VIA Times Filipino American Lifestyle and Culture in the Greater Chicago Area
Aeron Lancero was born June 13, to the parents of Armando and Rose Lancero. He was born and raised on the Island of Guam, which is a territory of the USA. Lancero is the second oldest among his three siblings. He was educated in the Philippines where he received his secondary, collegiate, and majored in business management. Upon returning to Guam, he worked in prestigious 4-star tourist-friendly hotels like the Hyatt, Pacific Star Hotel and the Pacific Island Club. From there, he joined the reputable Theo Davies Group and Watami U.S.A, opening restaurants in China, Japan, Hong Kong and the Micronesian Islands.
In 2001, Aeron moved to the US to join the leadership team of Brinker International for nearly 8 years. He quickly climbed the ranks to ultimately lead the team of Maggiano’s highest-grossing U.S. restaurant. His successes and contributions, first in Minnesota and then in 2003 in Chicago, earned him numerous corporate and community awards.
Part of what makes Lancero so inspiring and good at what he does is the fact that he likes to apply himself to other areas outside the hospitality field to show his diversity, as well as passion, and interest for community run events. He has immersed himself into doing charity work in his spare time. Donating, sponsoring, and running meetings are only some of the things he has done with his charity work. As far as the charities he has donated his time to, they all vary along the spectrum. The ones to be noted are: Matt Birk’s Hike Foundation, Charles Tillman’s Cornerstone Foundation, Make a Wish, Special Olympics Illinois, GK(Gawad Kalinga). GK helps donate to the Philippines for disaster relief. Direct Relief, helped donate money and supplies to victims affected by the recent tsunami in Japan. Autism Speaks, Race for the Cure, Boys and Girls Club, and many more.
One thing that he should be very proud of is his ability to juggle his work and home life. He is married to his beautiful wife: Pearly Lancero, and has four children: Aerianne, Alicia, Paul, and Matthew.
In 2008, he joined forces with Rockit Ranch Productions, a restaurant and nightclub development and management company. After two hugely successful venue openings, the group brought on Lancero to take the managerial reins of Sunda New Asian in Chicago. Lancero was an Operating Partner at Rockit Ranch until joining Intrestco LLC with Lee and Aglibot.
The wild success of Lee, Lancero, and Aglibot’s cooperation at Sunda New Asian inspired them to create their own management company and continue their innovation. Since Intrestco LLC’s inception in 2012, the trio has embarked on three new major restaurant projects, ranging from Chicago’s Lakeshore East and River North to Mount Prospect in the suburbs, as well as consulting for a spectrum of regional and international restaurants and hospitality groups.
Their first project, Earth and Ocean, opened in early spring 2013, earned the title of Best New Restaurant from Chicago Magazine as well as glowing reviews from Crain’s Chicago, The Daily Herald, Foodable, and Chicago Top 25. In spring 2014, the opening of Yum Cha Dim Sum Parlor was heralded as the answer to the lack of quality Chinese dinning in downtown Chicago by Crain’s, Dinning Chicago, and the Eater Chicago. A swift follow-up to Yum Cha, Reverie opens in late July 2014 in River North as the Intrestco’s latest synthesis between the forethought of restaurant quality food and the relaxed comfortable atmosphere of a sports bar.
Intrestco’s consulting services have been sought out internationally to open Sesame and Me Geisha Sushi Hong Kong and Italy respectively, regionally to execute a 7-concept project with Hitcents in Kentucky, and locally in Chicago both by hotel management at the Dana Hotel established restaurants; Sprout, Frog and Snail, Authentico, and many more.
The restaurants Lancero managed and partnered with have received many distinctions such as; Best New Restaurant from the Chicago Magazine, Best Restaurant from publications like CS, Red Eye, Timeout, etc, and from business organizations like The RNBA. The Michelin Guide of Chicago also features some of Lancero’s restaurants in their recommended visits section.
