Our Story

Since I arrived to Los Angeles from Mexico City in 1986, I have attended dozens of weddings, quinceañeras, graduations and other big events. A lot of these parties were catered by the familiar taco-man and most of them provided good food but it was not the same taste I remembered from the street stands in Mexico City. Something was missing.

I would know because as far as I can remember, even as a toddler, my mom and my aunt would take me with them to the market and bribe me with a taco so that I will not throw tantrums. Later on I remember my family taking me to some of the best taquerias in the city, from simple carts near a metro station to establishments that started as a hole-in-the-wall and ended up spanning from corner to corner of a city block. Whether it was a giant sope from Avenida 9 or tacos al pastor from Rosales street, the flavors of the city stuck with me.

So this is why my taste buds would always crave those distinctive flavors of my childhood when eating Mexican food at a party or even at restaurants. On the other hand I learned to appreciate how Mexican-American chefs on the East side have contributed their own flavors to traditional food and how other cultures have come up with their own take on the taco (kimchi tacos anyone?).

So from this desire to experience and share the true flavors of Mexico City's street food and my lifelong love of cooking, Taco Chop was born. A family owned and operated catering company that brings you a little bit of the streets of DF and a little bit of the East side. A company that honors time tested recipes while being open to new ideas and suggestions; after all IT IS ALL ABOUT THE FLAVOR. Enjoy!!

Chef Joe Villaseñor