Interview with Dennis Nguyen, general manager
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: My father-in-law was an executive chef in Hong Kong for many years before he immigrated to the United States. He continued to head several famous Chinese restaurants in Los Angeles. I got involved just two months ago when an opportunity came long. My background is in corporate finance, recruiting and restaurants.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: As a new general manager and a potential owner, my plan for this restaurant is simple: Offer high-quality foods by selecting and preparing the freshest produces and meats, offer generous portions so that our customers get more for their money and offer world class service. The restaurant is currently offering boba drinks and Chinese cuisine. The two award-winning dishes are sesame chicken and salt and spiced chicken wings. We are in the process of remodeling our dinning room and extending our boba bar to include a juice bar. Also, I am bringing in a variety of healthy and popular Vietnamese dishes and offering healthy, fresh juices from Jamba and Whole Foods in the next two months.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: I love meeting new people, exchanging ideas and learning from each others. For instance, Nick has been a regular at our restaurant for a very long time. After talking with him, I learned that he often comes to dine with us after his kidney treatment. The conversations usually opened our eyes to new opportunities. Another highlight of my work is that I feel like I am giving back to the community by encouraging my staff to go for higher educations, dream big and not settle for mediocre. I had to deliver pizza to pave my way through college while having two young children, so I know how important it is to prepare for and go to college.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: The restaurant business is one of the hardest businesses in the world because it has all kinds of moving parts. In order to succeed, you need to apply exceptional skills in selecting the location, hiring, training, purchasing, pricing, designing, negotiating, tasting, cooking, marketing, servicing, and, the most important of all, motivating. My challenges in particular are staffing and selecting new items for the menu because we want to provide world class service and give our customers more varieties of healthy dishes.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: No body in Colorado makes chicken wings like we do. Our goal is to bringing the best and most popular Asian plates to Denver.
Profile
Business: Tea Station
Address: 545 Sable Blvd.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday through Sunday
Founded: 2003
Contact: 303-343-0330,
Employees: 8
