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Houston chef's taco empire; how to stand out, why consistency and keeping it real beats trends!

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Manage episode 511438887 series 3633887
Content provided by Antonio Caruana and Kristen Crowley, Antonio Caruana, and Kristen Crowley. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Antonio Caruana and Kristen Crowley, Antonio Caruana, and Kristen Crowley or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

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A jet-black rose ravioli, a purple “lean” sauce with Houston swagger, and a taco journey that started outside a mechanic shop—this conversation cooks.

We sat down at World Food Championships with Chef Machete, a Houston chef-owner who blends flavor, hip-hop culture, and sharp business instincts to stand out when the supply chain tries to make everyone the same. From candles and drama on the competition stage to tight prep and tighter margins back home, he shows how story and craft can turn a crowded category into your lane.
We get honest about the state of the industry: vendor consolidation pushing independents toward sameness, rising food costs that challenge every menu decision, and third-party delivery fees that quietly punish both operators and guests. Machete explains why he skips the big-box route to source directly from producers, how menu engineering protects quality, and where to draw a line with delivery apps to keep dine-in value intact. His pandemic pivot - The Taco Emergency, a late-night taco lifeline, shows the grit behind the brand and the speed required to survive shocks.
Culture ties it together. From Houston screw tapes to custom grills for his staff and an open kitchen where the machete is both tool and theater, he turns authenticity into marketing without feeling like marketing. We talk about team-building that allows owners to travel, collaborate, and learn, the discipline to cut toxic hires within 90 days, and the mindset to close locations that don’t fit before they drag the brand down.

Rapid-fire questions reveal the craft beneath the show: herb prep done right, live-fire respect, leadership on the pass, and a love for visuals that move people to taste.
If you’re a chef, operator, or food-obsessed fan, you’ll leave with practical ideas on creativity under constraint, pricing strategy, vendor choices, and social storytelling that actually resonates. Hit follow, share this with a friend who loves bold food and bolder moves, and drop a review to tell us your wildest late-night taco order.

Follow Chef Machete at https://www.instagram.com/real_chef_machete/?hl=en on IG

Buy his "purple sauce" here: https://chefmachete.com/collections/buy-lean-sauce

Check out his spot in Houston, TX here: https://www.instagram.com/gordo_ninos_nasa/?hl=en

Welcome to the show! Burnt Hands Perspective

Support the show

VIRTUAL TIP JAR: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2388325/support

CONTACT US:
www.burnthandsperspective.com
[email protected]
IG @Theburnthandsperspective
Thank you to our location sponsor, Luce Secondo, located in Summit Pointe in Chesapeake, VA www.lucesecondo.com
For sponsorship opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
*The views and opinions on this show are meant for entertainment purposes only. They do not reflect the views of our sponsors. We are not here to babysit your feelings, if you are a true industry pro, you will know that what we say is meant to make you laugh and have a great time. If you don't get that, this is not the podcast for you. You've been warned. Enjoy the ride!

  continue reading

Chapters

1. Houston chef's taco empire; how to stand out, why consistency and keeping it real beats trends! (00:00:00)

2. Live From World Food Championships (00:00:58)

3. The Black Rose Ravioli Reveal (00:01:30)

4. Humex Roots and Houston Identity (00:02:33)

5. Industry Shifts and Vendor Squeeze (00:03:44)

6. Creativity Under Constraints: The Purple “Lean” Sauce (00:05:58)

7. Brand, Cost, And The Delivery Dilemma (00:07:47)

8. From Mechanic Shop Tacos to Pandemic Pivots (00:10:39)

9. Hours, Locations, And Knowing When To Fold (00:13:20)

10. Teams, Culture, And Firing Fast (00:16:30)

11. Social Media, Persona, And Organic Marketing (00:20:00)

12. Rapid-Fire: Tools, Taste, And Kitchen Truths (00:21:40)

66 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 511438887 series 3633887
Content provided by Antonio Caruana and Kristen Crowley, Antonio Caruana, and Kristen Crowley. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Antonio Caruana and Kristen Crowley, Antonio Caruana, and Kristen Crowley or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Send us a text

A jet-black rose ravioli, a purple “lean” sauce with Houston swagger, and a taco journey that started outside a mechanic shop—this conversation cooks.

We sat down at World Food Championships with Chef Machete, a Houston chef-owner who blends flavor, hip-hop culture, and sharp business instincts to stand out when the supply chain tries to make everyone the same. From candles and drama on the competition stage to tight prep and tighter margins back home, he shows how story and craft can turn a crowded category into your lane.
We get honest about the state of the industry: vendor consolidation pushing independents toward sameness, rising food costs that challenge every menu decision, and third-party delivery fees that quietly punish both operators and guests. Machete explains why he skips the big-box route to source directly from producers, how menu engineering protects quality, and where to draw a line with delivery apps to keep dine-in value intact. His pandemic pivot - The Taco Emergency, a late-night taco lifeline, shows the grit behind the brand and the speed required to survive shocks.
Culture ties it together. From Houston screw tapes to custom grills for his staff and an open kitchen where the machete is both tool and theater, he turns authenticity into marketing without feeling like marketing. We talk about team-building that allows owners to travel, collaborate, and learn, the discipline to cut toxic hires within 90 days, and the mindset to close locations that don’t fit before they drag the brand down.

Rapid-fire questions reveal the craft beneath the show: herb prep done right, live-fire respect, leadership on the pass, and a love for visuals that move people to taste.
If you’re a chef, operator, or food-obsessed fan, you’ll leave with practical ideas on creativity under constraint, pricing strategy, vendor choices, and social storytelling that actually resonates. Hit follow, share this with a friend who loves bold food and bolder moves, and drop a review to tell us your wildest late-night taco order.

Follow Chef Machete at https://www.instagram.com/real_chef_machete/?hl=en on IG

Buy his "purple sauce" here: https://chefmachete.com/collections/buy-lean-sauce

Check out his spot in Houston, TX here: https://www.instagram.com/gordo_ninos_nasa/?hl=en

Welcome to the show! Burnt Hands Perspective

Support the show

VIRTUAL TIP JAR: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2388325/support

CONTACT US:
www.burnthandsperspective.com
[email protected]
IG @Theburnthandsperspective
Thank you to our location sponsor, Luce Secondo, located in Summit Pointe in Chesapeake, VA www.lucesecondo.com
For sponsorship opportunities, don't hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
*The views and opinions on this show are meant for entertainment purposes only. They do not reflect the views of our sponsors. We are not here to babysit your feelings, if you are a true industry pro, you will know that what we say is meant to make you laugh and have a great time. If you don't get that, this is not the podcast for you. You've been warned. Enjoy the ride!

  continue reading

Chapters

1. Houston chef's taco empire; how to stand out, why consistency and keeping it real beats trends! (00:00:00)

2. Live From World Food Championships (00:00:58)

3. The Black Rose Ravioli Reveal (00:01:30)

4. Humex Roots and Houston Identity (00:02:33)

5. Industry Shifts and Vendor Squeeze (00:03:44)

6. Creativity Under Constraints: The Purple “Lean” Sauce (00:05:58)

7. Brand, Cost, And The Delivery Dilemma (00:07:47)

8. From Mechanic Shop Tacos to Pandemic Pivots (00:10:39)

9. Hours, Locations, And Knowing When To Fold (00:13:20)

10. Teams, Culture, And Firing Fast (00:16:30)

11. Social Media, Persona, And Organic Marketing (00:20:00)

12. Rapid-Fire: Tools, Taste, And Kitchen Truths (00:21:40)

66 episodes

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