“It just warms our heart that we are able to bless anybody with a scholarship.” – Brenda Sanchez, one of the owners and spokesperson for El Paraiso.
Brenda Sanchez, one of the owners and the spokesperson for El Paraiso, said that to get an award from her hometown is an amazing feeling. “We love giving back to the community and we have so much fun doing it,” she said. “I particularly love the coloring book contests. We’re happy to give children an opportunity to color.”
Those contests are held at Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day, and the entries are hung on the restaurant walls. Winners often receive free meals.
El Paraiso Mexican-Italian Restaurant has a long track record of helping the community, including awarding a $500 scholarship each year to a Chino Valley High School senior, to pursue culinary arts or business. As a graduate of Chino Valley High School, Sanchez is proud to help inspire students.
“It just warms our heart that we are able to bless anybody with a scholarship,” she said. Sanchez knows the importance of scholarships because she obtained one when she was a business management student at Yavapai College. She says the opportunity for higher education paid off, as she works as a paralegal during the day before going to work at the restaurant.
For that and many other blessings, she says she has much to be thankful for. “We have wonderful staff, wonderful food and many dedicated customers who keep coming back. I can’t thank them enough. I am thankful for the community that I love and cherish so much. People remark about the cleanliness and how they are made to feel welcome.”
Customers also enjoy the combination of Mexican and Italian food. Paraiso said the Mexican food came naturally because that is their culture, but added that one of the owners, Carlos Beltran, knows Italian cuisine.
Sanchez notes that since El Paraiso opened in 2019, it has grown immensely. December is especially busy because in addition to the restaurant, they have a banquet room for private parties. El Paraiso also offers catering services.
The restaurant also focuses on its employees, honoring an employee of the month and celebrating birthdays on Facebook. “The workers are like family,” said Sanchez.
And when it comes to her actual family, she believes in teaching her children about community service. Her daughter, Jazleen, donated the money she earned from a lemonade stand to her kindergarten class, for example. The Chino Valley Library matched those funds to support cancer victims.
Among its many community-oriented acts, El Paraiso sold bags of rice, beans, flour and toilet paper during the pandemic when these items were hard to find in Chino Valley. Also, during COVID-19, the restaurant sold meals at discounted prices to Safeway and Walgreen employees. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
https://el-paraiso-mexican-italian-restaurant.business.site/
Photo by Stan Bindell: Branda Sanchez, shown here with Chino Valley Assistant Town Manager Terri Denemy, accepted the Business Excellence Superstar Award certificate for El Paraiso Mexican and Italian Restaurant.
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