Cover The setting at The Olive Tree Group's La Chica in Jaya One, PJ
The setting at The Olive Tree Group's La Chica in Jaya One, PJ
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A seed was planted in Leslie Gomez that led to the sprouting of The Olive Tree Group
“A casual conversation with my brother-in-law—who worked in the kitchen on a cruise ship—when I was young sparked my interest in the F&B industry,” shares Leslie Gomez, who initially trained to be a chef. “I pursued a degree in hotel management back in India. While I was initially more inclined towards the kitchen department, I also had to train myself in the service line and front of house, and my interest in the frontline grew. But looking back, the entire process gave me more experience about what goes on behind the scenes at a restaurant as well. From chopping onions to checking stock, I have an understanding of the pressure and work that goes on within a restaurant,” continues the founder and managing director of The Olive Tree Group.
Gomez’s first foray into F&B was with the D’Tandoor Group. “I came to Malaysia to work and was running operations for about four years before I left and started Pride of India. It all started off with one small restaurant, and slowly we multiplied. About a decade later, things really picked up and grew in 2013, and we diversified to restaurants and bars as well.”
Read more: Luca at Bangsar Shopping Centre dances a fine line between Indian and European cuisines
Now, since its inception in 2003, The Olive Tree Group manages over 500 people and owns and operates 24 restaurants and bars spanning across six states in Malaysia alone. The group recently ventured into Bali, Indonesia with Frangipaani, and soon Brisbane, Australia will see a Rockafellers too. A couple of the latest openings here by the group include the addition of Rockafellers and La Chica, with new outposts at Jaya One in Petaling Jaya. This begs the question: what are the challenges of conceptualising, expanding, and maintaining quality across many and varied concept outlets?
Above The Olive Tree Group founder Leslie Gomez
The Olive Tree Group founder Leslie Gomez
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“Let’s use La Chica as an example. When we opened the first outlet in Changkat, KL, we wanted to do something different,” shares Gomez about the Mexican eatery, which differs from the group’s prowess in Indian cuisine. “Initially, it didn’t really pick up, but the clientele in Changkat is different, so it took a bit of time to grow. Later, we branched out to Straits Quay in Penang, so I was spending a lot of time up north, learning about the customer base and habits there. That was a great move though; the brand spoke for itself and drew in a crowd from the start, so location definitely matters. La Chica in Bangsar was also a great location. And now, we’re in PJ, and the demographics are different here too. The crowd here is mostly families and people who come by after work. But what it essentially boils down to is food and service; that’s what keeps people coming back,” explains Gomez.
See also: How Leslie Gomez’s style of leadership birthed a nightlife empire
When it comes to service, Gomez relies heavily on his staff. “We take in those who have some background in F&B and provide the necessary level of training, as some have more experience than others. And we reward them accordingly as well,” he shares. “But being an owner is different from being a worker. I like to put myself in their shoes to understand them, but when I shift my perspective to that of an owner, my perfectionist side comes out. Then, I try to get them in my shoes and see things the way I do. When you’re a customer in your own place, that’s when you can notice what can be done better. I’m the biggest critic of my own establishment, but I trust my team to look after the brands,” says Gomez, who’s mostly hands-on during the first six months of the opening of an outlet.
“Our position as an F&B player is pretty cemented now. Back then, we would have to enquire about locations to open up a brand, but nowadays people approach us to say there’s this space available for you,” ends Gomez on how far he and the group have grown.
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If tall, dark and handsome is what you're looking for, Aaron Pereira ticks two out of three. This fine chocolate man (that is, a connoisseur of fine chocolate), enjoys the theatre, futsal, real-life conversations and of course, the English language. He believes that language should first be used to express, but the business of a sub-editor is to impress.
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