My Luby's story started with a tortilla delivery. Back in 1999, I was working as a salesman for Mrs. Baird's and delivering corn tortillas to the Luby's inside the mall in Pharr. One of the managers noticed that I was always talking to people, joking around and getting to know everyone in the kitchen. One day, he handed me an application and told me, "You'd be a great manager. You'd be a great leader." I wasn't so sure, but I took the chance, and 27 years later, I'm still here.

Food had always been part of my life. Growing up, I was constantly in the kitchen with my mom, looking over her shoulder and asking why she added this or how she made that. At Luby's, I got to combine that love of food with something else I had always wanted to do: coach people. Baseball was my first love, I started playing when I was about three or four years old, played competitively in Mexico, and later earned a college scholarship. I even thought coaching might become my career. In a way, it did.

I use baseball lessons with my team all the time. One of my favorites is simple: don't try to do everything at once. In baseball, sometimes the smartest play is to get to second and trust the next person to move you forward. The same thing applies in the kitchen. Don't rush. Do your part well, and you'll get better results.

That's how I try to lead. I want to know my team, their families, their pets, their hobbies, what matters to them. We set goals, compete and push each other, but we also work together. People bring each other coffee. They celebrate each other. It really feels like a team.

I feel the same way about our guests and our community. Whether it's a school, the police department, a baseball team or someone who simply needs help, I want people to know they can call Luby's and ask for Omar.

When I think about my future here, I think about legacy. I've been fortunate to learn from some great Luby's leaders over the years, and I want to be remembered the same way: as someone who cared about people, built strong teams and helped others become better. That would mean a lot to me.

And when I'm not at Luby's, there's a good chance you'll find me fishing, hunting or talking baseball. If I'm going through the line, though, I'm getting the Angus chopped steak — preferably with a little sauce on top.