- Torchy's Tacos (Jeremy Smith)
- Illustration, Apparel Design, Logo
- BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Who says you need a business plan to start a taco joint? After living it up at his fancy executive chef job, Mike Rypka decided to take his head full of ideas elsewhere and chase his dreams. He soon found them in Austin with a newly-acquired food trailer and a red Vespa scooter. A house was mortgaged. Credit cards were maxed out. Most importantly, some dreams came true. Torchy’s Tacos opened for the first time on South 1st at Bouldin Creek.
Watching cars drive by, Mike realized he’d bet his life savings on his green chile pork, fajitas, and a desire for unique food. With no customers in sight, Mike decided to take matters into his own hands. He hopped on that red Vespa and started personally handing out his award-winning salsa and chips, inviting everyone to stop by the trailer to give his tacos a try. And you guessed it – it totally worked.
Torchy’s first menu was filled with more experiments than meals – tweaking recipes, trying new things, and serving up tacos to whoever wanted ‘em.
- Whenever Mike heard his customers holler “Damn, these tacos are good!” he’d add those tacos to the permanent menu. Soon, “Damn Good” became a rally cry at the trailer.
The Taco Dream grew and took on a life of it’s own, resulting in long lines of newly-indoctrinated Taco Junkies ready for some Damn Good tacos.
As Torchy’s began to grow and grow, Mike was then joined by Farrell Kubena, Vice President of Business Development, Rebecca Kubena, Vice President of Finance, Jason Wald, Vice President of Operations, and Alfonso Angelone, Vice President of Technology, rounding out the Taco Dream Team.
Today, Torchy’s Tacos operates several locations across Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma. With many awards won, national praise garnered, and thousands of customers, employees, friends, and fans added to the Torchy’s family, you could say the Taco Dream is more alive than ever.
All Torchy’s hot spots are owned an operated by the founder, Mike Rypka, and his esteemed partners, Fonz, Jay, Farrell, and Rebecca. Torchy's Tacos started selling tacos in 2006.President Barack Obama stopped his motorcade to visit Torchy's Tacos on March 11, 2016 (I receieved a call to work with them later that day).
