Have you met Abel?

Abel is part of the franchise partnership duo over at our Lakeview (Lakeshore Road E. & Cawthra Rd.), Mississauga Sunset Grill location. You’ve probably spotted Abel (with his surfer-style long hair) at the restaurant chatting with guests or out in the neighbourhood volunteering at a community event.

“I’m a relaxed kind of guy,” Abel shared. At the onset of the pandemic, he chose to grow his hair out, as many of us may be able to relate to. During a recent trip to Thailand, he found himself at a popular surfer beach. “I looked around and realized, everybody looked like me,” he laughed.

Sure, those glistening surfer dudes may have been a bit younger, however, sporting the longer hair has added a little more fun to Abel’s everyday grind and continually brings him back to those carefree days.

It’s that positive approach to life that fuels the atmosphere of his restaurant. Many of his team members have been with him since the start.

“I value relationships; I value camaraderie,” said Abel. “It’s reciprocal. I know most people who come in here,” he continued. “I’m one of those people that are always walking around, talking to everyone.”

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Abel and his wife, Joan, have nurtured those relationships across the Lakeview and Port Credit communities and are involved in various advocacy initiatives. Abel explained one of their sons is autistic and “high functioning,” which is one of the driving forces behind why they feel it is particularly important to be involved and ensure there are proper supports in place for the community’s most vulnerable populations.

“My family is close, it’s a Filipino thing,” he said. “I want to make sure my sons are self-sufficient. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel; I want my kids to see what I do, what I put into it.”

Abel started his journey with Sunset Grill back in 2015 when he took over ownership of the Port Credit, Mississauga location with his business partner, Simon. Both studied culinary arts, Abel at Humber, and Simon at George Brown, so the pairing made sense. “All my life, I’ve cooked. I always wanted to look at opening a restaurant,” said Abel.

“What attracted me to Sunset Grill… I had young kids; you finish at 3 p.m. and can still see your family,” he continued. “Family is so important.”

Now that his sons, Aaron, 14, and Alijah, 19, are a little bit older, his focus has turned to ensuring his sons understand different perspectives in life. “We travel; they have visibility of how the world works,” Abel explained.

This Father’s Day, Abel will be working at the restaurant; however, he looks forward to celebrating with his father and family in the evening.

When he’s not busy at Sunset Grill, he likes to spend his downtime playing golf or travelling with his family.

“At the end of the day, it’s honest living,” he shared. “For me, you need to have that entrepreneurial mentality. It means highs and lows. If you can’t handle that, don’t get into it.”

“You have to love what you do, if you don’t, you won’t last long.”

The next time you’re in the Lakeview, Mississauga neighbourhood, be sure to stop by Sunset Grill and say hi to Abel and his wonderful team!

Go-To Breakfast: Meat Lovers’ Omelette

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Abel is part of this year’s Father’s Day profile series highlighting Breakfast Dads – the hard-working, dedicated dads that make up the many faces of the Sunset Grill community.

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Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 3:30 PM