Mothers know best: How Heritage Eats founders became 'taco purists'

If you were to call Ben Koenig a "mama's boy," he probably wouldn't take offense considering his latest fast casual concept — Mothers — honors his mom as well as moms around the world.

"Growing up it was my mother who did all of the cooking and who inspired me to get into this line of work," Koenig told FastCasual. "The same can be said of Ali, my wife, whose mother is from Mexico City. You can say, in a way, this restaurant is a nod to them."

The Napa, California-based couple, who also own Heritage Eats, the Napa Valley Lobster Co. and launched a food truck during the pandemic, created the concept on a trip to Mexico City over plates of taco al pastor — slices of juicy, crispy meat, topped with pineapple, diced onions, fresh cilantro and spicy salsa served over handmade tortillas.

"We immediately fell in love with the city's taqueria culture," Koenig said. "As of that moment, there was no turning back. That smiling mother, who served us food that day, with her baby snug on her back, balling masa while telling her toddler to stay close to the stand, had put into our hands the perfect taco al pastor. It became the spark for our project."

To perfect the concept, the couple partnered with Charles Whittaker, the director of operations at Heritage Eats, as well as a boutique Mexico City-based design and branding firm and an award-winning chef originally from Mexico City.

"For me, the taco journey was a bit less direct than I believe Ben's was," Whittaker told FastCasual. "I grew up in a middle-class home in upstate New York, where tacos were made with a packet of seasoning and ground beef...I didn't know there was anything more. But, growing up baking alongside my mother and grandmother, I was inspired to attend culinary school which opened my eyes to the amazing wonders that exist in the world of cuisine and the world in general. Fast-forward to joining Heritage Eats four years ago, I got to explore the breadth of global cuisine through our eclectic menu, and add my own spin through our 'Destinations' program and LTOs."

It didn't take long for Whittaker to take a deep dive into the Mexico City taco culture. He took a three-day exploration of Mexico City in April.

"During that trip, we saw a different level of quality and culture surrounding the humble taco that isn't currently found at home and knew we were making the right decision," Whittaker said.

Mothers, which opens in January, will serve Mexico City staples — Al Pastor off the trompo, Suadero, Chilorio, Carne Asada — as well as a category of" Mothers Tacos" that will be more eclectic with a vegetarian/vegan-friendly slant.

"Think Jamaica tacos, mushroom quesabirria and purple potato tacos," Koenig said. "We are not aiming to be a typical stateside Mexican restaurant, where tacos are merely a component of a much larger menu. We aim to be 'taco puristas' — taco purists — with a menu focused almost solely around the taco. Handmade tortillas using high-quality heirloom masa, a variety of 'from-scratch' salsas and an overriding emphasis on flavor and quality across the menu should be apparent from your first bite."

Although Heritage Eats will always be Koenig and Whittaker's first love, the pandemic forced them to recalibrate how they measured success, and they've enjoyed tapping into their creative genes by opening brands like #BestFoodTruckEver, Napa Valley Lobster Co. and now, Mothers Tacos. The duo has been serving Mothers Tacos at Heritage on Tuesdays this month in an effort to test customers reaction.

"I feel most at home when working alongside the team — observing how the brand and our guests interact," Whittaker said." It's how we remain agile enough to be able to continually improve upon ourselves and our product."