How Jorge Cueva aka Mr. Tempo Went From Dishwasher to Restaurant Owner
Jorge Cueva’s life story could easily be made into a movie. He was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, a city in Mexico. At just the age of 18, Jorge, better known as Mr. Tempo, came to the U.S. illegally from Mexico. Not knowing any english, he got a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Now Jorge heads a diverse restaurant company that plans to have 9 locations by the end of 2020.
His unique approach to culinary arts has allowed his restaurant empire to expand quickly. After working his way up the restaurant ladder, he has been in every position which allows him to run his businesses efficiently and effectively. Despite the learning curve while picking up english, Jorge went to college, earning a degree in hotel-restaurant management. After graduation he opened his first restaurant in 1997 called “Mucho Loco”. He sold it two years later and moved to Los Angeles.
Jorge’s constant hustle and attention to detail has allowed him to continue to expand his empire. His unique menu and wide variety of dishes continues to propel constant clientele. In fact, some customers wait over 2 hours just to get a seat at one of Jorge’s tables. Having that much success in the restaurant industry often takes a huge amount of effort. When I asked Jorge what it takes to run his establishments he said,
“The employees need to follow the rules in order for the restaurant to succeed. Owner can’t always be in the restaurant so the servers, managers, are the face of the company. If they have a bad day, they can ruin customer service. That’s why, as an owner, you have to be on top of everything.”
-Jorge Cueva
Jorge is a model of the American Dream. Despite coming to the U.S. with nothing going for him, he has made a name for himself in a challenging industry. When we asked him about his success and what it feels like to have come so far, he said,
“The possibilities of creating anything you want are endless. Everything you dream, think or imagine you can achieve. Limits only exist in your mind. No one can stop you, you are the creator of your reality and your destiny.”
-Jorge Cueva
Thats the type of vision and motivation it takes to be successful in the restaurant industry. It’s how Jorge went from washing dishes to running an empire of restaurants. That’s the American Dream.
