Today we’d like to introduce you to Jose Mejia Jr.
Jose, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I guess you could say I was born into it. When my parents met, my father was a cook at spot named Lucy’s. They started dating and my mother ended up being hired as a cashier. They’ve always had an insane work ethic so they put in long hours, scrimped and saved until they were able to buy their own place in Baldwin Park. We moved into an apartment right behind the restaurant when I was five and I’ve been working here ever since. I started bussing tables for quarters so I could play the arcades we had in our dining area. When I got a little older, I started helping after school or on the weekends. I remember always making it a point to push myself to get better to prove myself to my dad.
Looking back, I think it was a genius move by him. I would move feverishly to prove I could get as much work out as the adults and the staff would have to do the same because a ten years old rolling taquitos faster than you wouldn’t sit well. I grew up in the restaurant and eventually went to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and spent some time working in some great kitchens around L.A. I was lucky enough to work next to some amazing chefs and had some wonderful experiences before returning to my family’s place to begin taking over. Now I’m back home, slowly but surely making the changes I want to see in our community, including adding vegan versions of traditional Mexican dishes. The response from our community has been incredible. So many awesome guests have reached out on social media and supported our efforts by telling their friends. The past couple of years have been unreal.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Far from it but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t think it’s ever been easy. Like countless immigrant families, we had to work like crazy for our slice of the American dream. I don’t want it to seem like I didn’t have a childhood. I had a happy one spent exploring the surrounding cities on my bicycle with my brother and friends but I did grow up working more than any of my friends. My parents didn’t always have the ability to pay for childcare and if a babysitter didn’t work out, they couldn’t shut the restaurant down. I have fond memories of celebrating my birthday in our parking lot because my parents couldn’t take the day off. When I graduated high school and it was my turn to take on more of the responsibilities, we were in place where we started hiring more staff when it had always been mostly family working. The challenges that came with that and evolving as a business taught me lessons I could have never picked up in any business school.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Garduno’s Taco King story. Tell us more about the business.
The answer to all those questions is “We cook.” We put out an extensive menu that is made with care from scratch. The restaurant industry is a tough one and I have the upmost respect for anyone who can run a restaurant at any level but big businesses set up assembly lines that churn out consistent food incredibly fast. While we will always strive to give our guests the best experience possible, I don’t want to run an assembly line. I run a kitchen and that comes across in our food. It was made from scratch, from fresh ingredients. We haven’t processed the living daylights out of anything and your tastebuds can tell. It warms my heart whenever someone says our plant-based pozole reminded them of grandma. I love everything about cooking. I get to share that with our guests and budding cooks that come into our kitchen. What we’re most proud of as a company is being able to do what we do in a way that stays true to our values.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck has played a big role in my life. I’ve worked hard for a long time and I don’t think anything great can come without hard work but I was lucky to have met the people I met. The chefs who mentored me had a profound effect on my life. They showed me what it is to be a professional cook and showed me a world outside my home town. Now I get to, hopefully, do the same for others.
Contact Info:
- Address: Garduno’s Taco King
14604 Pacific Ave. Baldwin Park, CA 91706 - Website: GardunosBP.com
- Phone: (626)960-5295
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gardunosbp/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/GardunosBP/
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