Conchita carries locally made goods, retail gifts and accessories – many of them crafted by local artists – along with Sol Food hot sauce and salad dressing. At right: Sol and Victor at Conchita in San Rafael. Over the years Hernandez has also adapted her recipes to suit the Marin palate. Realizing that many customers eschew rice and beans but still want her pollo al horno, she created a chicken combination plate with salad instead called ensalada con pollo. And whereas salads in Puerto Rico typically feature iceberg lettuce, Sol Food uses organic mixed greens. In keeping with this philosophy, only free-range chicken and all natural beef are used in the kitchen, and fried items are cooked in rice bran oil. Sol Hernandez has learned many valuable lessons during her last 12 years in the food service industry. "One of the things I'm still trying to learn is to get all of the information before making a decision. I'm also trying to be more patient. Patience is a big, ongoing life lesson for me." One lesson she'll never forget: "Don't put gallons of beans in your car and drive around! The first event we did, there was a 'bean incident'." It involved 10 gallons of beans top- pling over in her Toyota 4-Runner, but was eventually remedied with new carpet in the car she still drives today. And even though it's her nature to please, Hernandez has developed a thick skin. This came in handy when she painted the building that houses her 3 rd Street location a bright shade of green. The walls were supposed to be white with dark green trim, but she became concerned about the afternoon sun causing a glare in drivers' eyes on busy 3 rd Street, so she opted for the green walls instead. "It really bothered some people," she recalls with a smile. "But more people like it than don't. In hindsight, it was great publicity for us." Has she thought of expanding her Sol Food empire beyond Marin? "We're approached every day," she says. "But business-wise, you need the right people to run it. You can find people who want to invest in it and a location. It's the people part. I'm too much of a control freak. I want to make money, of course, but that's not my only goal. It's my name on the building. I don't want to let down our customers." The key to keeping customers happy, Hernandez has discovered, is to find and keep top-notch employees, a common challenge for other local restaurant owners as well. "We all have the same problems," she says. "If someone's really great, they're either a business owner themselves or they have a job in a higher position." What advice would she give to an aspiring local chef who's thinking about taking the plunge into the restaurant business? "Don't do it!" she laughs. "That would be my first response." Her second bit of advice would be to start small. "Starting at the farmers' market was a good and inexpensive way to test my products. Looking back, that was a great way to go about it. In Marin, there are so many opportunities with farmers' markets." Sound advice from someone who knows. ■ A Collective Wisdom Book can be given at a milestone in someone's life, such as: • Graduation • Wedding • Retirement • Anniversary • Starting an Adventure • Moving Or, a Collective Wisdom Book can be given as general guidance at any time in a person's life. This works especially well for teens and young adults. Imagine children or young adults having books containing stories from those who watched them grow up. Or, a friend who is graduating, having a book about going to college or entering the workforce, written by people who know them well... In today's modern world, it can be very meaningful to receive wisdom from people close to you. And opportunities to share what we've learned through our experiences are not always readily available. Visit www.mdesignandmore.com/cw.html For a quote or for more information, Call 415.306.3812 Call For Quote Here at One Student. Many Teachers. TM www.mdesignandmore.com/cw.html 415.306.3812 ive ven ven ven ven ven Collective Wisdom we gather words of wisdom from your close friends and peers and craft a book for anyone, for a special occasion.

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