We were lucky to catch up with Dora Herrera recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dora, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?

On a seemingly ordinary day, I receive a call from the Oprah team asking if they can share ER’s Noah Wyle’s anecdote about me being the Napkin Nazi on her show. Ecstatic doesn’t even begin to cover it. A mention on Oprah, even as the quirky reduce/reuse/recycle queen of Los Feliz, means an awesome amount of exposure. After I finish the call with them, I promptly call EVERYONE I know and let them know of YUCA’S good fortune. A week passes and I haven’t heard from Oprah’s team. I call after the second week and my excitement turns to disappointment when I am told that, due to time constraints, my mention has been left on the cutting room floor. I gather my courage and make the announcement to everyone who was looking forward to seeing me on Oprah that the Napkin Nazi will not be making an appearance after all.
Unwilling to accept this turn of events, my sister, hugs me and reassures me that “Oprah made a mistake and will surely call me back”. She’s my older sister, who’s always had my back, so I believe her…
A year later, out of the blue, the call comes. This time, it’s Eric Dane, Dr. McSteamy of Grey’s Anatomy, who’s singing praises about my burritos. Oprah, it seems, is intrigued by his claim that she and Gayle may know their way around burgers and pizza, but he knows where to find the best burrito – YUCA’S in Los Feliz, a short walk from the ABC Studios.
I find myself featured on the Oprah show, not as the Napkin Nazi, but as the purveyor of the “Best Burrito, Evah!” The journey from the cutting room floor to the limelight of The Oprah Winfrey Show highlights the unpredictability of life and the unexpected turns that can lead to the sweetest outcomes. And, the fact that my sister does, in fact, know everything.

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?

YUCA’S was born out of Mama Yuca’s vision to create a spot where Los Angeles locals could savor the real flavors of Mexico. Enter the perfect location for this vision – an 8’x10′ converted shoeshine shack. It seemed too small and ugly to family and friends, but to her, it was where her idea of a walk-up-and-order spot would take shape. She stood firm, feeling deep in her bones that the location was perfect, the size of the building manageable, and that the food she was about to unleash upon the city was so good that people would willingly line up around the block. Armed with her culinary prowess and an unwavering determination, Mama signed the lease and launched her restaurant despite not speaking much English and having no formal business training. I find out about my parents’ latest dive into entrepreneurship when they call me at Brown to tell me the good news. Having experienced their previous business enterprises, I am not surprised to hear that Mom has decided to become a restaurateur. I, of course, offer to help in any way I can. My school vacations all revolve around working at the restaurant and making sure that the latest family project is successful. My brother, not one to stand around and wait for things to happen, stands on the edge of the sidewalk in front of YUCA’S and waves passing cars over.
“We just opened! Our food is terrific! Pull in and try it. If you don’t like it, we’ll give you double your money back!” The audacious proclamation convinces everyone to pull in. They love the flavors of unknown delicacies (no one had heard of Cochinita Pibil in the 70’s), and not a single refund is issued. Those adventuresome patrons became our first fans, and word-of-mouth became the perfect way of getting the word out. Having tasted something extraordinary, they couldn’t help but share the story of the crazy guy that convinced them to stop in and try a flavor that was nothing like they’d ever tasted before, transforming our former shoeshine shack into a bustling hub doling out authentic Mexican meals.
Nearly five decades have passed since that tiny shoeshine shack transformed into a culinary icon. Our journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, marked by accolades that include a prestigious James Beard Award in the America’s Classics category and the resounding endorsement from none other than Oprah herself, dubbing our burrito the “Best Burrito Evah!”. The wild ride continued with a coveted assignment – getting picked to cater a Tailgate Party for team owners and VIPs at Super Bowl LVI in 2022. It was a moment that showcased the possibility of anyone from humble beginnings being able to stand on the grand stage of one of the biggest sporting events in the country.
Despite the fame and recognition, the heart of our success remains unchanged. The family continues to run the business day in and day out, with an unwavering focus on food, people, and community – the essence of what makes us who we are.
Recently, we received recognition from L.A. Councilmember Nithya Raman and CA Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo for “tireless dedication and lasting impact in the community.” Our efforts in creating a joyful and cherished tradition with the annual Tree Lighting ceremony, along with being founding members of the Los Feliz Business Improvement District and Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council (now Los Feliz NC), were acknowledged as instrumental in improving the lives of residents and business people alike.
As we stand at the brink of the next chapter, we ask – what will the next years hold? One thing is certain: With the same passion that sparked our humble beginnings, we look ahead, eager to continue our commitment to serving exceptional food, fostering strong community bonds, embracing the people who have been a part of our journey, and welcoming those who have yet to join our family of happy customers.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that required some unlearning in our culinary journey was the belief that relentless, non-stop work was the only path to success. There was a time when the notion of taking time off, stepping back to work “on” the business, and indulging in breaks seemed counterintuitive. The old-school mindset was to grind from morning till night, seven days a week, believing it was the only key to success. YUCA’S was open from 7 am to 10 pm, six days a week, in an effort to please every potential customer. We wanted to be available to everybody, all the time. However, with the passage of time, we came to realize that it was not enough to be busy, that trying to make every customer happy was an unattainable goal. We saw other businesses we knew who embraced a more balanced approach, stepped back from the daily grind, and took intentional breaks to plan with their teams, experienced fresh perspectives and more sustainable success. We are still open six days a week, but now operate from 11 am to 6 pm. One summer, at the request of customers, we stayed open later since the sun set later during daylight saving time. The longer hours were exhausting for our crew, and we noticed that the customers who normally showed up at 6 pm were now arriving closer to 8 pm. Lesson learned.
It taught us that working smarter, not just harder or longer, was the key to navigating the complexities of sustaining and growing a business. In essence, the unlearning journey taught us that pausing to reflect, strategize, and foster a loving environment was more impactful than the relentless pursuit of continuous work. It’s a lesson that has opened up time for us to enjoy other facets of life for ourselves and our team.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Amid the challenges presented by the Covid pandemic, we found an unexpected avenue for growth working with the SoCal Gas company and the Latino Restaurant Association to provide lunches to first responders and essential workers. This allowed us to pivot and stay afloat during a time when traditional dining faced unprecedented obstacles and restaurants were daily shutting down permanently. Once people heard about the Pasadena Food Hug campaign, created to show support for our first responders and essential workers, donations to the program helped it grow to include several Pasadena restaurants and to provide lunches for Metro, DWP, hospital workers, etc. for a year. First and foremost, participating in this campaign, gave us the opportunity to thank the people who were putting their lives at risk to address the challenges that Covid brought. This pivot also became a vehicle for community connection, providing us an opportunity to extend our reach and foster stronger ties within the Pasadena community while contributing to our staying alive as a business.
As we navigate the still unpredictable landscape ahead in 2024, catering remains a vital component of our strategy, not just as a revenue stream but as a testament to our commitment to culinary excellence, customer satisfaction, and community connection. It’s our story of adaptation, finding a way to help in unexpected places, and saying a resounding, “Yes!” when opportunity comes knocking.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yucasla.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yucasla
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yucasrestaurants
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yucas-los-angeles
• Other: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yucas-pasadena

Image Credits
n/a FYI: I couldn’t upload the personal photo. I tried several times but it never worked. Next steps for that? Thanks. Dora