Kwento Ni Toto: Sbarro

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Great Night At Sbarro

Toto 11:33:00 AM

It was Tuesday at exactly 5 pm, I rush out of the office and went straight to the bus terminal. I think the distance is about 30 minutes of travel time. It was a race against time. I need to be there at the event at 6:30 pm.

I hop in on the first bus that arrived. I thought I could be there on time, unfortunately, the bus didn't run to what I have expected. It runs like a tour bus. Now I'm doomed I don't know if I will make it.

To my disappointment I didn't make it on time but good enough I was able to be there together with my wife.

Hungry with the travel, I and my wife settled down and ate but of course I need to take pictures first before anything else. I took a few shots and went to eating again. Not really sure if this is my second or third time to eat Sbarro dishes but as what I can remember I really loved their pastas, especially the baked ones. Since I love pasta I started my meal with the Baked Ziti, I liked it very much how they made it so creamy with just the right amount of flavor in it. Then followed by the pizza with its tasty thin crust and toppings. Though the set of dishes are flavourful I would still stick to my favourite, the Baked Ziti.

While having those yummy and tasty treats from Sbarro, Mr. Fred Salvador, Sr. Vice-President for Operations of Supersalute Food Corporation (SFC), the Philipine Franchise of Sbarro, Inc. joined us and made some chit chat with us. He even asked about what we can say about the food and how was it. He even disclose that all of their foods are freshly made. He also added that they make their food. Another secret that he shared to us is that most of their staff rose from the ranks, so clearly every Sbarro employee knows the ins and outs of Sbarro operations.

Of course an event would not be complete without some good old raffle. Luckily I get to bag the first draw with a Php2,000 worth of Gift Certificates. Not bad for zooming straight from Pampanga. Hahaha! The grand prize bagged by JayL and it was an iPad 2. Lucky guy! It was really a great event because no one went home empty handed. Thank you Sbarro!

If you want to know more about their latest promos visit their Facebook fanpage Sbarro Philippines

A little History about Sbarro....

In 1956, Gennaro and Carmela Sbarro left Naples to migrate to the United States. Of course, their Italian roots were never far behind. Along with their three sons, Joseph, Mario and Anthony,they soon opened a salumeria, an Italian delicatessen in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, that was an exceptional showcase of authentic and fresh Italian fare, from freshly made mozzarella and homemade sausages, to traditional Italian delicacies and desserts, all based on the Sbarro family recipes.

Image from Sbarro Philippnes
Carmela Sbarro

As they branched out to more locations and grew into delivery for family celebrations in 1967, Carmela "Mama" Sbarro gave a new twist to the business: a restaurant with a pizza area in full view of customers and a fast moving self-service style, with the same Sbarro family tradition of delicious, authentic Italian food. The modern day Sbarro was born.

In 1972, Pampanga native Jaime "Jimmy" Salvador joined the Sbarro business. Jimmy worked alongside the original founders and their sons, living and breathing the family brand. He worked in operations as a store manager, then ran the corporate commissary in Brooklyn, and eventually served as Sbarro’s ﬁrst Area Manager.

Then, in 1989, after 17 years of living in New York and working with the Sbarro family, Jimmy returned to the Philippines — carrying the Sbarro brand with him. Along with Ma. Teresa Rodriguez and her family, he opened the ﬁrst Sbarro Philippines branch at the Annex in SM North Edsa in 1990 — the ﬁrst Sbarro in all of Asia. Years later, Sbarro Philippines expanded to the Visayas, thanks to a partnership with Gerardo Luzuriaga and Marcelino Florete, Jr.

And so today, Sbarro Philippines continues to satisfy the cravings of Filipinos with 25 branches nationwide. And through all these years, Jaime Salvador – together with his family – ensures that Mama Sbarro’s legacy remains unchanged: the commitment to good food, fresh ingredients, excellent service and great value for money.

So what is Sbarro’s recipe for success? Over forty years later and with over 1,000 outlets worldwide, the secret remains the same. All across our values, traditions and recipes – It’s all about family.