Wilma Doesnt focuses on family restaurant to survive

MANILA, Philippines — Wilma Doesnt knew that the sudden changes brought by the pandemic were no laughing matter. How thankful could she be that she did something prior to it that would turn out to be her and her family’s saving grace!

Pre-pandemic her family opened an eatery called Chicks Ni Otit that catered to Class C clientele. Her husband is the cook while she does online marketing. Her three children help in servicing diners.

“The pandemic,” according to the model-turned-actress, “changes a lot of things from my personal point of view. As a mother, I get to know more of my children since I have to stay at home 24/7.”

Asked about if the current situation made her think to officially retire from showbiz, she said, “With my showbiz career, I’m still into it. But I’ve realized having your own business is more important because it helps us survive in these trying times. Nothing is permanent in this world, but your family. Your small business is yours. That’s for keeps.”

While a lot of multi-million companies closed down due to pandemic, the small-medium enterprises, in Wilma’s view, experienced better chances of surviving because the flow of things is less complicated and, in her words, “so simple for us to maintain or we have low overhead or expenses.”

Chicks Ni Otit, for one, didn’t hire any personnel. She related, “We work as a family for us to save more income and to keep our business afloat.”

Instead of expressing bitterness over what happened to the world or how it is allegedly being mishandled by the authorities, Wilma chose to focus on dealing with the necessary changes to live through in what the new normal has to offer.

For one, she and her family assure the safety of their customers and staff. She noted, “We make sure that we sanitize our utensils and glasses. Social distancing is important and the advantage of our restaurant is, we don’t use aircon. It’s safer due to proper ventilation, and we do general cleaning every Monday.”

Wilma used to be a runway model before she joined showbiz in the mid-’90s. Her eldest child Asiana had started modeling, too, what with her lean physique she obviously acquired from her mom.

Asiana, the proud mother informed, is the one in-charge for takeout orders. In doing so, they use popular delivery platforms like Panda, Grab and Lalamove to satisfy the cravings of their customers.

Chicks Ni Otit, now eyeing for expansion like a second floor to accommodate more diners, is located in General Trias, Cavite, and has for menu staple Pinoy meals like tapsilog, adobo, lechon kawali, grilled tuna, among others. Wilma is known around as a Fil-American Caviteña.

Wilma’s optimism is reflected in her view of the health crisis that halted careers and closed businesses. “I believe in God’s promises,” she said. “I look at this as a lesson for each and every human being, that we have to keep our place or ourselves clean and tidy all the time. Safety measures are very important, especially if you are in the food business. At Chicks Ni Otit, we practice food safety and hygiene since we have that kind of program. Proper food handling is very important. We make sure that the kitchen is clean, the ambiance is clean, and the food that we serve is clean.”