Its goal is not only to consolidate the business in Miami, but expand to other states where Cuban food is not so well known.
Miami.- From Camagüey to Miami there is much more than kilometers: there are stories of courage, sacrifice and dreams that are cooked over low heat. Katherine Umpierre and Rafael Pérez They know well. They not only built a restaurant, but a living testimony of what it means to start from scratch in a new country.
Katherine arrived in the United States in October 2015. He did not do so by plane or with a passport full of tourist stamps, but like thousands of Cubans who pursue freedom: crossing borders, facing risks and without knowing with certainty what would be at the end of the road. He toured nine countries in 23 days until he stepped on US soil
Rafael undertook his journey years before. In 2007, with just 14 years, he left his native Camagüey accompanied by his mother. Three years passed in Nicaragua before continuing to Texas, where some uncles were waiting for them. The language was his first great barrier, but the determination to adapt was stronger.
The first steps
Rafael spent three years in construction, working under the scorching sun of Texas, raising ceilings and doing patios. Katherine, on the other hand, just two weeks after arriving was already in a restaurant. It started from the most basic: polishing glasses, washing dishes, doing any task to be assigned. That experience, although hard, was the school that taught them discipline and resilience.
Between them they added almost three decades of gastronomy experience: 18 years he and 11 years old. Despite considering other options, they understood that they could not build a solid future in areas they did not know. The answer was in front of them: open their own restaurant.
Thus came the opportunity to take care of Mr. Pan Café, a place already known for the community. But this couple did not simply want to continue with what already existed; They wanted to give it their own seal. They bet on a clear proposal: authentic Cuban food, fresh ingredients prepared every day, a family atmosphere and offers designed for the neighborhood.
The heart of the business is in the kitchen, and there the protagonist is Ivan, the father of Catherine. Lover of gastronomy since his life in Cuba, he has become the chef who prints the taste of the island on each dish. All chefs are Cuban, which guarantees that the seasoning is not imitation, but inheritance, they explain.
The restaurant not only offers traditional dishes, but innovated with proposals such as the Burger Fritaa hamburger that combines dismembered meat with ripe and Cuban mojito. “I think no one in Miami has created it,” says Catherine with a smile.
Community and family: The daily engine
Opening a business implies more than cooking. Legal procedures, permits and pressure to gain customer confidence have been constant challenges. To face them, the family has been key: parents, in -laws and uncles turn to cover schedules. Everyone works as a team, combining the restaurant with other jobs and personal life.
In addition, they have implemented weekly specials that have become a way of returning the support received: 2 × 1 drinks, 2 × 1 sandwiches, unlimited mimosas on Sundays and courtesy promotions in dinners from Thursday to Saturday.
For Katherine and Rafael, Mr. Pan Café is the beginning of something bigger. They dream that, in the future, their children can look back and say: “My parents came from Cuba, they started from scratch and achieved this. I can too“. That is the legacy they want to leave: a solid base for the next generation.
Its goal is not only to consolidate the business in Miami, but expand to other states where Cuban food is not so well known. They want more people, even those without links with Cuba, discover the authentic flavor of their kitchen and fall in love with it.
Located in 11238 SW 137th AVE, Miami, Florida 33186, this Cuban business hopes to receive anyone who wants to try a piece of Cuba served with effort and heart. “Here you will always find someone from the family to attend them, because Mr. Café is not just a restaurant: it is our house,” they say proudly.
