Food For Dreams

“I’m sending you some take-out. What do you want?”

“Uhm, I don’t know, wings?”

“What kind girl? Just tell me what you want!”

That text conversation happened about a year ago when the world was already in the middle of a pandemic. The offer came from my long-time friend Mike Vargas, owner of Teddy’s, the hottest American Food joint in Colombia. I’ve known Mike for almost twenty years now. And yet, at that point, I had never tasted the food from his establishment. Granted, I have been living outside of the country for the last fifteen years, but this time I had been in town for months and still not tried his offerings. There were two reasons: one, the lockdown orders were happening, and two, I have a gluten sensitivity that makes me hesitant toward the particular type of food on this menu, so I was reluctant to the idea of ordering take-out. But this was a gift, so I joyously ordered: chicken wings (BBQ and honey mustard flavored), chili cheese fries, and curly fries.

Holy cannoli, those were the best wings and fries I’ve ever had—excellent quality meat, cooked to perfection, fantastic sauce flavors. And the fries, oh, the fries. I probably looked like Homer Simpson, face covered in sticky deliciousness, shamelessly wolfing down every single bite. With a full belly, I sat back contentedly and wondered: how had Teddy’s come to be? When did my friend turn into such a successful restauranteur? Having been out of the country for years, to me, it had happened in the blink of an eye. There had to be a great story behind those curly fries, and I wanted to hear it.

I first met Mike through a personal growth seminar. I had been pushed into it by my then-boyfriend, but Mike had chosen to attend. He was excited about the prospect of changing his life, of becoming more than he already was. I envied his enthusiasm. This young, cute, slightly neurotic radio DJ knew that he wanted a big life. And he was open to learning as much as he could on how to make it happen. He took the teachings to heart, dedicating himself more than the average participant did, and it paid off. By the time I moved to the US, Mike had grown from an everyday radio performer into a well-known local media personality. I knew that the marketing and publicity experience he aquired on his media career was a definitive part of the success of his restaurant business, but how did it happen? Promoting your talent is one thing. Building a brick-and-mortar business is an entirely different monster. He told me the story one day as we hosted a room together in Clubhouse.

We all have heard of the Law of Attraction: the things you focus on are the things that come to you. This story is proof of that, big time. It started with a restaurant space. The owner was tired, wanting to retire. He put the place out for sale. To fulfill this endeavor, he called Mike to help promote the site and find a buyer. When my friend walked into the restaurant, he was in love. You know how growing up, some kids want to be cowboys, and others dream of becoming astronauts? Mike’s childhood dream was to own a burger joint. He loved fast food, and the idea was just so cool in his mind. But when the owner told him the asking price, the bubble burst. It was so out of his league, thinking about it may have seemed pointless to anyone else. But not to a big dreamer like my dear friend. He saw himself in this place; it called to his soul. Mike went to the bank and asked how much he could get on a business loan. The answer: not even a tenth of the required capital. So he kept working on getting the place sold to earn his commission. Despite his best and most sincere efforts, selling it proved to be more challenging than expected.

One day, having yet another strategy meeting with the seller, Mike put his cards on the table.

“Listen, man. Obviously, I know how much you are asking to sell the place. All I have is about a tenth of that. But would you consider selling it to me? Maybe work out a deal, a payment plan?”

The owner looked him in the eye.

“You really love this joint, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir, I do. I would love to own it.”

“You are a good guy, Mike. And you have grit. I’ll tell you what: I’ll sell it to you, reduce the price. You give me now what you have, and we’ll come up with a payment plan for the next few years.”

That was it. Teddy’s was born, and with love and enthusiasm, Mike was able to grow his new business so much that he was done paying back before the accorded timeframe. The burger joint bloomed into a franchise, spreading deliciousness all over the country.

They say good food is made with love. I think Teddy’s is a great example of that. The food is delicious, and you can taste in it more than condiments. When I finally tried it, I savored it all: enthusiasm, opportunity, dedication, and above all, love. If you are ever in the neighborhood, make sure to check it out.