Family Joins Forces to Launch 2 Restaurants

Gerardo Perez, his father, two brothers and a cousin apparently like the idea of operating family-run gourmet restaurants.

Only a year ago, the Perez family opened Verona Trattoria Italian restaurant in Camarillo. Response has been so positive that last month they added Pompeii Trattoria, a French-Italian restaurant also in Camarillo, to the list.

And a third establishment may not be far behind.

So far the family has been good about delegating responsibilities, sharing management duties, waiting on tables and cooking; Gerardo’s father, Pomposo Perez, is head chef at Verona.

Gerardo Perez, manager of Verona, said working with his family has not been as difficult as some have suggested it would be.

“At first, everybody thought we were not going to be able to make it, that the family would start fighting all the time,” he said. “But our father told us that in [the restaurant] we’re not family. As soon as we walk out the door we are family.”

It’s not like the Perez family had never worked together before. Several members had been on the staff of the former Mario’s Ristorante in Oxnard. It was there that the idea of running their own operation was born.

“When Mario’s was being sold, we started looking for a place; we just got tired of working for other people,” said Gerardo Perez. “At Mario’s we were running the whole place. We just decided to go on our own, do it ourselves.”

Perez said if Pompeii Trattoria is as successful as its older sibling, then a third Camarillo restaurant may be in order within the year.

“The next one will be a gourmet, authentic, Mexican restaurant,” he said. “Then that’s it. We’re out of family.”

Verona Trattoria is at 2485 Ventura Blvd. Pompeii is at 3661 Las Posas Road, Suite 165. Both restaurants are open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

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Susan O’Brien, organizer of Taste of Ventura County, the annual food and wine festival at Channel Islands Harbor, is lining up restaurants to participate in this year’s event from April 25-27.

Already in place are the Whale’s Tail, the Lobster Trap and Regata, along with La Especial Bakery, JC’s Midnight Salsa, Marina Ice Cream and Trader Joe’s. About two dozen food providers are expected to turn out when all is said and done.

O’Brien said this year’s festival will include a new feature--cooking and recipe demonstrations--by some of the participating restaurants.

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With any luck, you were paying attention when mom threw together those grilled cheese sandwiches.

The American Dairy Assn. and the syndicated Mr. Food television show are sponsoring a national grilled cheese sandwich recipe contest. And apparently just about anything goes, as long as cheese and a couple of slices of bread are involved.

Recipes must contain five ingredients or less and use only cheese produced in the United States. Judges will look for the most creative and best tasting sandwiches, so imagination is important when selecting the other ingredients.

The winner will receive $5,000 and a trip to Fort Lauderdale for a taping of Mr. Food.

For a list of the rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Mr. Food’s Grilled Cheese to the Rescue!, Official Contest Rules, P.O. Box 81560, Chicago, IL, 81560-0560.