Magic Touch: Laguna physical therapist tries her hand in food biz, succeeds

Jary Rie Eliseo Olivares came from a family of medical professionals. Nevertheless, this did not intimidate her to pursue her own dream. Two years ago when she was 25 years old, she started building her own restaurant empire.

Her love for food, specifically Korean food, moved her to stray from her original profession, physical therapy. Currently, she owns and manages three restaurant brands: Jeju Bingsu & Dessert House, Oppa Samgyeopsal, and WGM Cafe and Pizzeria.

The oldest of four children, Jary ventured into the food business with the support of her parents and siblings. In fact, her parents gave her a cash gift, which she used as seed money for her first restaurant — the WGM Cafe and Pizzeria, a Korean-cum-New York inspired coffee shop and restaurant.

Jary shared that she experimented with lots of food before deciding which ones would be a part of the restaurant’s menu. She also talked to friends and local produce growers with regards to food supply and ingredients.

She took the time to observe the kind of food that locals in Laguna ate, and found out that there were no restaurants serving Korean food and desserts. With her love for Korean cuisine and a niche that looked promising, she set into this particular line of business.

Jary said she did not have any formal training on business. However, her parents, particularly her father who is a practical and successful real-estate businessman, mentored and advised her all throughout.

At present, Jary owns six restaurants with each valued at P1 million. She says she is thinking of franchising three of her restaurant brands so that more Filipinos can experience and enjoy the delicious food she has to offer.

via Business Mirror / Edison Lee C. Broqueza