Mexican Owners, Mediterranean Food: Breaking Stereotypes in Des Moines
Veronica Peralta, owner of The Green Olive Restaurant. Photo by Jennifer Marquez, JEFAS Magazine
By Antonia Rivera
Moves are stressful, yet full of exciting possibilities. Veronica Peralta knows this firsthand: she’s moved several times in search of creating a better life. She moved from Mexico to California in the 1990s, her home for more than 20 years. When her children grew up, she chose Des Moines, Iowa, to build her empty nest and be closer to her family that had relocated to the city. It was a leap of faith, but it was time for her and her husband to begin a new life, with a focus on their own dreams and well-being.
Today, Peralta owns two successful restaurants in the Des Moines area — an unexpected path that has taught her as much about stepping outside cultural expectations as it has about business. Now, as she manages the demands of entrepreneurship while battling fibromyalgia, she’s learning her most important lesson yet: putting her health first.
An Unexpected Culinary Journey
Her move to becoming a jefa — opening a Mediterranean restaurant like the one her husband had just retired from — was unplanned. “Our dream was to open a Mexican restaurant and share our culture with Des Moines,” shares Peralta. Fate had other plans.
Peralta’s husband’s former boss saw their potential and became their mentor. With Peralta’s service industry experience and her husband’s background as a cook specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, he believed they could run a similar restaurant on their own.
The mentorship proved invaluable. They learned the business guided through every step of opening a restaurant like the one in California. In 2023, Peralta and her husband opened The Green Olive in Des Moines.
Support for the concept was so great that in 2024, they opened a second location in West Des Moines. Now, as the face of The Green Olive, Peralta understands why her husband’s former boss had so much faith in them.
Breaking Stereotypes and Building Community
“Being a business owner is something I never dreamed of. It just happened. I run the front of the restaurant. He runs the back. We make a good team.” But the road to success hasn’t been easy.
It is awkward sometimes, a Mexican couple running a restaurant that does not serve Mexican food. Some customers walk out when they see them serve Mediterranean dishes. It is hard for some customers to believe that a Mexican couple can run a restaurant that does not stem from their own culture. But when they walk out, Peralta runs after them, inviting them back, asking them to give The Green Olive a chance.
“Although it is not our culture, we believe that what we are sharing with this cuisine is more than just good food,” states Peralta. “We love what we do and the community that has surrounded us. We don’t think it’s strange that as Latinos we stepped outside of our comfort zone and began a journey with a different kind of restaurant.”
For Peralta, success means more than overcoming cultural expectations. To her, a healthy experience extends beyond the fresh lemon, garlic and olive oil dressing the couple makes daily. Anyone who walks into either location can expect that there will be a friendly smile served alongside a fresh, healthy meal in a comfortable setting, even the skeptical Latinos who wander in expecting a different cuisine. “Sharing something new with our people has been a joy. As a Latina, I know how skeptical our people can be about trying new things, but when I talk to them in their language, that has been what has made many of our Latino customers try the food and come back as regulars.” It is her intention to treat every customer like a very important guest in her own home.
Veronica Peralta, owner of The Green Olive Restaurant. Photo by Jennifer Marquez, JEFAS Magazine
Prioritizing Health and Well-Being
As the chaos of starting and expanding a successful business fades and stability sets in, Peralta thinks about what’s next. With the same determination she had when she moved to Iowa with a dream, she decided that this jefa is getting long-needed attention. “My plan is to prioritize myself. I have fibromyalgia. If I do not put myself as number one, then I am not going to last,” she explains.
Fibromyalgia causes her muscles to flare up with pain. The long hours required to keep a business running put extra strain on her body. Depression and fatigue are common symptoms of the condition. Staying active helps manage the pain, which is why Peralta is making her physical and mental health a priority.
Peralta has started to incorporate yoga into her daily routine. “It is easier on my body, and I can meditate and disconnect from my work for a moment.” When yoga is not an option, she reads for five to ten minutes during breaks to clear her mind while at work. She meditates and prays. She is working on her nutrition, eating three meals a day and healthy snacks in between. She plans to spend with her grandchildren, who bring her joy and help her feel young.
Being a jefa is demanding, but Peralta is working hard to move toward a future full of fruitful possibilities. “I have a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. That makes me push forward, not stay home and not give up,” she says. “I also have quality time with myself. That is how I can keep going.” The next chapter isn’t about moving again or expanding her business. She can finally slow down and enjoy the life she worked hard to build by taking care of the person who built it.
