Former Dubai hotel waiter now owns restaurant chain in the city

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – An overseas Filipino worker (OFW), who first landed a job in Dubai as a five-star hotel restaurant waiter and room service staff member 23 years ago, now owns a popular restaurant chain in the city.

Roberto Capulong, 42, who hails from Balanga Bataan, had apparently just wanted to chase a dream, and so did not look the other way when he got the chance to work in the food and beverage (F&B) sector abroad despite having a degree in electrical engineering from Bataan Polytechnic State University (BPSU).

“It was a calling, maybe,” Capulong told GMA News Online. “When the opportunity came to me in 2000 to work in a Dubai five-star hotel, I grabbed it without thinking kung anong work. Kasi, mapunta ka lang sa abroad is an achievement sa mga taong may pangarap.”

(...(I) grabbed it without thinking what kind of work I’d be doing. It’s because having been able to go abroad is an achievement for people with ambitions.)

His passion for F&B soon grew as he began to learn the ropes of the trade.

“Being a waiter and working in room service sa isang five-star hotel, marami akong natutunan at a young age. Hindi naging hindrance sa akin ang makipag-sabayan sa mga ibang lahi. Natuto ako sa food handling, customer service and teamwork. After that I was promoted as room service captain,” Capulong said.

(I learned a lot being a waiter and working in room service in a five-star hotel at a young age. It was not a hindrance for me having to work with people of other nationalities. I learned about food handling, customer service and teamwork. After that, I was promoted as room service captain.)

By 2006, Capulong was already working at a standalone restaurant named “Agemono,” which opened a year earlier and is now a household name among Filipino expats in Dubai.

Capulong was Agemono operations manager from 2006 to 2018 after which he became owner from then on to the present.

Roberto Capulong and his Agemono team. Photo courtesy: Roberto Capulong

“When the owner settled for good in the Philippines, I took over one of the Agemono branches, and since I know how to run the business, it was easy for me to manage and operate the restaurant,” Capulong said.

The restaurant served Japanese dishes but was eventually required to add another cuisine on the menu, thus the Filipino specialties.

Best sellers are takoyaki, ramen, baked sushi and sushi on the Japanese side, and tapsilog, bulalo, pansit luglug, togue and barbeques on the Pinoy side.

Agemono has four restaurant branches altogether employing 40 OFWs across Dubai and neighboring Ajman.

“It takes on a huge responsibility but it’s very fulfilling,” said Capulong.

“Yung makita mo lang ang mga empleyado mo nafu-fulfill ang mga pangarap nila at natutulungan mo sila is an achievement na rin sa akin,” Capulong said.

(I see it as an achievement realizing that I am able to help my employees fulfill their dreams.) —KG, GMA Integrated News