Meet José Luis Rodriguez | Chef/Owner Mixtitos Kitchen
We had the good fortune of connecting with José Luis Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi José Luis, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
My wife Harumi and I were driving back with our family from Florida following a vacation. The drive was exhausting, so in order to stay awake we started brainstorming about the name of our future restaurant. After so many names, we agreed with Mixtitos Kitchen.
Harumi is half Japanese and half Mexican, so we wanted to honor those cultures and flavors and creative unique combinations with great flavors. I’ve spent more that 20 years in the restaurant industry and have learned “hands on” in some of Dallas’ best restaurants.
What should our readers know about your business?
At Mixtitos Kitchen we focus on the highest quality and freshest ingredients to create our dishes.
The fusion of Japanese and Mexican cultures is unique, vibrant and very flavorful. I learned French cooking techniques during my previous work experiences at notable Dallas restaurants including Bistro 31, Charlie Palmer, Sloane’s Cornier, Jalisco Norte and Perry’s. Some of our dishes reflect those influences including the Mixtito’s Croque Monsieur and Shrimp Bisque.
Our employees are as much of a priority as our food and ingredients and their wellbeing is our utmost concern. Our team is small and we value each individual as a part of the Mixtitos experience.
The difference between a dish made by a worried cook and a happy cook can be evident, The taste, the energy surrounding the dish can be affected. If the servers are not happy to work with you, the guest experience will be different.
The earliest learning experience we had was not to hold on to toxic employees that negatively impacted the people on our team.
Our “core values” are very clear now and they continue to have a very positive impact on our business.
Mixtitos is a place where you can feel at home having an experience of eating around the world in one plate!
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, we would start off at Mixtito’s for lunch or dinner of course. We’re very proud of our food and space and can’t wait to show it to all of our friends and neighbors. East Dallas is amazing! We love the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. There is always something seasonal and new to see all year round from art exhibitions to cooking demos, concerts and more. Picnics are always fun overlooking White Rock Lake, or there are lots of food options along the way in the park.
Dinner on the patio at Smoky Rose is a must. They offer some of the best BBQ in the area with a beautiful outdoor space,
Highland Park Village is a great destination to show out of town guests. Besides being a world class shopping destination in a historic area, there are great restaurants. Our favorite is Bistro 31 with its European flavors and flair.
NorthPark, The Galleria and the outlet shops in Grapevine and Plano are all great stops for Dallas shopping.
Finally, a trip wouldn’t be complete without a tour of downtown Dallas. Grab lunch at any of the restaurants around Klyde Warren Park. Visit one of the many museums including the Dallas Museum of Art, The Perot Museum and Crow Museum of Asian Art. Wrap it up with dinner at Perry’s Steakhouse, offering some of the best steaks in the city. If you’re visiting on a Friday, be sure to order Perry’s famous pork chop.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My 4 kids, mother in-law, father in-law, sister in-law and of course my wife Harumi have all been all been essential to making this dream come true.
A big shout out to our front of the house including our daughter Humi and son Kiyo, Anai, Victor, Nico, Chris, and Juve.. Their enthusiasm to succeed makes Mixtitos a genuinely welcoming dining experience. My sister Yoshiko had faith enough to support us financially, emotionally and hands on in the restaurant. Last but not least, our son Datzuki has the most important job of all, he takes care of his baby brother Koichi and his Grandma as needed so we can be at Mixtitos. Pepe, Alicia, Inez and Gloria have mastered the kitchen!
AND of course Patrick Donlin and Kristyn Taylor at Mr. D Real Estate Group for believing in the Mixtitos Kitchen concept enough to take the leap with us and share the vision for our corner of Samuel Boulevard.
Wonderful people have come into our life to give unconditional support like Kevin and Julia Reece, Nery Santos our wonderful handyman, Amity Thomas for PR and Leah Moet, our social media master.
Website: www.mixtitoskitchen.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mixtitoskitchen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mixtitos
Image Credits
Leah Moet
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