Dining Out: Senor Pepe's opens at former Red Pepper location
Dining Out: Senor Pepe's opens at former Red Pepper location
In September, the pair opened Senor Pepe's Restaurant and Cantina at 8450 Granite Falls Drive, north of the Rosedale Highway Wal-Mart.
The Northwest Red Pepper restaurant was built in 2001 by Gilbert Sabedra and Sharon Kendal, owners of the Red Pepper in Northeast Bakersfield. In 2003, they sold it to three families from the Ventura area, who changed the name to Red Pepper Northwest. To avoid confusion, the Northeast restaurant was renamed "Gilbert's Red Pepper Restaurant."
Hernandez and Salmeron tried unsuccessfully to purchase the Northwest restaurant when it was previously for sale and are thrilled to have finally secured ownership. And they're confident the location isn't cursed.
"My husband and I trust each other and work well together. We're not worried," said Hernandez, who goes by "Marta."
Both Salmeron and Hernandez are natives of El Salvador. Salmeron immigrated in 1981 and Hernandez arrived in 1983. Both worked two full-time jobs in restaurants such as Mexicali and Red Pepper to get by.
In 1987, Hernandez and her sister, Ana, opened Anita's on Baker Street. Then in 1989, they opened a second restaurant, Don Pepe's. Both restaurants became very successful, and, eventually, Ana chose to retain ownership of Anita's, now Anita's Mexican Grill on California Avenue, while Hernandez kept Don Pepe's.
The couple's son, Dion Salmeron, has taken over as the boss at Don Pepe's, now located on Wilson Road.
"He keeps saying,