09/10/2026
Funny how opening a restaurant teaches you a whole lot more than just how to run a restaurant. 😂
And trust me, I already knew a thing or two about running restaurants. I’ve owned and operated several before. People that know me, know. But every restaurant—and every partnership—comes with its own lessons.
This time around, my main partner pulled out at the last moment, so a lot of the weight ended up falling on me. That made all those promises from friends and industry people feel even more meaningful.
So as I sit here at the end of another long day, cutting meat and making salsa just like I was doing when I got here at 5 AM this morning, I’ve got a little time to think.
Before I opened Barrio Bites, I had probably 30 plus cook buddies, chef friends, and people in the industry tell me:
“Bro, when you open, I got you.”
“Whatever you need, call me.”
“I’ll be there.”
“You’re not doing this alone.”
Welllllll… 😂😂😂
Turns out opening a restaurant is also a really good way to find out who actually means “I got you.”
Out of all those people, there was ONE couple who actually showed up when I needed help, restaurant things and such—Lindy & Shelly Rilley.
And I’m not gonna lie… that hurt my feelings a little bit. I wasn’t expecting anybody to build 60 my business for me, work for free, or drop everything going on in their own lives. But when you hear “I got you” enough times, you kinda believe it.
No hard feelings. No names being called out. Everybody has their own life, responsibilities, and challenges. I get it.
But it definitely taught me something:
Pay attention to the people who SHOW UP, not just the people who say they will.
Lindy & Shelly—No questions, no nothing, but I’ll meet you at the warehouse.… I noticed. I appreciated it. And I won’t forget it. ❤️ YOU GUYS BIG TIME!
The restaurant is open. We’re learning. We’re growing. We’re making mistakes, fixing them, and getting better every damn day.
Tomorrow morning, I’ll get up and do it all over again.
And apparently I can add one more thing to the menu:
Humble Pie. 😂
Taste the Barrio. 🌯❤️
