We recently connected with Olivia Lopez and have shared our conversation below.
Olivia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?
My mother has always been a business owner, and she was the main person that constantly push me to start my own business.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Olivia Lopez is originally from Colima, Mexico, and that is how everything started. Early mornings, she’d accompany her grandma Margarita to the markets, teaching her how to choose vegetables, fruits and meats, and then learning from her how to cook. Once Margarita passed away, Olivia had a mission: to become a chef, and pass along everything she learned from her grandma. Olivia moved to Dallas in late 2009 in order to attend the culinary program at Art Institute of Dallas. After graduation, she worked in some of Dallas’ most outstanding kitchens, including Craft at the W hotel; Charlie Palmer and CBD Provisions. Olivia’s first sous chef job was at Americano at the Joule; she then served as sous chef at Mirador. In 2019 she joined Billy Can Can, becoming chef de cuisine the following year. However, Olivia’s mission has only just begun. That mission is showcasing the beauty of Mexican cuisine through heirloom corn (maíz), and highlighting the essential role maíz plays in Mexican culture. That is how OIivia Lopez came to create Molino Olōyō.
Molino Olōyō is a pop up Molino dedicated to feature heirloom corn from México showcasing seasonal Mexican cuisine, we offer private dinners, pop ups, catering, and wholesale, bringing a new perspective of what Mexican food is with deep roots in its culture and traditions. We get the heirloom corn from México and the rest of our ingredients are as local as possible, with that being said we also have a Pequeno farms that is part of our project as well. Molino Olōyō was founded by Olivia Lopez and Jonathan Percival.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
After I went back to Mexico with my family for about 6 months. I started my own research own heirloom corn around my community. After that I knew what I wanted to do. I relocate back in Dallas Took a Chef de Cuisine and I started saving money to start buying equipment like the Molino (grinder), and I started working with it at home while Jonathan started expanding Pequeno farms. Early 2021, covid hit me pretty hard and put me out of work for a few months which it really got me thinking about my dream was and it was going to be capable to continue with my career. Use, all the savings I did for almost 2 years and the other half Jonathan put it down. Rented a commercial kitchen space, and we started from there with a few pots, the grinder, and vertical broiler for tacos al pastor. August is the first anniversary of Molino Olōyō and we have been able to buy equipment, and expand.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
Jonathan Percival besides being my business partner we are a couple. Meet him during covid we both are runners and ride bicycles together, and we do also share our love for gardening. Jonathan Strongly believe in me and my project and we decided to found this together.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: molino_oloyo
Image Credits
The D magazine cover is photographed by Elizabeth Mary Lavin. Picture of Jonathan and Me, and the the two color tamal, is by Starchefs and the Logo is ours. The rest are taken by us.