WILMINGTON — In the narrow kitchen at Capricho, a new restaurant in downtown Wilmington, a young cook works alongside the owner to perfect recipes on opening day. The cook is studious and shy – he’s also the reason for the whole restaurant.
Capricho’s menu focuses on Mexican-style street food, a departure for owner Brian Mayberry; his other restaurants – Dixie Grill and the planned Roadhouse – are firmly rooted in American fare. But while “Capricho” translates from Spanish as “whim,” the restaurant is part of a long-term plan for Mayberry.
“That young man right there,” Mayberry said, pointing at cook Santos Martinez. “He’s the reason I wanted to open this place. I want to give him this restaurant (to run).”
At work in the kitchen, Martinez flashed a smile but didn’t stop cooking. Mayberry continued, “I’ve known Santos since he was 15 and he came to work for me. He didn’t have much, he wasn’t even a citizen, but he was a dreamer. And over the years he’s been the hardest working person – and the nicest guy. I wanted to give him a chance to have something he could make his own.”
The plan, according to Mayberry, is to have Martinez work alongside him and Chef Jeffrey Porter for the next two years. Porter, formerly of Bluewater and 1900, will serve as executive chef for Dixie Grill, Roadhouse and Capricho and Martinez will handle the day-to-day operations at Capricho.
“Then, when he’s ready, it’ll be his,” Mayberry said. “It’s just a shame he has to put up with me for the next 24 months.”
Mayberry said he was inspired by Martinez’s work ethic — and also by the old school restaurant practice of working your way up through the industry.
“A lot of times, people just hire a new chef. And that’s fine, that can work out well. But there’s something to be said for the kid who shows up, busts his ass in the dish-pit, and works his way up to master something,” Mayberry said.
Martinez just smiled again, setting down an order of grouper tacos. He paused just long enough to help Adriana Penley, front-of-the-house manager, take a photograph of the tacos.
“He makes good tacos, and I’m the kind of person who tells the truth about that stuff,” Penley said. “I would tell him if they weren’t.”
Penley said the last piece of the puzzle was perfecting the tortillas.
“They are really good, don’t get me wrong. But they gotta be perfect. I’m Hispanic, so you know this stuff is a matter of life and death to me. A lot of places throw the word ‘authentic’ around, but I remember my family making tortillas by hand. They didn’t even use a press. So, I take it seriously,” Penley said.
And how did Santos Martinez feel about all of this? Setting down a pair of tongs and a spatula for only a moment, Martinez said, “it’s very exciting. To have the chance to be a chef. To cook good food. I’m very happy.”
Then he was back to work.
On Capricho’s first day, it was mostly tacos being served. But in the coming week, Mayberry said the restaurant would add tamales and empanadas – served on Friday and Saturdays – that would rotate each weekend.
“We’ll have plenty of different vegetarian options, too,” Mayberry said.
Mayberry’s said his son Owen – an aspiring pastry chef who was recently accepted to the culinary school at Johnson and Wales – will be tackling “dessert empanadas.”
Capricho will also serve beer and liquor, starting next week.
Located at 215 Princess St. Capricho is open from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. – 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. More information about specials is available on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
