Miguel Flores—general manager at Moby Dick, a family-friendly restaurant on Stearns Wharf—celebrates 10 years at the ocean-front restaurant this year.
Mr. Flores grew up in Mexico City and came to San Jose as a teenager. He attended De Anza Community College and started working in restaurants as a bus boy. He moved to Santa Barbara on recommendation from a friend and got a job at Moby Dick after the same friend, who worked at the restaurant then, referred him. Mr. Flores started as a server.
“The minute I walked into the restaurant, I was in love,” Mr. Flores said. “It was early in the morning and still dark when I first walked in. When the sun rose, I said, ‘This is it. I don’t want to work anywhere else.’”
Now, 10 years later, Mr. Flores is general manager, managing more than 60 employees.
Under Mr. Flores’ leadership, Moby Dick has a re-vamped menu, with fewer, higher-quality options. All ingredients are local, purchased from The Berry Man, Inc., Jordano’s Foodservice, Harbor Meat & Seafood and the downtown farmer’s market, Mr. Flores said.
“Our business is better than ever,” Mr. Flores said. “We are breaking records.”
For more information, visit www.mobydicksb.com.