Today we’d like to introduce you to Frederick Guerrero.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Frederick. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My brother and I grew up working/opening restaurants with our family. In 2013 we broke away to open a business of our own, which was an art gallery called Slow Culture. Having no experience doing that, we felt like we should focus on what we really knew how to do, which was open and operate restaurants. So in 2015 we put our skills to use and opened the first Burgerlords in Chinatown and then second one in Highland Park in 2016.
Has it been a smooth road?
I guess it has been relatively smooth considering how many restaurants we have opened in the past. We’ve been doing this for 15+ years, so we’ve had plenty of time to make mistakes and learn what not to do. Running restaurants is never easy, especially for somewhere as competitive as Los Angeles. In the short two year break we took from working in restaurants, so much had changed so quickly. I would say one of the biggest challenges today would be staying relevant while staying true to your core values.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Considering that my brother and I are both vegetarian, we kind of see Burgerlords as a vegan restaurant with meat options haha. At our parents’ restaurants, we were never really given the freedom to create vegan items, so now that we have our own place, we get to do whatever we want. Our specialty is a vegan burger that we make from scratch every day in house. It’s not meant to imitate meat at all, so it’s made with a custom blend of nuts, vegetables, grains and spices. Regardless of the fact that we serve beef, the vegan community is very supportive of the restaurant because they know we go out of our way to keep everything separate.
One thing that really sets us apart is that we have created a place that really showcases our personality. We’re born and raised in Los Angeles, so we grew exposed to so many different counter cultures that have influenced who we are today. That’s why is important for us to have collaborative projects whether it be a band, another restaurant or our friends fashion line. At the end of the day, we want this to be an inclusive place where any and everyone feels welcome.
I think at this point, I’m most proud that we have opened two restaurants in two years and continue to grow. At this point in Los Angeles, it seems like owning restaurants is seasonal. They come and go in a blink of an eye.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Definitely. I think because of all the diversity here that Los Angeles is a great place to own a restaurant. I don’t think it’s the easiest thing, but I think if you are passionate about it and realistic with what your goals, you can be very successful. One thing I’ve noticed here, is that people to seem to be overly ambitious with their first restaurant. I think you need to start small, learn what works/what doesn’t, and grow from there. If you want to be in it for the long haul, you really need to pace yourself.
Contact Info:
- Address: Chinatown
943 N. Broadway #102
Los Angeles, CA 90012Highland Park
5043 York Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90042 - Website: http://burgerlords.com
- Phone: N/A
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @burgerlords
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burgerlords
- Twitter: @burgerlords911
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