Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Gonzalez and Melissa Munoz.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Andrew has always loved cooking and learning new things, so when he stumbled across a video of Aaron Franklin smoking a brisket, it was no surprise that he wanted to give it a try. He smoked his first brisket in May of 2017 and sparks went flying! Andrew grew to have a passion and curiosity for smoking brisket, always excited to find new ways to make the next one better than the last.
Andrew did this as a hobby until April of 2018 when he participated in a food festival at the University of Houston. This is when Tejas Mexi-Q was born.
I (Melissa Munoz, his fiancé) graduated from and then went to work for the #1 nationally ranked Entrepreneurship program in the country. Because of this, I had lots of connections with the University of Houston that I was able to use to our advantage. As I learned more about the industry, my thought was that Andrew and I could turn this into a catering business and grow it from there. Until about July of 2019, Tejas Mexi-Q was doing one, maybe two caterings every month. But, after we were invited to participate in the Tex-Mex BBQ Block Party at Saint Arnold Brewing Company, I made it a goal to book at least three caterings and one pop-up every month to really help the business grow. We have met that goal for the last six months and are awed by the support and following that we have received. We have now catered multiple events for the University of Houston, Rice University, Milby High School, Keller Williams Realty and had pop-ups at Axelrad Beer Garden, Calcio Cafe and Baileson Brewing.
I love what Andrew and I have built and am so proud of how far we’ve come. We complement each other very well and Tejas Mexi-Q couldn’t be what it is without our teamwork. Andrew is the chef and pitmaster, while I’m lucky if I’m trusted cutting pickles. My talent is on the business side where I handle the planning and coordination of events, marketing, and accounting.
It also can’t go without saying that we have received incredible love and support from family and friends. Andrew’s mom and sister are always ready to lend an extra hand when needed, and others are always ready to share our posts and attend our events. Andrew’s dream is to have a restaurant and my dream is to own my own business. As it’s said by the director of the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, “We’re livin’ the dream, babe!” We are blessed and loved and can’t wait to see what the future has stored for us!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We have lots of fun doing what we do, but it’s definitely not easy. The most challenging part is that Tejas Mexi-Q is a side hustle for now. We both work full-time jobs during the week and are either taking off for a weekday catering and/or at an event or catering on the weekend. There’s little to no sleep at times, but that’s part of the fun. We learn something new every day and are enjoying every minute of it.
Please tell us about Tejas Mexi-Q.
Tejas Mexi-Q specializes in Tex-Mex infused barbecue. We put a Mexican flare on traditional barbecue standards.
We are known for tasty and tender brisket, of course, but our customers rave about the tres leches bread pudding!
I’d like to say that what sets us apart is our passion, but we have learned that the barbecue community is full of passionate people who want to help others achieve their dreams. So maybe that’s what sets us apart– in addition to our incredible and supportive family and friends, we have the support and guidance of pitmasters, restaurant owners and mentors from the barbecue community who want to see us succeed.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If we had to start over, we would try to hit the ground running a little bit faster. However, we feel that everything happens for a reason and God’s timing is the right timing, so we are happy with where we are and how we got here.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 281-468-5197 or 832-661-3767
- Email: tejasmexiq@gmail.com
- Instagram: @tejasmexiq
- Facebook: @tejasmexiq
Image Credit:
Amanda Moya – Amanda Moya Photography
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