Another Link in the Inka Chain

Although its success may not rival Krispy Kreme’s, the Cypress-based Inka Grill chain is growing in popularity in Orange County with its menu of Peruvian food.

The family-owned business, which began as a small eatery in Lake Forest in 1996, is opening another restaurant Friday in Cypress. The company also operates a restaurant in Costa Mesa, is planning a fourth outlet in Long Beach and is in negotiations to open eateries in downtown Huntington Beach, Manhattan Beach and a second Long Beach location.

“We want to make Peruvian food mainstream in America,” said George Skandalos, chief operating officer of Inka Restaurant Ventures Inc. “We have found that people want more options than Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Thai.”

Skandalos’ mother, Ana Maria Montoya-Ives, used $30,000 of her savings to open the first Inka Grill, a 25-seat restaurant featuring rice-based spicy chicken, steak and seafood dishes from family recipes.

The first restaurant had only four employees. By early December, the company is expected to have 80. The company wouldn’t disclose sales figures.

The company also plans to add more locations in Orange County, then move into the Los Angeles market and open larger restaurants.

So far, the family has managed to finance its growth with its own money, George Skandalos said. “If we start letting everyone get involved, they might want to try and change what we do,” he said.