You don’t cook the bacon first and then the eggs.

Dan Androutsos came to America as Dan Andrews and started washing dishes. At 60 he still is, but now he owns the dishes. Andrews runs Ott’s Restaurant on San Fernando Road in San Fernando. He and his wife, Tula, live in Sepulveda.

Ileft Greece in 1947. I was 19. There was civil war, and I wanted to have a better life. My father sent me here. I was too young to know where I was going, but my father said I should go, and I listened to him.

I worked as a dishwasher for Bill Gatsopoulos, a Greek guy. He owned this place when it was a steak house. He bought it from Mr. Ott, a German guy who owned an orange grove here.

I didn’t speak English, and I didn’t want to be a dishwasher all my life. Bill told me that if I had brains enough, like he had, I could have a business like he’s got, someday. He had a nice car, nice clothes, things that I didn’t have. I looked at him, and I didn’t believe I could be like him.

I was working for him here for three years and a half. I didn’t have any expenses. I wasn’t doing anything but working and eating here. I was getting four checks every month and putting them in the bank. I had no credit. When I came from Greece, I didn’t know what a bill was. Little by little, they teach me.

Then I worked in a factory for two years. When the money was enough, I make the move to go into business. I bought a hamburger stand in East Los Angeles on Olympic Boulevard. I got in business for $3,500, with the inventory. I was very happy.

When they told me I wouldn’t get another lease on my place in East Los Angeles, I was ready to buy another hamburger stand, but the rent was too high. With the same money I came over here, and it happened that I bought out my first boss, Bill Gatsopoulos. This is on a 100-by-200-foot lot, and I knew I wouldn’t lose any business because I didn’t have enough parking space. Now Bill lives in Greece. He comes and sees me once in a while. Today I don’t have a landlord, I’m my own boss. I was 30 when I bought this property. Next October I will be 30 years here.

In 1962 I was doing great. This place was a steak house, and a lot of people were waiting in line for filet mignon. But the Golden State Freeway went through, and a lot of people went broke here. I stayed because I owned the property. I lost half of my business, and I was getting behind on my bills.

One time a man came in and said if we didn’t make the payment he would foreclose. I got so mad I ran down the street to somebody I knew and he gave me the $200 to get the man off my back. At that time I was making a payment on the lot here of $200. Now I’m collecting $1,000 a month from my three tenants in the back of the lot. But I had to run that day because I was scared.

After the freeway came through, I switched to breakfasts. I’m good for 15 people in 10 minutes, because breakfasts don’t take long to cook. You’ve got to drop everything at the same time. You don’t cook the bacon first and then the eggs. I keep cool.

People started coming in from the neighborhood, and I started doing better again. I started putting a lot of specials here with reasonable prices, home-style cooking.

I keep my prices low, because I don’t have any payroll. I work 7 to 3 except Sunday. My family wanted me to be home on Sunday. It takes hard work, and you have to tend to business if you want to make it. I don’t feel I’m rich, but I’m comfortable, and I’m happy working here. I like to cook. I like to meet with people.

I have a steady trade from people who have to come back and eat some of my good breakfasts. They say this is homey. They’ve even made a movie here.

Everybody knows me by my name. I feel after being here so long that this is my home. That’s why I don’t want to get out yet. A lot of people want to buy me, but I want to wait a little longer. When I leave from here, I don’t know exactly what to do.