Have you met Marisa?

Marisa is the gentle, warmhearted woman you’ll find greeting you from behind the counter at our Nobleton Sunset Grill. The restaurant truly is a family affair – Marisa owns the place with her sons, Matthew and Michael. And it’s something she takes deep pride in. The family used to dine at one of the Mississauga Sunset Grill’s before deciding to open their own. “The product, the brand, and the food is good, so we decided to move forward—to take the leap—and I quit my job,” Marisa explains. “I’ve been an office girl all my life, and this is very new and different for me, but I’m with my family all of the time.”

When you talk to Marisa one thing becomes immediately clear – she’s a proud mom, and she’s constantly impressed by how her sons are able to run the restaurant. “The fact that they have full control of the kitchen, [when] they’d never cooked food before, because I did all the cooking, and to be able to do that effectively and efficiently, and the product is always good looking. Being that rushed, and having time to think of appearance of the food, I think it’s quite outstanding,” Marisa boasts with pride. “I’m impressed with how much they’ve learned and how much they know—not just about the cooking but about the business in general—to me that’s a wow. For me, I think too much, so to be able to step back and let them do things on their own—and trust them to do things on their own—to me is a wow moment. I’m very impressed.”

For Marisa, Sunset Grill has become an extension of home. “Very few people have the opportunity to work [with] their family member. It puts everything in a different perspective with your children – they’re not your children anymore, they’re your partner[s], so I can’t just make a decision on my own—I have to consult them—we have to get together to make big decisions, so that’s different,” she says. And while working with family can sometimes prove challenging, it’s also very rewarding for Marisa. “You know, we have our differences but we work through it. At the end of the day when the doors close and we’re at home, we are a family once again…”

Beyond the family aspect, Marisa also enjoys the relationships she’s developed with some of her guests. So much so that Marisa and Victor, her husband, have actually had outings with couples they’ve met at the restaurant. “You develop such beautiful relationships with certain families that you don’t mind extending that behaviour outside of your restaurant because you like them so much and connect with them so well,” she says with a smile.

All moms who dine at the Nobleton Sunset Grill on Mother’s Day receive carnations, a special touch Marisa feels moms truly appreciate. This will be their third Mother’s Day at the restaurant, and it’s something Marisa enjoys, despite it being the busiest operating day of the year. “I’m here with my family – I have no complaints whatsoever. I can always celebrate Mother’s Day over dinner—hopefully they’ll cook for me—that’s all I want,” she says. “They ask me what I want and I say I just want to relax with a glass of wine and you do all of the cooking for me.”

Marisa dreams of one day retiring and handing over the ceremonial reigns to her sons. She’s confident they can run the operation on their own. “I know I’m a part of it but it’s really their baby, and as they move forward I’m going to have to step back because I want to retire somewhere,” says Marisa. She’s looking forward to going on a few more cruises, and hopes to vacation in Europe again soon after having the chance to visit Italy in the past. “I just want the business to do so well so that I can step back when I retire, and that’s what I want to do,” she says. “My dream is to do more travelling.”

The next time you stop by for breakfast or lunch at our Nobleton Sunset Grill, be sure to say hi to Marisa!

STORE INFORMATION

Hwy 27 & Sheardown Dr.

13255 Hwy 27,
Nobleton, ON, L0G 1N0

(905) 558-7380

Monday to Friday 7 AM to 3 PM
Saturday & Sunday 7 AM to 3:30 PM