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Interview with Peruvian Restaurant "Imperio Inca"An Interview with Carlos Espinoza, Owner of Norfolk’s New Peruvian Restaurant Imperio Inca in Ghent. Ghent’s Imperio Inca is much larger, with architectural details such as solid brick walls inside, a gorgeous full service bar for perusing and socializing, and an outdoor patio fitted with tables and chairs for dining, a staple amongst the majority of Ghent restaurants. Inside, the lighting is superb, just dim enough to enjoy a meal and carry on conversation in perfect comfort. Above all else, the food is outstanding, with generous portions and fresh ingredients; it is presented beautifully and goes down easy! Here, I presented Carlos with a quick question and answer interview, and he graciously agreed to give us some really thorough answers, as well as a little insight into what it takes to operate a Latin themed business successfully in this area. Were are you from originally, and how did you get here? I am originally from Lima, Peru. My family moved to the US in 1989. We lived in New York for about a year and then we came to Virginia Beach during a summer vacation. We liked the area and we decided to move to Hampton Roads. My parents have been here ever since. My siblings and I have left for some periods of time but Hampton Roads is our home. How long have you had your business Imperio Inca? We opened Imperio Inca in July 2004. Our first location was in Virginia Beach. We have since moved to 723 W 21st Street in the Ghent area of Norfolk. We opened our new location in August 2007. What made you decide to open a Peruvian restaurant here in Hampton Roads? We realized that the latin/hispanic community in general and the Peruvian community in particular were growing in Hampton Roads. We wanted to provide them with an alternative to the other restaurants available in the area. We also realized that the American people's curiosity for new/exotic foods was growing and Peruvian cuisine is something that many of them have never tried before. So we opened to satisfy the need of our community and to introduce our culture to Hampton Roads. How do you make sure that your restaurant appeals to both the latino/hispanic community and other locals as well? We try to make the best food with the best ingredients. We keep our dishes authentic, fresh, and healthy and with good flavors; and that we believe is what keeps our customers coming back. We are a family restaurant and we try to transmit our family warmth to the service we provide. Your restaurant has been featured in the Virginia Pilot, how do you feel about your review? So far, we have had good reviews from the media. We are very happy every time we are mentioned, besides it being good for business; it makes our presence felt in the community. We are happy that people are taking notice of our restaurant, that people are trying our food and that they are recommending others to try it as well. People have told us that our cuisine is a "breath of fresh air" in the area. Peruvian cuisine is very vast. There are so many dishes that we have yet to prepare. We are just getting started and we are going to keep introducing Peruvian cuisine to the Hampton Roads area. Your Virginia Beach location was much smaller than the Ghent restaurant, but still very pleasant. Why did you relocate to Ghent? We had to leave our Virginia Beach location because our clientele was growing and we needed to find a bigger location to accommodate them. Our clientele was coming from many areas in Hampton Roads and we needed to find a more centralized location. In Ghent, we found what we were looking for. In our new restaurant, we have a bigger dining area with a nice full-service bar and a patio. Ghent has a diverse community of businesses and residents and they have received us with open arms. What advice would you have for a latino/hispanic thinking about opening their own business in Hampton Roads? Be passionate about what you do. Being your own boss is hard work. You have to be persistent because building a business takes time. It could be a couple of years before you see any profit. You also have to be consistent in providing excellent service to your customers. At the end of the day, though, it is very rewarding to see your business grow. One last piece of advice is that you have to surround yourself with people you can trust. Some of them have to know more than you do. It is a good idea to have a good accountant/CPA and a good lawyer. Imperio Inca is located at: 723 W 21st street in Norfolk, Virginia. Interview and article by “Bebe” of saborhr.com, freelance journalist and amateur photographer, November 2007. Read Past Food and Restaurants |
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