Over the past decade, U.S. Latinx-owned business has increased ten times faster than non-Latinx-owned business, growing from 350,000 companies in 2018 (with $460 billion+ revenue and 2.9 million employees) to 450,000+ in 2023. These increases hold true throughout the country, not just in California, Arizona, and areas already strong in Latinx influence.

Epicurean Group, proud to be one such business, was recently recognized as a top Latinx-owned business for the second year in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

“Hispanic or Latino, the descriptor is used interchangeably,” says Senior VP Rey Hernandez, who co-owns Epicurean Group along with Marvin Rodriguez (CFO) and CEO Mary Clark Bartlett. “It refers to the language used at home. We spoke Mexican, so I prefer to use Hispanic or even Tejano. I had nine siblings, and my mom cooked for all of us. The meals were always great: lots of organ meats, liver, and tamales, along with sauerkraut and foods from my German stepdad. After college, I started cooking enchiladas, rice, and beans for housemates and realized I liked it a lot more than my field of study (forestry). It was fun! I knew I could make a living after cooking four years on freighters and tankers as a Merchant Seaman.”

While his Hispanic heritage has inspired early jobs and current work, Rey describes how the diverse group of Epicurean Group chefs all add influence to menus and recipes. “You can see the cultural differences in dishes like a mole. My mom made it with peanut butter, and that’s what I do, but some of our chefs grew up making mole with sesame seeds. We all add tomatoes, garlic, and onions, so how can you pick one culture as the identifier? Our dishes often dabble in a mix of cuisines.”

When asked about barriers along his career path, Rey was quick to say his key to success was growing up in a bilingual household. “It really made the difference. Still, early bosses didn’t offer me opportunities for professional growth. They were never concerned about career advancement; didn’t see why I would want to move up the ladder. They assumed I’d stay put. I had to take the chance to build a better career on my own.”

Rey points to funding and access to credit as two of the sector’s most significant needs. These free resources can help:

• The USHCC Navigates Small Business Program connects business owners to grant opportunities, disaster relief, capital solutions, and mentorship.
• Small Business Development Centers help business owners access capital or business counseling.
• SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives) offers dedicated resources for Hispanic entrepreneurs, including business mentors.
• The Small Business Funding Center matches owners with grants and credit to support working capital.

Rey’s advice to young chefs and entrepreneurs? “Find something you love to do first, then figure out how to make a living doing it. Stay positive, work hard, and when you discover things you need to learn, learn them. Something I discovered early on was how much I enjoy working in teams. When you align your interests and strengths with people who have different skill sets, you can go far. But don’t get out there unless you love it – go in with your whole heart. That’s what wins it.”