MESSIEH ORTHOPEDIC CLINIC

Leader in anterior hip replacement in Central Florida since 1991

Less-invasive surgery for the active patient looking for a quick recovery and a quicker return to work

Leader in anterior hip replacement in Central Florida since 1991

Less-invasive surgery for the active patient looking for a quick recovery and a quicker return to work.

Two Locations 1601 Sixth Street SE Winter Haven, FL 33880 863.419.9301

3200 Physicians Way Sebring, FL 33880 863.471.9700

“You know, if you’re willing to do it when I’m not looking, there’s no integrity,” he said. “And I live and breathe that word.”

That “won’t stop, can’t stop” attitude and self-proclaimed OCD personality helped carry him through the first couple of years at Nineteen61. In 2015, he took out a $70,000 loan to open Nineteen61 in Dixieland in a building previously occupied by Butterfly Bistro, and he was all in even if his cooking skills outweighed his formal business training.

The restaurant quickly garnered a reputation as one of Lakeland’s best dining experiences, but Fernandez said he was still trying to figure out how to make a healthy income.

“There were a lot of times I didn’t pay myself because we didn’t have any money…it was on and off for the first two years,” he said.

But then at his brother’s urging he started to take the energy usually reserved for cooking and started putting it into business tactics and strategies. He began more closely analyzing food and labor costs and eventually established Banquet61 as a local leader in the catering business.

Fernandez even took “learning lessons” as he likes to call them, such as the brief lifespan in 2018 of D’Lucas, a short-order walk-up Latin style restaurant that lasted about half a year in Dixieland. He said it was a “brilliant concept in a terrible location” and he also didn’t have quite the right team at the right time for it to take off—but it was not in vain.

“So once I found out we’re opening Nineteen61 (in its current location) I took everything from D’Lucas and that’s now my lunch menu,” he said. “It’s profitable…and it was a huge business learning experience.”

His journey has taken him from managing a staff of 10-12 when he first opened Ninenteen61 to now leading a staff of almost 120 between the restaurant, bar and catering. He said he is also excited about opening up the rooftop at his restaurant in the near future.

He’s proud of the success and is just as driven as ever—in fact he said he has a vision to open another location in a spot like Tampa—but he’s also more downto-earth than his bravado may at times suggest.

As it hit midnight during the interview with The Lakelander, 20-year old chef Vincent Nacimos checked in with Fernandez as he finished closing up shop.

Nacimos started as a dishwasher at 17 years old, and he said back then “it was a crazy experience” and “very cutthroat” in the kitchen, but over the years he has learned so much from Fernandez, including what it means to be generous.

He shared how he needed foot surgery, but didn’t have the money to pay for it. When Fernandez found out, he reached out to a local doctor, cut a deal and paid for the operation out of his own pocket.

“It’s been a great experience… it’s really all about hard work,” Nacimos said. “When I came here I was just looking to make some money…and (then) I decided I wanna be a chef.”

Fernandez has seen his own hard work pay dividends, both for his reputation and for his bottom line. He has grown his monthly revenue by 650% from when he first opened Ninenteen61, and he’s as hungry as ever to do more.