Calvin Green didn't have much to work with five years ago when he decided to finance his own restaurant in Augusta, so he trimmed every cost he could.

The building he leased on Broad Street already had a generic white sign with big, blue block letters that read ''Hot Food.'' Good enough, Mr. Green thought. Instead of buying a new sign, he simply scrawled below in elegant, green cursive, ''by Calvin,'' and an Augusta hot spot was born.

a ''I didn't know what I was going to call it,'' said Mr. Green, who made it ''Hot Foods'' on his menus. ''I did know I wanted my name affiliated with the restaurant. That sign was already there, so why not? Funny how it worked out.''

Hot Foods by Calvin is one of the most recognizable restaurant names in Augusta, despite its owner being somewhat of an accidental entrepreneur.

Mr. Green, who moved to Augusta from Hilton Head Island, S.C., eight years ago, didn't think to open his own restaurant until he was fired as chef at a local country club.

''It was political - someone had a friend they wanted to hire instead of keeping me,'' said Mr. Green, whose first job in Augusta was at Calvert's. ''I thought, 'What am I going to do now to make $45,000 a year?' I could always go cook someplace else, but why make $45,000 a year when I can open my own place and make $45,000 a month? I'm not afraid of hard work; why not work for myself?''

He drained his IRAs and began pooling his investments after leaving the country club Aug. 21, 1996. Hot Foods by Calvin opened three weeks later, on Sept. 12. Wednesday marked the restaurant's fifth anniversary.

In 1996, Mr. Green had three employees and $150 in lunch business on weekdays. Today, he employs 25 and takes in $1,200 to $1,300 a day on lunch business.

Mr. Green remembers giving food away just to get people in the door. It took three years before Hot Foods earned a solid piece of the market.

''Persistence,'' he said. ''One solid step at a time. Maintain quality. I knew my potential, but they were some humble days when I first opened.''

Now Hot Foods has dine-in and take-out traffic, as well as delivery and catering services. Mr. Green said he offers everything to everyone and his business just keeps growing.

A look at his menu confirms it: Everything from steak and ribs to chicken and fish to oxtails and collard greens. Salads, potato pie, Philly cheese steak and fried okra. Full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.

''It's all my recipe - it's cooked the way I like to eat it,'' Mr. Green said. ''I like gumbo with a backbone. I like my meatloaf extra meaty.''

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ON THE TOWN

The Eatery: Hot Foods by Calvin, 2027 Broad Street. (map)

Phone: 737-5666

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