Today we’d like to introduce you to Soleil C Ramirez
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Soleil Ramirez was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and grew up in a loving, multigenerational home where food was the connection that brought them all together. Her fondest childhood memories are of cooking with her mother and grandmother for all who mean the most to them.
Soleil began her professional career on a practical and lucrative path in the financial department of two large international companies after obtaining a college degree in business administration. A few years later, the pull of her true passion for food and cooking propelled her to enroll in culinary school and embark on a career in the food industry. With a deep understanding of both the financial and culinary aspects of the business, she was able to turn a struggling restaurant into a successful enterprise in three short months. She was so impressed with the owner of that restaurant that he invited her to become his business partner when she was only 26 years old.
Unfortunately, that success caught the attention of corrupt government officials who expropriated the restaurant’s and her personal assets, leaving her with nothing while subjecting her to threats and violence. With her life and livelihood in jeopardy, Soleil decided to seek asylum in the United States in 2016 with only $300 and a week’s worth of clothes. From a young age, Soleil has been determined and tenacious. The challenges she faced in Venezuela during this time fortified that resolve. Dangerous conditions forced her to leave her beloved country but she was determined that she would not be defined by those difficult circumstances.
It took 151 days for her to gain asylum after arriving in the twin cities of Minnesota. Since that time, she has put her entire being into building a meaningful life for herself in this country but she still regularly sends money and medicine to her mother in Venezuela and continues to care deeply about the plight of her people there. With innate talent and impeccable culinary skills as well as an unmatched work ethic and dogged determination, Soleil very quickly caught the attention of renowned chefs in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area including Jonathan Hunt at Al Vento Restaurant and Jack Riebel at The Lexington (Chef de Cuisine 3 years). Amidst the grueling schedules and exacting culinary skills required, she flourished.
Whilst immensely grateful for the opportunities to make a living and learn from the best in the business, it has always been her plan to execute her culinary vision to share her culture and create a safe space for the Latin community. In 2021, during the height of the global Covid-19 pandemic, Soleil took a leap of faith and opened her own restaurant at the Midtown Global Market. Both an expression of her Venezuelan heritage and a gift to her adopted home in Minnesota, Arepa Bar is the only 100% traditional Venezuelan restaurant in the region. From the moment she decided to migrate to this country, her dream has always been to “bring a piece of home to the USA and show the world Venezuela is not just oil, bad government, and drugs”.
Crasqui it has been a dream for Soleil for years, she created a project called “Love & Soul Series” was a monthly, private fine dining experience for 30 people where she can educate her patrons about the historical roots of Venezuelan and South American cuisine. After 2 years of the series, chef Soleil opened Crasqui Restaurant in August of 2023. The only Elevated Venezuelan Restaurant in the mMidwest.
Crasqui had recognition since day one in many newspapers, great reviews from well known food critics, also we are in the list of the 50 best Restaurants in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, press in StarTribune, Minnesota Monthly, Pioneer Press, and more
Soleil is eternally grateful for family, friends, mentors, and the organizations that helped her succeed. By sharing her practical experience and infectious exuberance and joy, she is committed to paying it forward to others who have the same audacious entrepreneurial drive to pursue the American dream.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all… please watch this video
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5b0ozTpnjR/?igsh=ZGJkM2t4aDV5aGli
Risks and challenges opening Crasqui Restauran, this is a part of a kickstarter I started in November 2022 and unfurtuanelly didn’t worked out but here are the details
…..
We have the location, construction is happening, lease is signed, loan is ready, we are looking and hiring for our staff already, but be need to fill a $40.000 GAP
One of the biggest obstacles I have is the funding for the project and the trust of financial institutions
I am not a permanent resident yet, I been in process for Asylum for the last 7 years, and for that reasons any financial institutions helped me with the project. Took me very long time, tears, a lot of people told me was impossible for me to make this happen because i was a immigrant and a women, but with a lot of effort I gather 4 different organization to help me with the funding for this dream. 3 non-profit organizations, my general contractor, my family, friends, and the city of Saint Paul are helping me to make this dream come true, but I still have a gap to cover
I am asking to the community to help me with $40.000 to have enough cash flow to open the restaurant because I don’t have money for operational costs.
2024: road it has been very hard, The restaurant industry in the Twin Cities is facing immense challenges post-COVID, with high taxes, changing regulations, and daily operational struggles. Restaurant owners are suffering daily just to pay our bills, with the government continually adding more taxes and fees. We must unite, speak up, and advocate for our future, as the government won’t do it for us. Every day feel more difficult to have a small business.
As you know, we’re big fans of Crasqui Restaurant / Arepa Bar. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Business administrator/Chef
Venezuelan food and roots
I am a very proud Cenezuelan who wants to show Minnesota the beauty of my culture through my food, recreating memories and bringing people together
Elevated style, delicate, professional, great for celebrations, fresh, latin, authentic. Crasqui is a tropical scape in the middle of the Twin Cities. Is a piece of the ocean and its vibes, made with a ton of sacrifice and love.
What are your plans for the future?
Crasqui it is a 11month baby, for now keep pushing and growing so I continue to be better everyday in what we do here
Arepa Bar transitioned to a catering Business and we hope we xan come back to the Minnesota Srate fair for 2025 ( we were at the State Fair in 2022 and 2023)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.crasquirestaurant.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crasquirestaurant?igsh=MXBuYm5vZXg1aGUycQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crasquirestaurant?mibextid=ZbWKwL
