Quesadilla Gorilla is “Liquid Gold”

“Every month is a little bit better” said Miguel owner and founder of Quesadilla Gorilla located in Visalia California referring to the growth of he and his wife’s successful restaurant serving only quesadillas.

The hard working newlyweds (80 plus hours a week) are proof that The American Dream is alive and kicking. These two are no strangers to hard work. You could almost say they were born into it. Both come from very hard working families that from talking to the two of them seems to be a point of pride. And why not? Both started working around 15 years old and Miguel had three jobs at age 17.

Dropping out of college Miguel started their business from a failing pizza by the slice place to an ever growing and extremely popular “Cool Kid” location. In fact how I first heard of it as follows “there’s this really cool place you got to go to in Visalia!”

Success seems to come naturally to the couple. On day one after switching from pizza by the slice to Quesadillas they doubled sales on the first day! Then an article came out in “The Fresno Bee” and off to the races they went not slowing down for an instant.

Before you say “I’m going to go open a Quesadilla shop too. How hard is cheese on a tortilla?” The answer is extremely hard. These are generational family recipes meticulously transcribed from a little of this a pinch of that into actual recipes duplicatable again and again. One of the salsas is called “Liquid Gold” and for good reason. If they were to simply market the salsa alone I believe this couple would be successful. In fact the food is so good it was named #3 on the 50 Best Restaurants in Visalia.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/quesadilla-gorilla-visalia

Oh! Did I mention they are 22 years old? Yeah, 22! Just like the song. Imagine that. Many 22 year olds are drinking their way through college or popping out children or still living at home playing video games and you are starting an amazing business that you want to grow following the model of In and Out. In California’s Central Valley having kids at 22 is very common, and these two have their baby too, their business.

With all their success it must be going to their heads. Right? Wrong! Miguel said he doesn’t feel like much of a cook. Well feeling and being are two different things. Believe me they are fabulous cooks.