While continuing to philosophically duke it out with municipal officials and a faction of discontented locals, Guadalajara entrepreneur Hector Fabio Rizzo has more grandiose plans in mind beyond simply the resuscitation of the restaurant attached to the Ajijic pier.
In a fortuitous twist of fate, the Reporter crossed paths with Rizzo last Monday as he was inspecting clean-up work going on inside the dilapidated structure. He confided that he had just come out of a face-to-face encounter with Chapala Mayor Joaquín Huerta in an attempt to get the city to back off on a shut-down order that has temporarily put the project on hold.
To argue his point, Rizzo showed Huerta – and this newspaper – the original building permit and payment receipt issued in 1989 under then-mayor Antonio Rivera. Nonetheless, the incumbent mayor is holding his ground on banning further remodeling work until the National Water Commission (Conagua) gives its consent.
Shrugging his shoulders sarcastically, Rizzo said he’ll grudgingly play by the city’s rules. He submitted the pertinent request to Conagua’s Guadalajara office last week and remains optimistic that he’ll get approval in time to finish the restaurant makeover in time for the projected September reopening.
Rizzo is still keeping details on the name and management of the new high-end eatery close to his chest, but he pointed to a young lady identified as the interior decorator and the man selected to take charge as head chef who had tagged along to look over the place.
Rizzo was also accompanied by Juan José Tamayo Dávalos, vice president of the National Chamber of Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industries (CANIRAC), and head of the association’s Jalisco branch. The two men expounded on their intentions to develop professional training for local restaurant service staff, generate jobs, promote Ajijic as a prime gastronomic destination and even get the town enlisted in the federal government’s Pueblos Mágicos program. Stay tuned for new developments in the saga.