Arriving in this state where most of the world seems to be getting back some semblance of normalcy has not been an easy journey—more so for those in the F&B and hospitality industry.

Nowie Potenciano of The Sunny Side Cafe Group knows this all too well as we talk about post-pandemic lessons and how they’re slowly but surely going forward at their new beachfront restaurant, Percy Seafood.

Surviving since 2020

“It was sort of a double whammy compounded by the fact that we’re in a tourist location,” says Potenciano, citing the limited purchasing power in the pandemic-riddled island.

As a temporary solution, they launched pop-ups in Manila. While these were not money-making ventures, it gave work to their staff. On the Boracay front, they opened and closed operations multiple times in 2021.

The beachfront location is a key asset in bringing customers closer to delicious sea views and seafood — Percy Seafood’s beachfront location is a key asset in bringing customers closer to delicious sea views and seafood

“We reopened towards the end of October,” Potenciano recalls. “And then finally, we just said that whatever happens, we’re just going to stay open.”

It took a lot of resources to go back and forth between opening and closing, even operating despite the surge caused by the Omicron variant. But things began picking up in the second week of February 2022 across all their brands on the island.

Percy Seafood is defined by taking risks

So how did he manage to stay afloat and move forward even when the world was at a standstill? Striking a balance between taking risks and making the right calls, an answer that was far from what he would have said had the pandemic not taken place.

Grilled lobster, seafood cocktail, and seafood cappellini — Percy grilled lobster, seafood cocktail, and seafood cappellini

“We were fortunate enough to make some good decisions in terms of investments,” he says. These include moving SpiceBird to a bigger space in D’Mall, building The Sunny Side Cafe in Station 1, and securing the building that currently houses Percy Seafood, Coco Mama, Hello Sailor, and a soon-to-rise boutique hotel called Seaworthy.

While these are massive investments coupled with the fact that not all gambles end in success, the team decided to take the risk knowing full well that it’s better than doing nothing. “It’s either we languish or we make a gamble and then it works out. That seems to be working out for us.”

While these are massive investments coupled with the fact that not all gambles end in success, the team decided to take the risk knowing full well that it’s better than doing nothing. “It’s either we languish or we make a gamble and then it works out. That seems to be working out for us.”

Building Percy Seafood

Their newest venture, Percy Seafood, wasn’t exactly manifested during the height of the pandemic. According to Potenciano, the gem of the idea has always been there. They even previously partnered with a hotel for a food hall, and Percy Seafood was one of the featured concepts. But that version had lower price points and the menu was different.

“We always try to think of what’s appropriate for the location and the area, and then work from there.” Context is queen for Potenciano, and it’s not solely about finding food that’s great in one country and then transporting it to the Philippines.

Percy Korean campfire scallops, seafood cioppino, and Percy's basket — Percy Korean campfire scallops, seafood cioppino, and Percy’s basket

The Sunny Side Cafe, for instance, was inspired by a bakeshop in Luang Prabang that served an all-day breakfast menu because the area needed that. For SpiceBird, it was born out of the idea of tourists craving grilled food after swimming for hours in Boracay’s waters—only that theirs is a little more elevated and distinct from what’s already being done in most eateries on the island.

Location is also one of the first things that inspires Potenciano when he crafts new brands. You have to adjust when you see the location, and in Percy Seafood’s case it was a beachfront spot that was closer to the more upscale resorts on the island. They thought of people who come to Boracay who look for seafood but don’t necessarily want the traditional paluto style.

Here, you’ll find seafood dishes (courtesy of executive chef Natalia Moran) with a focus on local varieties that come from suppliers in Roxas, Capiz as there’s “not a lot of fishing going around in Boracay.”

“[Those who] would like to have seafood that is a little more carefully prepared… in dishes that are different from what we usually get,” he says about the target demographic of Percy Seafood.

Here, you’ll find well-executed seafood dishes (courtesy of executive chef Natalia Moran) with a focus on local varieties that come from suppliers in Roxas, Capiz as there’s “not a lot of fishing going around in Boracay.”

To complement the food, Potenciano also set up Hello Sailor, a bar that aims to serve carefully crafted cocktails inspired by Boracay fruits and botanicals, in collaboration with The Curator’s David Ong whom he has been working with since 2014.

He shares that back in 2016 they were already thinking of a location for a new bar and that vision has now been brought to life in Boracay. As of writing, they are finalizing the six signature drinks and approaching the last training phases of Hello Sailor’s all-female bartending crew.

In-pandemic musings

If there was one thing that Potenciano would have done if he were forewarned that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to take place, it was to diversify their portfolio even more. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” he says. It was a lesson learned the hard way. “But it is what it is.”

Percy Thai curry crab and Thai crab with glass noodles

The team is currently still consolidating and building up reserves just in case something happens. When asked how they’re able to thrive in this volatile environment, he comments, “I’ll be frank, we’re not there yet. We’re still recovering. Now we’re really thinking, ‘At what point do we say ‘let’s just stop first so that we can recover’?”

Timing is also another consideration when they make major business decisions. For instance, if not for the pandemic, they wouldn’t have gotten hold of these new locations. In the past, it was almost impossible to get the ideal beachfront spots.

Taking care of the team, which he and his wife Odette continuously advocate for, also proved to be essential, and their goal was to retain a good amount of staff despite the attrition. Opening Percy Seafood is just as much about helping their staff as much as it is taking the business into the future.

“Don’t expect a very smooth path to growth,” Potenciano says. “There are going to be bumps along the way.” Additionally, aspiring entrepreneurs should watch out for changes in consumer behavior and be flexible enough to adapt.

When asked to give advice for upcoming restaurant owners, Potenciano immediately says “Don’t!” with a boisterous laugh and Ong, who was also in Boracay at the time of the interview, echoing the same sentiment.

“Don’t expect a very smooth path to growth,” Potenciano says. “There are going to be bumps along the way.” Additionally, aspiring entrepreneurs should watch out for changes in consumer behavior and be flexible enough to adapt.

That includes something as radically simple as delivery, which they also provided. Then again, it won’t always be that way. “People are looking for restaurants with a sense of place,” says Potenciano, noticing the throngs of people going out again for an experience.

There’s a grounded sense of optimism when speaking to Potenciano about the future of not just his own concepts but the entire foodservice industry. He is hopeful, like many other restaurateurs, that things can only go up from here.

“Wish us luck. Let’s just put it that way.”