TEMPLE TERRACE — A former Carrabba’s bus boy and more than 70 residents and city officials celebrated a 30th anniversary bash Oct. 7 — not for himself, but for the restaurant that he now leads.
“It’s just a great place to come for good food and a family-friendly atmosphere,” says Managing Partner Ismael Hernandez Simon. “Carrabba’s is a unique part of our small town where everybody can enjoy themselves.”
Temple Terrace Mayor Andy Ross welcomed the group to the formal ribbon-cutting that was followed by a wine-tasting dinner co-sponsored by the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce.
Among those participating in the ribbon cutting, one employee, Adam Fualhaber, has worked at the restaurant almost since it opened in October 1996.
“It really says something that we have people working here at Carrabba’s for such a long time,” Simon said, pointing to other long-term employees have been with the company for up to 25 years: Mike Stewart, Justin Ansley, and Damian Santiago.
“It’s our culture,” Simon said. “This is a great company to work for. We take care of our employees and give them opportunities to grow and learn and work up in the company. Just look at me. I started as a bus boy and now am a managing partner.”
Simon himself has worked for Carrabba’s restaurants for 20 years, beginning at a restaurant in Palm Harbor. He has been the managing partner of the Temple Terrace restaurant for the past eight years.
“I am the seventh managing partner here,” Simon said.
The first Carrabba’s Italian Grill was opened in 1986 in Houston, Texas by family members whose ancestors immigrated from Sicily. Today there are some 200 Carrabba’s restaurants throughout the country.
“Some of our recipes are 100 years old,” Simon said.
He laughs as he described how his favorite dinner on the Carrabba’s menu, Fettuccine Carrabba, was created.
“One day when it was a very busy night, one of the founders, Johnny Carrabba, went into the kitchen and started picking random things to put together a dinner… peas, chicken pieces left on the grill, alfredo sauce. It’s delicious and it is still on our menu,” he said.