Behind the Business: It’s All in the Family at Picazo Café

Starting at 5:30 a.m. when the Picazo Café opens, a steady stream of customers each receive a warm welcome by a member of the Chavez family, the owners and operators of the popular restaurant and cafe on Arnold Drive.

Most diners, like James Marzo, who's dropped in on a recent morning, are regulars -- drawn initially for the food, but converted to enthusiasts by the service and atmosphere. "The people here are incredibly friendly and couldn’t be nicer," said Marzo, who makes Picazo a frequent stop on the way to his weekend home in Sonoma. “I’m a big fan of their breakfast burritos.”

Creating a warm environment was always part of the Chavez family's plan and a natural reflection of their personal beliefs.

“We have tried to build a culture here where people can get great food and leave happy,” said Salvador Chavez Jr. “We want to share the spirit of our family with them.”

Opening a cafe was a lifelong dream for Salvador Sr.'s wife Kris Chavez, but it took perseverance to achieve.

The couple is from the Michoacan region of Mexico, where they met and married. They moved to the United States early on, and raised their children in Sonoma. Kris did housecleaning and Salvador Sr. taught himself to read (he only had a third-grade education in Mexico), and eventually became manager of an estate bought by Jazz+ Founder Jim Pugash and his wife Stephanie. The Chavez family has lived on the property for over 15 years as caretakers.

When the former Follini & Eichenbaum space on Arnold Drive became available just over two years ago, the family pulled together to purchase it and open Picazo with funds saved from Kris' housecleaning job and Salvador Sr.'s position as property manager.

It has stayed a family affair. The three Chavez children work most of the shifts: Betzy, also a counselor at , waits tables; Andy, a Sonoma Valley High student works the outdoor grill along with his father; Salvador Jr. and a cousin, Ivan and Salvador Jr. see to the front of the house and service tables. 

But the heart of the cafe is the Chavez couple. Salvador Sr. comes in at 4:30 a.m. to ready the café for the day before leaving for his job as property manager and   Kris oversees the kitchen from 5:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Patrons sense the couple's passion, and regard the café as a gathering spot as well as a restaurant. Neighbors stop by to chat, one customer brings in flowers for the tables from her garden and on sunny days the outdoor patio fills with diners.

The Chavez children also acknowledge their parents' efforts and the strong role models they provide, putting family first, working hard and setting ethical guidelines.

The couple has plans to expand Picazo Café, upgrading the kitchen and creating a more diverse menu of hot items in addition to the array of tasty breakfast and lunch sandwiches and salads they now provide. Kris and Salvador Jr. developed all of the recipes (except for Salvador Sr.'s secret burger grilling technique), using fresh and locally sourced products, and the new dishes will express more of the family's heritage, with spices and ingredients that lend a Latin flair to the food.

Salvador Jr. inherited his parent's entrepreneurial streak. After graduating with a degree in economics from Sonoma State University, Salvador now has plans for his own restaurant concept: he will partner with chef Ed Metcalfe to open Shiso Sushi & Yakiton Grill in the former Quizno’s location in Maxwell Village in early April of this year.

Metcalfe will take the chef’s duties and continue his successful catering operation, and Salvador Jr. will oversee the restaurant and manage the business.

Chavez intends to bring the same spirit of hospitality that exists at Picazo Café to this enterprise. “This will be about teamwork, service and fun,” said Salvador Jr. “The food business demands a lot of you, but I love it.”

The Gist: Picazo Café & Deli, 19100 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. (707) 931 - 4377