Fernando Ramos had been a fieldworker in the 1990s, and in 2000, he started working at Alvarez Bakery. As a young father to six children, he felt the salary was not enough to support himself and his family. So, in 2004, Fernando decided to sell his home. He used the equity to buy two houses in Bakersfield, California and in June 2005, he started his own food truck business: Tacos Mi Casa.
Growing up in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato, Mexico, Fernando became inspired by the meals he watched his mother cook.
“Por eso se llama Tacos Mi Casa,” dijo Fernando, “porque toda la receta es una creación mía. Es algo que está saliendo de la casa, de hacer una comida casi cien por ciento con unas cosas de casa.”
“That is why it is called Tacos Mi Casa,” said Fernando, “because the entire recipe is my creation. It is something that is coming from home, making food that is made of almost one hundred percent of things from home.”
Fernando thought the best location for Tacos Mi Casa would be near a car wash. After Fernando visited multiple car washes across town, the Sparkling Image Car Wash on White Lane gave Fernando’s business a chance. With so many people walking in and out of the area between the carwash and the Fastrip gas station, Fernando felt lucky to stay at this location.
“Algunas personas se burlaron. Algunas otras personas que tienen troques me decían que me daban tres meses para que yo quebrada el negocio. Y pues, no. Yo siempre me sentí muy contento, tenía mucho ánimo,” dijo Fernando.
“Some people made jokes. Other people that also had trucks told me that they would give me three months for my business to fail. And well, no. I always felt very glad, and I had a lot of enthusiasm,” said Fernando.
To Fernando, it didn’t matter what others said. He knew he had to be the hard worker he had always been, and he told himself that this would help him when starting his business.
According to the City of Bakersfield Treasury Division, there are currently 16 permitted food trucks in Bakersfield.
When Fernando started his business, he didn’t notice much competition. Over time, some trucks tried to park near Tacos Mi Casa. Some people have even tried to move Fernando out of the spot where his truck still stands today, 17 years later.
“Our kitchen is not the same as other trucks,” said Sara Ramos, 24, Fernando’s daughter. “They customized it to have it like that. Then after that, there’s all the permits, inspections, seeing if everything’s okay and once that’s a go, you get started.”
Sara and her brother Carlos Ramos, 28, saw the food truck throughout their childhood. They would join their father in washing dishes when he brought the truck home to be cleaned. Soon, Carlos and Sara would be working in that same truck.
A typical day at Tacos Mi Casa starts with opening procedures. While the truck operates from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fernando begins his workday at 5 a.m. by prepping rice, beans, any meats that need to be cooked for the morning, and large quantities of salsa.
When the truck opens, Carlos comes in to prepare baking items, like hashbrowns.
“I have to set up canopies, put the chairs up, put sodas out, and clean around to make sure it’s tidy so people can have a nice meal,” said Carlos.
Carlos began working at Tacos Mi Casa at around 16 years old. His first day at work was on a weekend, and he can only remember how hectic it was.
Still, some of Carlos’ greatest challenges are getting through customer rushes and maintaining the workflow when things pile up.
“It’s something different. Not everyone gets to experience how business is run at an early age, the responsibilities it comes with,” said Carlos.
Sara usually comes in later, at 9 a.m. She takes orders and handles prepping during the evening.
Sara said that growing up with a parent that owns a business requires more responsibility.
“Growing up, you have to learn things, you have to do it. Like, my parents sometimes need help, so you have to be there, too,” said Sara.
Sara remembers being about 16 or 17 years old when she began working at the truck after school and the nerves she had to get through on her first day.
“The first time I actually had to work, I was so nervous. You know when you, like, shake? My first order, I was shaking. I was terrified. But, you know, after the days went by, it was easier and easier,” said Sara.
Over the last 17 years, Fernando feels that he has accomplished what he always wanted: for different communities to enjoy something he and his family created.
“Tenemos clientela que son Asiática, clientela Americana, clientela Latina, clientela de todas las razas, y era lo que yo quería- compartir en esta ciudad,” dijo Fernando.
“We have Asian customers, American customers, Latino customers, customers of all races, and that is what I wantedto share in this city.”
The Ramos family’s favorite part about working is satisfying their customers. Fernando imagines that each customer that eats at Tacos Mi Casa will love his food.
“Esa es mi parte favorita,” dijo Fernando, “cuando estoy cocinando. Yo cocino con mucho gusto.”
“That is my favorite part,” said Fernando, “when I am cooking. I cook with great pleasure.”
Like his father, Carlos watches the smiles on the customer’s faces as they enjoy their meals.
“They leave the plates empty and to me, as the person that cooks, I’m like, ‘all right, I’m doing a good job, everyone’s really enjoying it,’” said Carlos.
Tacos Mi Casa has also gotten involved with the Bakersfield community by helping schools sell meals at events.
“Después, los maestros van y comen en el troque, ordenan comida para la escuela, y los conocemos, nos conocen, y eso nos da gusto a nosotros,” dijo Fernando.
“Afterwards, the teachers go and eat at the truck, they order food for the school, and we get to know them, they know us, and that makes us very happy,” said Fernando.
Tacos Mi Casa has a close connection with its customers and knows many families. Sara said that there are even some families who have been visiting for almost 10 years.
“I do feel that we’ve been there for so long, we have clientele that’s established. They know us, they know our names, they ask us every day, ‘how’s the family?’” said Sara.
Fernando sometimes steps out of the truck to interact with his customers and ask how their own families are doing, as he did with customer Maria Silva, who visits Tacos Mi Casa with her daughter about once a week.
“Me recuerda a mi familia por los tacos porque soy de Mexico,” dijo Silva.
“The tacos remind me of my family because I am from Mexico,” said Silva.
As a family-owned business, the Ramos family always has someone to depend on. As Carlos puts it, there’s more trust in each other.
Sara said that, unlike non-family businesses where employees may not be familiar with their coworkers, their father has known them their whole lives. He raised them.
Although owning a family business requires a team effort, Carlos and Sara point to their father for leadership.
“I would say a lot of the leadership is him because he has to do a lot of everything. When he needs help with paperwork or anything like that, we help him out, translate certain things, or if he needs help with computer stuff. But a lot of the time it’s my pops on top of a lot of the things,” said Carlos.
Fernando has his own set of responsibilities, from inspections to insurance policies. Juggling between being a father while also being a business owner can be difficult at times, but overcoming obstacles also becomes easier in the presence of family.
Fernando has always wanted his children to live comfortably. If one of his children were to have their own business one day, he wants them to be able to grow.
“Estoy contento. Hay momentos duros, también, no lo voy a negar, pero me siento feliz porque puedo confiar en ellos cien por ciento,” dijo Fernando. “Pienso que las cosas están saliendo bien porque ellos tienen su responsabilidad.”
“I am very glad. There are hard moments, I will not deny it, but I feel happy because I can trust them one hundred percent,” said Fernando. “I think everything is coming out well because they have their responsibility.”
