GET TO KNOW TACO CHEF GERRY TORRES

Opening up a taqueria in San Diego brings with it some stiff competition — from longtime community staples to the crowd favorites — but Gerry Torres was confident his unique flavor combinations were worth the risk when he decided to open City Tacos.

He opened his first location in North Park in 2014, and he’s since opened five more of them across San Diego County. They can also be found in La Mesa, Imperial Beach, Encinitas, Sorrento Valley and Pacific Beach.

“It’s been interesting,” Torres said in an interview with the Name Drop San Diego podcast. “I’m blessed to have great people around me who have helped me along the way. I’m blessed to have had a lot of situations come to me because of the way that the universe works. I’ve been lucky in that way.”

Born in Mexico City, Torres says he’s worked in pretty much every aspect of the restaurant business — including here in San Diego and in Tijuana — on his way to becoming a successful restaurateur. He has two more City Tacos locations on the way, one near Petco Park and one in Seaport Village. The location in Seaport Village is about four months away from its opening date, and near Petco Park, the opening date has not yet been decided.

He recently joined the Name Drop San Diego podcast to talk about how he determines what goes on the menus at his restaurants, how he learned working at a desk job wasn’t for him and what inspires him to work in the food industry. Read excerpts here or listen to the full episode in your favorite listening app.

What drew you to the restaurant business?

I love the way food makes people feel. I love that reaction it brings people. I love to get those smiles, those reactions when someone bites into something that is unexpected.

The competition for tacos is tough in San Diego. Were you intimidated to open up your first restaurant in 2014?

I think, as a business owner, it’s always intimidating, but you really have to take that fear and make it drive you. That was my motivation. I wanted to change the game. I wanted to do things differently, hence, not necessarily competing with anyone else. When we first opened, my tacos didn’t look or sound like any tacos that had been on a menu before, not in San Diego, not anywhere. It was all on purpose, you know? I wanted to change the perception of Mexican food. It was a roll of the dice, it was risky, and fortunately, it paid off. I think when you really put your heart into things, they always turn out in the right way.

What is your favorite taco at your own restaurant?

I love camaron enchilado. It has chile de arbol marinade on it, and it has a couple of aiolis and melted asadero cheese. It’s creamy, it’s spicy, it’s delicate, it’s flavorful. It’s one of my favorites.

How do you think about authenticity when it comes to food?

I think there is something to say about authenticity and tasting it the way it’s meant to be tasted, but I think that all cuisine has evolved. It’s evolved from international influence, whether it’s the way it’s eaten, whether it’s the way it’s presented. You incorporate those lifestyle ingredients or those lifestyle techniques into the food to make it more feasible for the public. I think all food is evolving and it’s a great thing. Otherwise it would be the same thing all over again every single time.