George Krumov
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I have been a chef for twelve years. I started in Bulgaria as chef and since have worked all around the world. I have cooked in the U.S., the Middle East and on cruise lines.
Eight years ago, I came to Canada. I spent six years working in Windsor before I made the move to Chatham for a simple reason – to work. I got a job as a chef at Tapas and Blues. After my first year in town, it sold. |
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That is when I decided to open my own restaurant. I have experience with every kind of cuisine and felt that a sushi bar would be a good choice for Chatham-Kent. In fact, my restaurant, Tikki Tornado, is the first sushi restaurant in town.
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I had a lot of support from the people around me. Other business owners such as Len Acampora from Mamma Maria's and Mauro Pippo from The Chef's Table helped set up my business and gave me many ideas. |
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I believe that Chatham-Kent has opportunities for business to support cultures. Sometimes, you have to go to Windsor for cultural –specific foods or entertainment. I am proud of the achievements I have made in Chatham and the name I have made for myself. I was the first person to bring in Spanish cuisine. I was the first person to open a sushi bar and offer healthy food instead of the junk food.
When people find out about my world experience they ask me why I chose to live in Chatham-Kent. I think this is a poor question to ask. Chatham-Kent is a good place to live, so why not? Chatham-Kent could be even better if more people would take the time to realize the advantages and opportunities that you can find in Chatham-Kent.
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I like living in this community. It is easy to get around with almost no traffic and it is much cheaper than living in a large city. I also like that in a small community people help each other. There is a lot of support from other business owners. |
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I am very happy with the contributions my business has made in the community. I have helped with the improvement of the downtown by offering a new restaurant and creating employment.
It’s been successful 14 months in business so far for me in Chatham and that I'm humbled by all the great people that have visited my restaurant.
For people that are thinking about moving to Chatham-Kent I would give this advice:
Look at the quality of life and not just the amount of income. You may make more money in a big city but you will get less for it. There are many opportunities for more businesses to come to Chatham-Kent and increase the culture and entertainment in the area.