MOISES TORRES COOK
A cook at El Cholo’s Western Avenue location, Moises Torres began working at the restaurant nearly 40 years ago. Torres, originally from Mexico’s coastal state of Nayarit, came to California to pick oranges before following in the footsteps of an uncle to work at El Cholo. With no kitchen training, he worked under other cooks and El Cholo’s then chef, Joe Reina, to become a prep cook and learn to butcher meat.
Torres has enjoyed his time at El Cholo well enough (“I never thought about leaving,” he said) but is a pragmatist: “If I got another job, it would just be the same,” he said. Work is work, so why mess with a good thing?
It could be a bit of senioritis creeping in: When I asked Torres if he ever misses home, he responded with a heartfelt, “Yes. Yes. That’s why I’m going to retire in December and go there … [I’m] 62!” (His manager has since indicated Torres plans to retire before then.)
He said he looks forward to visiting home again, seeing family and enjoying his favorite comida Nayarita: pescado zarandeado.