Today we’d like to introduce you to Fernando Rios.
Hi Fernando, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Rio Tacos was started as a side business in Los Angeles, California. Being a professional baseball player in the minor leagues for six years, then going to culinary school, I worked in various restaurants as a line cook and Sous Chef. Then I left the restaurant and worked full time at Trader Joe’s, but then, on the side, I started my own business, a passion of mine and my wife, making tacos. Through a manager at Trader Joe’s who needed a taco guy to cater her son’s birthday party, she knew that I was a chef and offered to hire me as her tac0 guy for her party. I hadn’t officially started my business, but I went ahead and accepted her offer and took the job. The event was about 2 months away, so I had time to prepare. So, I bought a small “taco cart” with a grill and a steamer. That was my first event, and with 120 guests, I took business cards to pass around. The event was a total hit, and from there on, people started to spread the word, and I started to get events almost every other weekend. Then, every other weekend became every weekend. Things started getting serious, and then I considered opening a brick-and-mortar store.
That’s when the 2020 pandemic hit, and everything was canceled. Good thing for us; this was still only a side job, and I still had my full-time job at Trader Joe’s. After a few months through the pandemic, a cousin from Albuquerque invited me and my family to visit them one weekend to relax since I didn’t have anything going on on the weekends. After that visit, I had already decided that I wanted to move to NM, and 3 months later, I rented the biggest uhaulUhaul and moved my family to Albuquerque. I transferred to Trader Joe’s in Albuquerque and started talking to different breweries if they needed someone to sell tacos outside of their location. The brewery that started it all was in Corrales, NM, called Exnovo. They were interested because I told them we came from Los Angeles, and that was our style of tacos, more authentic Mexican. I became their Taco Tuesday person. I started to set up under a tent on their patio. I took my little taco cart and our signature fresh tortilla maker; the rest was history. The word went out, and other breweries called to see if we could sell at their location. Before a year had passed, I quit Trader Joe’s and went full-time with my taco business. After a year and a half, we found an opportunity to upgrade to a food trailer. The food trailer allowed us to add more items to our menu, and our famous chilaquiles were born. It’s been over 3 years since we have lived in Albuquerque, and we have this food trailer. As I write this, we just signed a lease to open our first restaurant. The projected time of our grand opening is in April 2024. We plan to add a few more items to our menu and offer breakfast. Now, we have many followers not only from New Mexico but from the surrounding states that come and visit us.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It had been both. But adversity has made us grow stronger. Especially after the pandemic, it was the reason we moved to NM., and we have grown stronger.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us more about your work.
Since I was a boy, I dreamed of becoming a chef and owning a restaurant. However, I was also good at sports. I was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds out of High School and was given a scholarship to go to the Culinary Academy of my choice if I didn’t make it to the major leagues. Being a chef has nothing to do with being a baseball player, but baseball taught me discipline and hard work, which are essential in the restaurant industry. I’m blessed to have experienced both jobs that I always wanted to do, and even though they are very difficult, they’re things I love and don’t see as regular work.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My biggest support system was an aunt that was like my mother. She passed away about a year and a half ago. She worked since she was 12 years old and helped support her little brother because they lost their mother at a young age. She then created her own business and helped all her family and nephews. She was my biggest cheerleader when I played baseball and started my own business.
Contact Info:
- Website: rio-tacos.com
- Instagram: riotacos_co
- Facebook: riotacosco.
- Yelp: Riotacos
