The restaurant business can be consuming and challenging, but it also can be fulfilling and rewarding.
Jim and Suzanne Berrios know as much.
When the Kent couple decided to buy the Golden Steer Steak ‘n Rib House from its original owners, Don and Dar Raftis, 15½ years ago, they understood the responsibility that came with it.
They pledged to honor its loyal customers, welcome new ones and extend a helping hand to a growing, diversified community.
Today, the proprietors of one of Kent’s landmark restaurants on the East Hill continue that obligation in more ways than one.
The award-winning restaurant celebrates its 50th anniversary on Thursday, June 26. Owners, past and present, will join family, friends, the Kent Chamber of Commerce and the general public for a night of food, song and tributes from 5 to 8 p.m. at the restaurant, 23826 104th Ave. SE.
“Jim is one of the best leaders I have ever had the privilege of working beside,” said Andrea Keikkala, the chamber’s executive director. “He and Suzanne’s dedication to the community is infectious and they positively influences the many groups they support.”
Golden Steer remains a popular, go-to place for food and conversation, a host to many organizations, the home to major feasts that warm the less fortunate during the holidays and the supporter of many fundraising efforts throughout the year.
It also has been a steady employer, graced by a seasoned staff that has witnessed little turnover. The restaurant, which persevered through the Great Recession, supports 43 part- and full-time workers today.
Kent Reporter readership polls recognized the Golden Steer as “Best Family Restaurant in Kent” in 2008, 2013 and 2014.
“That’s what we established here,” Jim Berrios said between phone calls at his traditional, family restaurant last week. “We have a place where we can reach out and help someone.
“And we’re not done yet,” he said. “We just keep looking at ways where we can positively impact the community because it really is a great community.”
Suzanne Berrios said the restaurant opened doors to many possibilities.
“We now had a way and venue to do it,” she said. “We had the resources. The restaurant had that connection by being here 34 years before we bought it.”
Career in the food industry
Jim Berrios had been in the food business for most of his life. He learned the trade from the ground up, taking the arduous steps from dishwasher to cook, manager to owner, gaining a comprehensive understanding and perspective of what the business was all about.
Weary of working for a major restaurant chain and the frequent travel, he decided to go his own way. He and Suzanne eventually discovered Kent, established roots, raised a family and got involved in the community. The restaurant, located not far from their home, was the means to getting things done.
Jim Berrios, a hard-working taskmaster, was all business until he met Suzanne, a soft heart who persuaded her husband to do more for the community than just serve up a menu.
“I kept thinking, ‘There’s something missing in my life because all I am doing is working,'” Jim Berrios said at the time.
Suzanne Berrios, who had been in and out of foster homes as a child, understands the significance of helping those in need, those who have little.
Together, they make a good team.
“He’s a very driven, passionate person,” Suzanne Berrios said of her husband. “Jim has been giving me the credit, but he’s always been passionate. If he sees a need, he wants to fill it.”
The Berrioses have been a part of many efforts, devoting considerable time and duty to support school, civic, public safety, business and social service efforts.
They helped usher in the Domestic Abuse Women’s Network. They supported many other groups, including Green River Community College, Kent Parks and Recreation, the Kent Historical Society, the Kent Food Bank, Willows Place, among others. They have supported many nonprofit organizations, including churches, PTAs, private and public schools.
Jim Berrios, 55, who has served on the school board and is part of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, is in his first term on the City Council.
Both have been honored for their extensive, charitable work. Both are looking forward to continuing their work.
The restaurant business, like the community it serves, never rests.
“It’s forever changing,” Jim Berrios said of his establishment. “The human resource side of it has changed a lot over the years … the technology … food in itself has become more of an art.
“But from a marketing standpoint, I’ve always believed that you consistently take care of your customers. That’s the best marketing you can do.”
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For more information about the Berrios family and the restaurant, call 253-852-1144 or visit goldensteerrestaurant.com.
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