STAR Rtn. Rami Chahwan: A Mechanical Engineer Turned Restaurateur Shares His Story

STAR Rtn. Rami Chahwan, who hails from Lebanon, has been traveling to the Philippines for business since 2012. On the same year, he met the woman of her dreams, giving him a good reason to stay in the country for good in 2017. At present, he is the CEO of Popeyes (PLK Philippines).

It is amazing how Popeyes — despite the harsh effects of the pandemic in the food industry — managed to, not just survive, but thrive and even expand its operations! Turning every obstacle into an opportunity, Popeyes now has 15 branches throughout the metropolis, five of which opened during the community lockdowns.

Here, he shares his story — how a former engineer, a skeet and trap shooter, and a racer behind the wheels now cooks up a successful restaurant business, and how Popeyes stays competitive during these challenging times. On a lighter note, he also shares his appetite for Filipino food and the exotic dishes that he has tried. And it’s charming to know the things he does when he is not at work.

Rhea Vitto Tabora (RVT): Please share something about yourself that your fellow Rotarians might not readily know.

Rami Chahwan (RC): I am a very big fan of Competition (Skeet and Trap) Shooting. As a matter of fact, I made it to the Canadian team of Under-21 International Juniors Competition in Germany in 2001. I am also a very avid fan of racing and Formula 1. I have my racing license from Club La Licorne in Canada as well.

RVT: When you were younger, what did you want to be?

RC: As young as six years old, my parents asked me what I would like to be and my answer was, I would like to own my personal gas stations. I guess I was attracted to cars so much. Hehe. As I grew older, I started to zone more and more on the restaurant industry.

RVT: I read that you are a mechanical engineer by education. How did you end up in the restaurant industry?

RC: To pay my studies, I had to work during nighttime and weekends, and the most flexible work was in the restaurant industry. By the time I graduated, I was already promoted from Cashier to Assistant Restaurant Manager. When I finished my studies, I was offered a General Manager role that frankly paid much better than engineering. I never looked back since that day.

RVT: What made you come and work in the Philippines?

RC: I initially worked for recruitment trips, then I met the most wonderful woman in the world who became my wife later. While I was travelling for work, she remained in Manila and raised our two kids, until I came back and stay here permanently in 2017.

RVT: We all know that the F&B business has been heavily hit by the pandemic, yet Popeyes has been opening branches even with this pandemic. This is amazing! How did you do that?

RC: During each crisis, there are always opportunities. Because we are new and have a smaller store base than the major and bigger restaurants, we are more nimble and able to react quicker. While others are vacating prime locations, we found those fantastic opportunities for Popeyes. I have to also mention that I have the full support of the board and the shareholders because without them and the funding, I would not have been able to do so. I had to turn around and present an 18-month plan to our board and display that we would remain in a positive position from an operation standpoint, and all capital investment will still enjoy less than four years payback period. This was done by negotiating with many suppliers, landlords and partners for their support. So far, since the pandemic, I was able to meet their expectations by remaining positive on our financial statement, and our balance sheet was solid enough pre-pandemic to be able to survive the storm.

RVT: How do you stay competitive during these challenging times?

RC: The only way to remain competitive is by being on the ground, by listening to our employees (I call them the heroes of our restaurants), and most importantly, by providing guests what they need. We have commissioned many researches and they all came back to the fact that guests want value during these times. It does not necessarily mean they are not willing to pay more; it just means they want to get their money’s worth.

RVT: What is your favorite Filipino dish?

RC: I like many of them. But on top of my list would be any type of sisig, beef pares, seafood, and of course, crispy pata.

RVT: Have you tried any exotic dishes?

RC: I did try crocodile in the hot air balloon show in Clark. I also tried balut. I also love isaw.

RVT: What is one thing you miss most in your home country that you cannot find here in the Philippines?

RC: My mother and father.

RVT: What do you usually do when you are not working?

RC: I usually attend to the house chores—cleaning, gardening, etc. And once every two to three months, I like to take the family to a new place in the Philippines they have not discovered yet. Like Iba in Zambales, Baler in Aurora, Calatagan and Nasugbu in Batangas, and La Union. It's a new place each time.

RVT: What inspired you to join the Rotary Club of Manila?

RC: SERVICE ABOVE SELF. I got to where I am today, and I want to give a hand to others who would like to reach such goals like some did for me when I was younger. I am inspired by the caliber of people I meet, and it energizes me to do more every time.

RVT: How would you describe your experience with the Club so far?

RC: Amazing. I always talk about it to my friends and circle of people, and I invite them to join. I might not always be available because we are in a very aggressive expansion mode, and sometimes, I tell myself that I should try to schedule RCM time in my weekly calendar to be able to attend, but not always possible.