Local Love: Chicano Boy Taco
I can't tell you how thrilled I was when Chicano Boy Taco opened it's brick and mortar doors just over a year ago. Located at 240 N. Central St Suite 6, the food is fresh, authentic and meticulously prepared. Lime, cilantro, handmade corn tortillas, pulled beef, habanero salsa; the food is seriously so good that I could eat it everyday. I love what the restaurant brings to Staunton's food options and I never go in that I don't see someone I know, local love at it's finest.
Chicano Boy Taco is owned and operated by Justin Hershey who so kindly came in on a "day off" to sit down with me to chat.
Tell me some of your background, a little about how you came to Staunton and chose it for Chicano Boy and how your career led you to where you are now: My family moved to the area from NOVA in 2003 to escape the urban sprawl and find affordable living. We moved to Stuart's Draft and I spent my senior year at Riverheads. After high school I spent a few years in and out of Staunton, touring with bands, and going random places. I skipped over Chicago and New York where a lot of my friends were going and decided it was time to plan for my future so I attended culinary school in West Palm Beach, Florida. Educating myself to become a chef was a serious commitment, I had been front and back of the house in restaurants since I was 15.
In 2002 my family experienced a death that rattled us and I began to take a second look at Staunton, to be closer to my family, enjoy the fresh air. This was before the recession and Ian Bowen was opening The Shack, it was exciting enough to hold my interest and I began to work with him in 2008. At a certain point I realized I need a break from the business, a time to reassess, I went back to school to study math and computer science. I became reinvigorated, reimpassioned and had a more positive outlook about my future, I needed to tear down my value system about the business and needed to step away to do so. I began to work again at The Shack and Newtown Baking, I found sucess there and it allowed me to move forward in my career path. If you want to move forward as a chef and have control over your work, owning your own place is part of that, Staunton was the place for me to do this. The Staunton reception we have had has been fantastic, I am extremely surprised by how well we have been received. I went in with realistic expectations and we have far exceeded them, business is good.
How are you feeling now that you are a year into having your own place: I feel great, positive. Chicano Boy is an opportunity for me to correct the imbalances I have experienced in the business. By doing it my way, my style, I get to redo the way I think it should work. I am thoughtful in my problem solving, handling people, bringing the front and back of the house together and keeping the machine moving, bringing positivity to work.
What do you love best about what you do: I like imagining, it's kind of my best and worst attribute. I spend all day with pictures in my head, I visualize them but get to work towards them. It's satisfying to bring these ideas to fruition through all aspects of this restaurant. I am guiding my future and that is tremendously satisfying.
What are your guilty pleasures: Ice cream, popcorn and corny 80's romance songs.
If you could go anywhere, where would it be and why: French Patagonia with Francis Mallman. I have this Star Wars type romance in my head about meeting him, he is standing on a misty mountain top ready to give me all of his Zen cooking wisdom, we would hang out in seclusion and he would show me his ways of cooking. (Mallman sparked the cooking over an open fire movement and you can read about him here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Mallmann)
Any concert you could attended past or present: Fugazi 1990.
If you could sit down for tacos with any 2 people, who would it be and why: My Nana because she never got to see me as a chef, I was in school when she passed away. She loved to cook and held chefs in a revered light and that inspired me, gave me the encouragement and acceptance to pursue my path. Georg Cantor( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Cantor)the mathematician who discovered greater infinities. He thought he was "chosen" and getting his understanding of math from a divine source. I like the idea of getting into treacherous mental waters, not necessarily losing one's mind, but seeking a much deeper understanding.
What are your most important attributes: My willpower, tenacity and PMA(positive mental attitude).
What Superpower would you choose or Superhero would you choose to be: The Silver Surfer(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Surfer). I want to chase the sun, see planets and travel through space and time.
Any future plans: Working on a second restaurant in Staunton. It's a different concept, I hope you like cheeseburgers.
Check out Chicano Boy here http://www.chicanoboytaco.com/ and here https://www.facebook.com/chicanoboytaco/.
Chicano Boy Taco is owned and operated by Justin Hershey who so kindly came in on a "day off" to sit down with me to chat.
Tell me some of your background, a little about how you came to Staunton and chose it for Chicano Boy and how your career led you to where you are now: My family moved to the area from NOVA in 2003 to escape the urban sprawl and find affordable living. We moved to Stuart's Draft and I spent my senior year at Riverheads. After high school I spent a few years in and out of Staunton, touring with bands, and going random places. I skipped over Chicago and New York where a lot of my friends were going and decided it was time to plan for my future so I attended culinary school in West Palm Beach, Florida. Educating myself to become a chef was a serious commitment, I had been front and back of the house in restaurants since I was 15.
In 2002 my family experienced a death that rattled us and I began to take a second look at Staunton, to be closer to my family, enjoy the fresh air. This was before the recession and Ian Bowen was opening The Shack, it was exciting enough to hold my interest and I began to work with him in 2008. At a certain point I realized I need a break from the business, a time to reassess, I went back to school to study math and computer science. I became reinvigorated, reimpassioned and had a more positive outlook about my future, I needed to tear down my value system about the business and needed to step away to do so. I began to work again at The Shack and Newtown Baking, I found sucess there and it allowed me to move forward in my career path. If you want to move forward as a chef and have control over your work, owning your own place is part of that, Staunton was the place for me to do this. The Staunton reception we have had has been fantastic, I am extremely surprised by how well we have been received. I went in with realistic expectations and we have far exceeded them, business is good.
How are you feeling now that you are a year into having your own place: I feel great, positive. Chicano Boy is an opportunity for me to correct the imbalances I have experienced in the business. By doing it my way, my style, I get to redo the way I think it should work. I am thoughtful in my problem solving, handling people, bringing the front and back of the house together and keeping the machine moving, bringing positivity to work.
What do you love best about what you do: I like imagining, it's kind of my best and worst attribute. I spend all day with pictures in my head, I visualize them but get to work towards them. It's satisfying to bring these ideas to fruition through all aspects of this restaurant. I am guiding my future and that is tremendously satisfying.
What are your guilty pleasures: Ice cream, popcorn and corny 80's romance songs.
If you could go anywhere, where would it be and why: French Patagonia with Francis Mallman. I have this Star Wars type romance in my head about meeting him, he is standing on a misty mountain top ready to give me all of his Zen cooking wisdom, we would hang out in seclusion and he would show me his ways of cooking. (Mallman sparked the cooking over an open fire movement and you can read about him here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Mallmann)Any concert you could attended past or present: Fugazi 1990.
If you could sit down for tacos with any 2 people, who would it be and why: My Nana because she never got to see me as a chef, I was in school when she passed away. She loved to cook and held chefs in a revered light and that inspired me, gave me the encouragement and acceptance to pursue my path. Georg Cantor( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Cantor)the mathematician who discovered greater infinities. He thought he was "chosen" and getting his understanding of math from a divine source. I like the idea of getting into treacherous mental waters, not necessarily losing one's mind, but seeking a much deeper understanding.
What are your most important attributes: My willpower, tenacity and PMA(positive mental attitude).
What Superpower would you choose or Superhero would you choose to be: The Silver Surfer(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Surfer). I want to chase the sun, see planets and travel through space and time.
Check out Chicano Boy here http://www.chicanoboytaco.com/ and here https://www.facebook.com/chicanoboytaco/.
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