In Times of Crisis: ‘My Daughter Saw Me Defeated and Motivated Me to Keep Going.’

As a child, Guzmán Toledo grew up in a family that loved food, as is tradition and culture in Oaxaca. His grandmother had a cooking style that fascinated him, and the young boy would approach to watch how she cooked and the ingredients she used.

“That was my school. I didn’t cook, but it started getting into my head,” says the owner of Basil Restaurant, which offers a fusion of Mexican and Italian cuisine.

It wasn’t until he migrated to California twenty years ago that he began working in restaurants, climbing the ranks and learning all the roles and operations of the business. It took him nearly two decades to fulfill the dream of owning his own restaurant — a dream that is now fading due to the crisis small businesses face from the economy and the immigration crackdown launched by the Trump administration.

“You could say I’m in survival mode. I’m holding on as much as I can, and I’ll keep doing so until the end. But the situation for us is very bad,” he adds.

This Monday, his daughter Lalisha posted a video on social media. In it, she speaks about the dire situation her father’s business is facing and, nearly in tears, pleads for the community’s support so they can continue operating.

Lalisha’s effort is another example of how the children of workers are stepping up to help sustain their family’s livelihood. She’s doing it through social media; others do it by helping run the business in case their parents are undocumented.

“My daughter has seen how I’ve worked all my life — sometimes doing 18-hour shifts, barely sleeping, moving up from dishwasher to manager and mixologist in the restaurants I worked at. I didn’t go to school — I learned from experience,” adds Guzmán, as he’s known.

For him, a positive attitude, hands-on learning, and determination are the foundation of success.

“If you like what you do, you’ll achieve good results. What I’ve done has cost me a lot of sweat — doing what I had to do. And I’ll continue like that. I’m not someone who gives up easily,” he says.

California is facing its worst economic crisis in recent years. Unemployment is at record levels, and ICE’s crackdown on immigrants has impacted a vital part of the state’s economy.

“I’ve been working in this for 20 years. Many businesses have shut down — and when I say many, I mean many. I know a lot of cases. Not just in the food sector but in others too,” he adds.

One option for Guzmán is to maintain a positive mindset. The restaurant industry is full of jealousy, competition, and often ill will.

“These challenges are for those who truly want to take them on — there’s a lot of sacrifice. I took a gamble on something new, a fusion of Italian and Mexican. It’s been hard to start attracting customers, and I was on that path, but now this new challenge is even greater,” he says.

For him, there are three key ingredients to starting a business: having capital, finding the right location, and navigating legal processes.

“I’ve always believed that discipline and tenacity are more important than intelligence. If you add love for what you do, that’s already a big advantage. Right now, I’m in the red zone — my resources are running out and I need to make important decisions. My daughter saw me defeated and motivated me to keep going. Seeing her help me gives me enormous satisfaction. Like I said, I’m not one to give up easily — I’ll keep fighting until the end,” he concludes.

Basil Restaurant

6909 E. Carson Street, Lakewood, CA

🇮🇹 Italian and 🇲🇽 Mexican cuisine

📞 (562) 429-0194

Open every day 10 AM to 10 PM

Basil Restaurnat