Victoria Ruiz took a job at Hooters of Pembroke Pines in 2010 to pay for nursing school and stayed eight years. Along the way she made four straight Hooters Calendars, landed the cover of the 2016 playing cards, froze in a bikini in Aspen for us, and raised money for kids' hospitals on calendar tours across the country. In 2019 Hooters put her in the Hall of Fame. Today she produces luxury events around the world, holds a black belt in Kung Fu, and was back at her home store yesterday. We caught up with Victoria for the first in our Legends series.
Back ThenPEMBROKE PINES, 2010 TO 2018
How did you end up at Hooters?
I was looking for a flexible job that would help me pay for nursing school.
What was the restaurant like in your era?
OMG, SO FUN! Get this, it was before Instagram and Snapchat, so we actually lived our memories instead of posting them. The energy was unmatched, the regulars became family, and the friendships were everything. I met some of my absolute best friends there, and we're still close to this day. It was more than just a restaurant or a job. It was an entire era of my life that I'll forever cherish.
How did you find out you made the calendar?
My franchise is incredible. My first year, I'll never forget it, the Marketing Director came to my store to reveal that one of my friends was Miss May. Then, immediately after, he announced that someone else was joining her in that month. That's how they revealed that I'd made the calendar my first year ever. I cried! And every year after that, they somehow managed to make every announcement just as special and memorable as the first.
Best memory from a calendar shoot?
Oh my God, this is way too hard to narrow down to one. But if I had to choose, it was the year we flew to Aspen to shoot in -10° weather. Cameron and Chuck looked so warm and cozy behind the camera while I was in a bikini trying to make it look like I was back home in Miami. I definitely thought I was going to get frostbite, but it was worth every second. I will never forget the laughs we had and the memories made that year.
Who do you remember most from those days?
The friends who turned into family. From the countless memories made in my store with our guests and regulars, to traveling across the country for calendar tours and signings, to being part of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes around the world.
Hooters gave me so much more than a job. It gave me a platform to make a difference, opportunities to grow, and experiences that helped shape the woman I am today. When I look back, it's not just the places I went or the things I accomplished that stand out. It's the people I met, the lives we touched, and the memories we created together. That's what I'll always remember most.
A Hooters moment that still makes you laugh?
I always go back to our dance parties and karaoke sessions with my two best friends, whether on a boat with Champ or in whatever city we'd just landed in. It was never a dull moment with Allison and Sable.
What did fans say when they recognized you?
Our fans were, and still are, the best! Not just our locals, but the fans who would travel to see us wherever we went. The most common thing I'd get was "how are you doing and what are you up to?" They loved hearing my NFL picks and my thoughts on who was going to lead the pack that season. And of course, always asking for selfies and a signature.
Where She Is NowDIRECTOR OF TALENT AND MEDIA, ROCK WITH U ENTERTAINMENT
What are you up to these days?
I'm still blessed to work with Hooters occasionally, and I'm the Director of Talent and Media at Rock With U Entertainment, a luxury event and production agency. I help produce some of the most beautiful events around the world.
How did being a Hooters Girl shape what came after?
Being a Hooters Girl didn't just teach me how to serve tables. It taught me how to serve people. How to read a room, make someone feel welcome, and create an experience people remember. To this day, I still carry those skills with me. Resilience on long shifts, speaking confidently with anyone who walked in, the guest experience. It became second nature.
Now, in my career, client relations, production, whatever room I walk into, I rely on those exact same muscles. Hooters gave me the foundation to communicate, to lead with presence, and to build genuine rapport. That's the thread that runs straight into what I do today.
Do you still keep in touch with girls from your era?
I do, and I definitely have to thank social media for that. But it's exciting when our paths cross in person and I get to see my girls.
Do you still have your calendars?
I absolutely still have my Hooters Calendars and anything associated with Hooters. They're in a very special memory bin in my garage.
When were you last in a Hooters?
Haha! Yesterday! I'm still a frequent visitor at my home store. I mean, how am I supposed to live without my favorite chicken wings?
What do you think of today's calendar?
It's incredible to see all the years of the Hooters Calendar that have passed since mine. Every girl is more beautiful and more unique than the last, the photography gets more next-level every year, and it's so beautiful to see some traditions still stay alive.
To my 2027 Hooters Calendar girls: you never know who you'll meet or where a moment might take you. Treat each calendar signing and each shift as a door opening. Be present, be curious, be kind. Bring good energy, because people remember how you make them feel. And don't forget to slow down and take it all in. These moments go fast. One day you'll look back and realize that, wow, those are the memories, the relationships, and the growth that mattered most. Victoria's advice for the 2027 calendar girls
Just for Fun
- Order, then and nowSame thing, baby. Naked lemon pepper wings with a side of Honey Thai, and curly fries
- Song that takes her back"Atrévete-te-te" by Calle 13. "I can see Allison dancing to this now."
- Rewatch foreverHarry Potter
- Dream tripJapan
- Hidden talentBlack belt in Kung Fu. She studied Shaolin Eagle Claw
- MottoBe the reason one person believes they can make a difference
Rapid Fire
- Wings or shrimpWings
- Hot or mildMild
- Film or digitalFilm
- Jukebox or playlistPlaylist
- Sunrise or sunsetSunset
- Beach or poolBeach
- Dog or catDog
- Hall of Fame2019
One Last Thing
Anything else you'd like fans to know?
Buy a Hooters Calendar and support your local Hooters Girl! With every calendar sold, a dollar is donated to breast cancer research. Let's make a difference!
Follow Victoria at @model_victoria_, find her in the 2014 through 2017 editions of the Official Hooters Calendar, and if you're at Hooters of Pembroke Pines, look for the Hall of Famer ordering naked lemon pepper wings.
Take Victoria's Advice
The 2027 Hooters Calendar is out now. Fifteen months, over 200 Hooters Girls from 25+ cities, over $100 in coupons, and $1 from every sale supports breast cancer research.
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