“In my opinion, success lies in the difference you can make. My restaurant is located in a popular neighbourhood, and it stands out from the rest by serving high-quality dishes and employing people with disabilities. In this way, I am making a personal social contribution, which I feel is necessary. There is also a mutual benefit. I discovered that having two employees with Down’s syndrome working in my restaurant generated positive publicity that spread by word of mouth. This boosted my restaurant’s reputation, attracting customers because of its social aspect and creating new synergies with foundations and companies interested in this business model.”

“Even before I opened the restaurant, I was already connected to the Down Foundation in a close and personal way. In fact, it was my idea to open a restaurant where people with disabilities would be among the employees. I discussed my idea with Lourdes, an employment specialist at the Down’s Syndrome Association, who provided valuable support in shaping the concept of the restaurant. I was also in contact with other foundations, such as one that cares for people with cerebral palsy, exploring ways we could collaborate.”

Once the restaurant was set up, my recruitment started. Lourdes asked me about the profiles I was looking for. I highlighted a series of tasks, like for instance ‘set up the restaurant tables and informing my customers about the offered dishes. I also mentioned some necessary characteristics, like willingness and readiness to learn. Then, she selected the 4-5 profiles, and out of this list, I chose Maria, who started then with an internship training of one month. During this period, she could learn and develop her skills for the tasks. As Lourdes told me, this internship is an extremely enriching experience for Maria, both at work and in life. It gives her an advantage when applying for other jobs and it gives her the opportunity to find out whether she can do the work and whether she liked to do this work. For me, as the owner of the restaurant, it was also good. It provided me security because I do not have any cost for that trial period and I am not obliged to hire her, is she does not fit in after that first trial

“This one-month period was good for getting to know each other. Maria found it a bit difficult at first. Wearing a uniform every day, cleaning the dining rooms and washing the dishes was a big ask. She also had to be trained to carry out distinguished tasks in a methodical way. This is important when working in a restaurant. During her trial period, when she worked four-hour shifts, she had the opportunity to practise these skills. This allowed me to assess her ability to do the job.”

“Lourdes guided Maria through this period. I was grateful for her help. Although I also had a supervisory role, I still needed to ensure that the entire restaurant was functioning properly. Lourdes supported María, making her tasks as easy as possible whenever she encountered obstacles. For instance, time management in a restaurant involves a lot of speed and setting up tables. At the end of the first month, Lourdes told me that she was no longer going to be Maria’s supervisor. This was actually good news — she was no longer necessary. As she said, “It’s a success if, as a service provider, you can disappear.” I took over the supervisory role. As Lourdes taught me, it is crucial that the supervisor is also the person who hires.”

“To optimise María’s integration into the workforce, I tried to play to the strengths of each of my employees. For example, I introduced María to my most talkative employee so that she would feel welcome. I also introduced her to a more pedagogical worker to teach her the functions and dynamics of the restaurant. All of this was, of course, done under my watchful eye. There is not so much a hierarchy in the restaurant; it is more a matter of organisation.”

“I was really impressed by Maria’s personal growth. I admired the way she carried out her tasks, which she did in an extraordinary way. As well as her initial duties, she asked customers for the bill and took orders using the credit card terminal. Once she became totally comfortable with her previous tasks, these tasks just came naturally to her. She received a lot of help, affection and a warm welcome from all her co-workers. In particular, she had a close relationship with the Head Chef. He helped her a lot, including providing some more critical comments that helped her improve and do her job better. Maria said that her co-workers’ role was ‘impressive’. I was flattered when Maria herself expressed how well she had been treated by my team and me. By sharing work and experiences, she had formed very strong emotional bonds.”

“I would like to emphasise the important role Lourdes plays as a service provider at the Down Foundation. When we started working together and setting up the vacancy, Lourdes conducted a thorough analysis of the job, the physical space, noise levels, number of people, and so on. All of these factors influenced the selection of candidates offered to me. She also knows the strengths and weaknesses of her job seekers, which enables her to match them with the most appropriate jobs and companies. She worked closely with me as I am responsible for my staff. I found her knowledge of her job seekers combined with her thorough analysis of the work tasks and my requirements for the necessary competencies and characteristics of the different roles very positive and professional.”

“For me, this was the best investment, as it benefits everyone. The question of how we could highlight the fact that people with disabilities worked in the restaurant was answered naturally, without the need for advertising. The publicity came from word of mouth, which reinforced the idea that my restaurant was ‘different’. Ultimately, this approach was the best form of advertising, as it valued people by providing employment and consequently creating a community. Hiring people with disabilities attracted many regular customers and fostered a strong sense of customer loyalty. As a result, television channels and other media outlets approached me to learn about my experience. However, what matters most to me is creating a good work environment where there is a lot of warmth and affection. In short, all of this ‘humanises’ the company. It encourages me to launch new projects. I would advise my fellow restaurant owners to give it a try, too.”