LOVE AT FIRST BITE: MEET FIREHOUSE SUBS COUPLE RAMIRO AND CATE ANTUNEZ

Love at First Bite: Meet Firehouse Subs Couple Ramiro and Cate Antunez

It’s the season of love and in celebration of Valentine’s Day on February 14, we are recognizing some of the outstanding franchisee couples in the Firehouse Subs family. 

Franchisees Ramiro and Cate Antunez met 12 years ago while working at another restaurant brand and have been happily married for eight years. 

The Antunezes opened their first restaurant two years ago in Newhall, CA. Learn more about Ramiro and Cate and their advice on successfully operating restaurants with your spouse. 

How did you two meet and how long ago?

We met 12 years ago as coworkers at another restaurant. Ramiro was a cook in the kitchen and Cate was a hostess in the dining room. Four years later we were married.

How long have you owned your Firehouse Subs restaurants with your spouse? 

We have owned our Firehouse Subs restaurant for just over two years. 

What’s your favorite part about working together?

We each bring our own unique set of strengths and abilities to operating the restaurant. Ramiro excels in areas that I am lacking, and vice versa. It's affirming to see our individual contributions come together to create a unified business. 

What’s one thing that most people don’t know about owning and operating a restaurant with your spouse?

While the challenges are great, the rewards are greater. Owning a restaurant, we've encountered many trials that have put us, our marriage and our faith to the test. That testing has produced endurance and our marriage has been strengthened as a result.

What activities do you enjoy doing together outside of your restaurants?

As parents of young children, we enjoy spending time together as a family. As a couple, we enjoy dinner and movie date nights, as well as the occasional weekend getaway.  

What advice do you have for couples who work together?

In our brief two years as Firehouse Subs owners, we have learned that we need to treat working together as an act of service done out of love.  

What does your ideal Valentine’s Day look like? 

Cate: My ideal Valentine's Day would be a relaxing day trip to a neighboring city where we'd wander downtown and dine out.

Ramiro: I'd rent a luxury car and take my wife out to dinner.  

What are each of your favorite Firehouse Subs? 

Cate: Hands down the Turkey Bacon Ranch.

Ramiro: Hook & Ladder is numero uno.