Chef Ross Pangilinan, the Business Journal’s Chef of the Year for 2019, had an eventful 2020, to say the least.
The Filipino-American chef behind Mix Mix Kitchen & Bar in downtown Santa Ana and Terrace by Mix Mix at South Coast Plaza, opened his newest restaurant, ReMix Kitchen Bar at the Long Beach Exchange shopping center near the city’s airport, early last year.
“Our Long Beach restaurant opened a week or two before the lockdown” in March 2020, Pangilinan told the Business Journal during a recent meeting at the Terrace last month.
“All of the expenses from opening were a loss—we had trained our whole team,” Pangilinan recalled. “We did takeout for a bit there with the food we had ordered, but it wasn’t sustainable. We could not afford to keep the team on staff to execute a takeout menu.”
Pangilinan managed to keep his other restaurants going with takeout until patio dining and indoor dining returned.
The customers have returned, to varying degrees, he said.
“This South Coast Plaza location is doing good, Santa Ana is doing good, but not what it used to be. In Long Beach we are brand new—I’m not counting the last year. That community is getting to know us and we’re starting to get more regulars, but it’s ramping up slowly.”
“Los Angeles County has different rules. Orange County has been so helpful throughout the last year. Costa Mesa gave us a grant that helped us. The city of Santa Ana built us a spot on the street for Mix Mix so we were able to have people sit outside.”
“I really feel blessed to be operating in Orange County.”
Supply Chain Issues
This month marks three years at Terrace by Mix Mix. In October, Mix Mix in Santa Ana turns 5.
Those are both reasons to celebrate, though Pangilinan is now facing other challenges, in terms of staffing and food supplies.
He says he was able to keep a core unit of loyal kitchen and front-of-house staff.
“A lot of restaurants are trying to hire, but I have a group of good guys who stuck with me,” said Pangilinan, yet “we have been trying to gear up and are constantly trying to hire, trying to build our team. Sometimes we lose people to the restaurants next door who offer more money. It’s rough.”
Another challenge Pangilinan and others face is a lean supply chain.
“Some products we’re short on, and prices have increased, and we have no control over that,” said Pangilinan, who wondered how much he could increase menu prices.
“It’s hard to explain to guests that suppliers have increased the prices here and there.”
An Understaffed Industry
Pangilinan said it’s the same story for other chefs he talks to.
“We appreciate people dining with us, but most restaurants are understaffed, so if something takes longer, consider why. It’s not a bad restaurant, most likely they are understaffed. I hope we see a huge amount of applications when unemployment runs out.”
“Some people are choosing to stay home because it’s much easier,” he said. “Why go back to work?”
Notable Résumé
For those unfamiliar with Pangilinan, after graduating from culinary school in 2002, he worked in the kitchen at Big Canyon in Newport Beach. He then went to France and worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant before returning to the U.S. He nabbed the role of sous-chef at Pinot Provence in Costa Mesa, working under Chef Florent Marneau, who went on to open Marche Moderne.
In 2009, Pangilinan took over the executive chef role at Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. He left seven years later to open Mix Mix.
Catering Work
In addition to his restaurants, Pangilinan said he’s been catering small events for 20 to 30 people in his clients’ homes.
“We bring the food and service, so they have our restaurant at their house,” Pangilinan said.
So, with all that, does Pangilinan see a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel?
“Yes, but is it getting brighter, or dimmer? We’ll see.”
Mix Mix Kitchen Bar: 300 N. Main St., Santa Ana, 92701, (714) 836-5158, mixmixkitchenbar.com
Terrace by Mix Mix: 3333 Bear St., Unit 316, Costa Mesa, 92626, (657) 231-6447, terracebymixmix.com
ReMix Kitchen Bar, 3860 Worsham Ave., Long Beach, (562) 421-0200, remixlb.com
