August 18, 2025 • 61 mins
What does it take to build a restaurant empire with heart? Mico Rodriguez reveals the answer through his extraordinary journey from washing dishes at age five to creating Dallas's beloved Mi Cocina restaurants.
Growing up in his parents' restaurant, young Mico absorbed invaluable lessons about consistency, customer connection, and the intimate relationship between nourishment and care. His mother's dictatorial but effective management style became both model and counterpoint for his own approach to restaurant leadership. "Even today, I hear my mother's voice inside my head," he shares, acknowledging how deeply her influence permeates his work.
When Rodriguez ventured away from the family business to launch Mi Cocina (initially conceived as "Mia's North"), his brother prophetically told him, "You're going to change history." The success that followed exceeded his own modest dream of owning just one restaurant, eventually growing to 25 locations. But this journey wasn't without personal cost – overcoming addiction, sacrificing family time, and feeling perpetually caught between worlds.
What sets Rodriguez apart is his revolutionary approach to team building. He created "la escalera" (the ladder) – a system allowing dishwashers to become busboys, servers, and eventually managers through internal growth. "Some of my managers couldn't spell," he notes, "but they would take care of guests, clean the restaurant, and make their employees taller, build them up." Each new hire received a personal welcome: "You are blessed, God has brought you here."
Rodriguez's creative process draws inspiration from surprising sources – from Mexico City's sophisticated aesthetic to fashion accessories like shoes and handbags. The result? Restaurants that, as one guest beautifully put it, represent "the way I want to live."
Listen as we explore how childhood curiosity, cultural identity, and unwavering humility shaped one of Dallas's most influential restaurateurs.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
He taught me wait a minute.
There's a big world out there.
There are far more interestingpeople, people that are
accomplished, people that areartists and I do believe we're
all artists.
But he really gave me thatdream that I was worthy, that I
(00:35):
could learn and talk aboutthings that people in my class
weren't talking about.
So I realized, as being exposedto my brother in the restaurant
business, Hello and welcome toanother edition of For the Love
(01:03):
of Creatives podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Welcome to another edition of For the Love of
Creatives podcast.
I am your co-host, dwight,joined by our other co-host,
maddox, and today we have aspecial guest, michael Miko
Rodriguez.
He is some Dallas restaurantroyalty.
I could not give him anintroduction that would do him
(01:27):
justice.
So, michael, why don't you tellour listeners about yourself?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Well, thanks for making me feel special, but and
I'm honored to be on yourbroadcast Born and raised in
Dallas, been in the business allmy life, I had no choice.
My mother was a big influencebecause I worked for her for
many years.
We had a restaurant and I grewup at Mia's on Lemon Avenue.
(01:57):
So I knew at a very young agethat this was what I was going
to do and even though theholidays and seven days a week,
it still intrigued me.
When I'd go to restaurants, I'dlook at lighting, I'd look at
(02:18):
the floors, I'd look at you know, and I was 17 years old Only
because this is the way I wantedto live my life.
I wanted to be in a restaurantand my dream was to have only
one restaurant.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
That would have sufficed, for sure.
Well, you certainly surpassedthat in spades.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And there's a lot I left in between, but I'm sure
we'll get around to some of that.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, it sounds like it kind of took on a life of its
own, didn't it?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
You know what it did create?
My mother did create arestaurateur and it was.
Maybe I didn't recognize it atthe time but even today, you
(03:10):
know, I hear my mother's voiceinside my head.
So a privilege and tough,because my mother was a very
believed in being an old school,a dictator, a tyrant when it
those times came.
But we were working, my motherhad a busy restaurant and we're
working as a family, which isthe highs are high, the lows are
(03:32):
low.
But when I dream restaurants, Idream that restaurant.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
What year did your mom open that restaurant?
1980.
1980.
And for those that don't know,it's a very prominent restaurant
in Dallas.
It still exists.
It moved here a couple of years.
No, it's been more than that,probably been five or six years.
Now it moved to a new location.
Is it still part of your family?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yes, my sister, my mother, my mother passed, my dad
had passed several years ago.
She inherited the restaurantand they actually moved from one
side of Chipotle to the otherside of Chipotle, which was
fortunate for them becausethey're they kept their client,
they kept their customer.
They have a very loyal customer.
(04:26):
They kept their customer, theyhave a very loyal customer.
And when you walk into therestaurant it feels like Mamma
Mia.
Mamma Mia had a distinct vibeand a distinct way of doing
things, but she was consistent.
(04:47):
And to be successful in thisbusiness you've got to be
consistent not just with thefood but with the process and
the behaviors and representingthe brand.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
So that restaurant's now 80, no 45 years old,
Unbelievable and still goingstrong.
So how old were you when youstarted helping out in the
restaurant?
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Oh, I was five.
My parents worked for Chico.
It was 1962.
And well, every now and thenyou might see a car on Sunday in
Dallas, maybe not.
So things were a lot different.
But I would go to work.
My dad would pay me a dollar anhour and I'd work three hours.
(05:24):
So that was.
I was in a good place, I felt.
I felt I felt at peace believeit or not in a restaurant.
It felt very comfortable for meand, of course, my parents.
They worked morning, noon andnight and even for the other
company.
So El Chico, who they workedfor, fabulous company in the 60s
(05:47):
really was a blueprint for MiCocina and it was owned by the
Cuellar family.
But the Cuellar family loved mymom and dad because they were
good for the bottom line and myparents were turnaround artists.
They'd come in, put a littlepixie dust in a restaurant that
(06:07):
wasn't operating well and theywould turn it around.
And that's a special thingbecause it's hard to have that
you.
You know you're at the bottomof the you and it's hard to get
up again.
But resilience and perseveranceand never stop doubting.
(06:33):
They never really thought thatthey were going to fail.
Because one guest at a time ifyou make the children, they'll
bring the parents of time.
If you keep, if you make thechildren, they'll bring the
parents.
And, um, like I said, you knowthe commitment and my parents
(06:58):
were together every day for 40years and even that is an
accomplishment, but, um, it is.
My mother was definitely theboss.
My dad, well, he justsurrendered Because when they
got successful, they startedtraveling a little bit and I
would always stay at therestaurant.
So, and my dad, you know, itwas a 12-table restaurant,
(07:20):
24-table restaurant that waspacked all the time and, of
course, dallas had fewer Mexicanrestaurants and they just, well
, they loved their customers andI think that was really what
kept them going.
There's so many stories that Ihaven't heard, and some I've
(07:42):
been hearing lately, that I hadno idea.
And it's special, and it'sspecial, it's special.
I had a gentleman that, let meknow, he was in the radio
business and he was producingfilms and he said to me you know
I'm going to tell you somethingIn the 80s I was going through
(08:03):
a very, very sad divorce and soI would go to Mia's, I'd be by
myself and your mother wouldalways soothe me and we would
talk and share.
And I just want you to knowthat I'm very grateful that I
had her in my life and I had noidea, no idea.
(08:29):
So those are the special thingsthat either are said or unsaid.
But my mother never.
She never said well, we talkedabout this or we talked.
She kept it private, which youknow.
It's easy to share that, butshe felt like that was a moment
(08:51):
that she had and she had a lotof respect for the gentleman.
But that was nice to hear.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
You know, miko, there are more stories like that than
you can begin to imagine thatyou will never hear, because
you've already said.
That's who she was, and hewasn't the only one she did that
with, for sure, oh no.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
So you spoke.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Oh, go ahead, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, she did it with me because she planted a seed
and you know, I have two peoplein my life really that said to
me Miko, you're going to make it, and that was my mother and
Carolyn, my wife, father, who Iwas very close to, and they
(09:40):
never gave up.
They always said you're goingto be fine, you're going to have
.
All I wanted was one restaurant, and when I got to be 30, I got
my twenties out of the way.
I'd gotten control of myalcohol and cocaine addiction
(10:00):
and I've had addiction probablysince the age of 11, when I ate
two bags of Chips, ahoy cookies,and so I knew that something
wasn't quite correct.
But I've had.
Well, I'm bipolar, I'm prettysure I'm ADD, I'm sure I don't
(10:25):
know what else, but I know that,above all, I'm a good man and I
feel good about this, that Ifeel comfortable in my skin.
In my 20s, the drinking and thedrugging and working in a
restaurant kind of went hand inhand to a lot of people.
The drugging and working in arestaurant kind of went hand in
(10:46):
hand to a lot of people, and so,but I always made it to work
and it's because I wanted to bethere and I didn't want to miss
anything and it was a busyrestaurant.
I mean, whatever I made, Ilived like if I had a different
lifestyle because of Mamma Mia.
So you know, that was nice, butwe were, you know, very
(11:14):
moderate people.
We didn't have anythingextravagant or anything, but we
had the commitment to thebusiness and our guests and it
was basically, it was our lives.
It really was our lives.
If I dream it has, well, let'ssay this I never had.
(11:35):
If it's a backyard barbecue,not really.
If it's a family vacation, notmany, but you know.
But when you celebrateeverything at a restaurant, then
birthdays or whatever then younever get to be at home.
(11:57):
My mother for 10 years sheworked seven days a week.
As I got older and went throughthe experience of Mia's, I
realized that that's the choiceshe made, because she felt safe,
secure and she didn't have todeal with everything except
(12:17):
things that she could accomplish.
She could run a restaurant.
But I realized that it wasdifficult sometimes for her, you
know, to be I don't want to saynormal, but to be more
conventional, and I found myselfduplicating a lot of that.
And so it affected me becauseshe was probably the most
(12:42):
influential, because she wasprobably the most influential.
And when I left Mia's, mybrother says that I changed
history.
I walked out of Mia's becausemy mother was telling me a
certain way to live and Ifinally said, well, it's to
(13:04):
myself, it's time for me to getout of mama's skirt.
And I started walking downLemon Avenue and my brother,
paul, who's very creative andartistic, my big business
influence he ran outside and hesays Miko, don't leave.
And he said to me you're goingto change history.
(13:25):
And I had no idea that Mikosinawas going to happen.
I had no idea.
Like I said, I got to when weopened Mikosina.
It was basically Mia's North,but my cousin and I had
contributed a lot.
My cousin, ernest, contributeda lot to the menu of the
(13:50):
restaurant of Mia's, so Iliterally opened up Mia's North.
So it was quite controversial.
My mother never gave upconnecting with me, but my dad
didn't.
We didn't speak for a couple ofyears and I didn't go back to
Mia's for nine years.
So yeah, it took a toll on myrelationship with with my family
(14:17):
.
But even with my, my family,caroline and Chris, my son Chris
we all got married the same daybecause she had Chris from a
previous marriage and they werewilling to sacrifice not ever
(14:42):
seeing me because literally Ikind of well, I made some
choices my mother made and thatwas almost truly sad.
Just sad for me, because therewas a time when I felt like like
my restaurant came first and aregret, yeah, a growing
(15:07):
experience and appreciation thatI've gotten to this moment.
Right now I'm very grateful andhave a lot of gratitude,
because I have taken it to theedge a few times and it took a
long time to get here.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
You know, your energy tells me that's true that
you're in a very good place.
The day I met you, Iimmediately recognized a man
with great wisdom and greathumility.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Well, my mother said always be humble.
And I never.
Really.
A lot of people define thatword differently and they think
some people might think it'ssubmissive or some people might
think that it's the best thingthey like about themselves, it's
the best thing they like aboutthemselves.
(16:06):
And she also said that I wouldask her.
I said Mama, what do you wantfor your birthday?
And she would say just give mepeace of mind.
And my experience tells me thatall our life we struggle
looking for peace and serenity,because you're either off to the
(16:39):
races, creating a life for yourfamily, working, occupied, and,
you know, you surrender a lotof those things that maybe you
wish you had, and so you'reliving your life really kind of
through your guest.
Because as a server I realizedthat listening was important and
when people would talk abouttrips and travel and meals and
(17:04):
fashion and it's not like Iintentionally overheard,
although sometimes it was hardnot to but I didn't get that
interaction at that level.
You know we're families, that'snot what we did.
So I always appreciated that.
I always appreciated to seepeople share a meal and actually
(17:29):
talk about the day, talk aboutthe weekend, talk about the
trips and so.
But it really made me curiousand really broadened.
I say, you know, people say,well, where'd you get your
education?
I say in the dining rooms, andthat's really what it was,
(17:53):
working with my co-workers andthen listening in the dining
room.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Miko, can I offer a different perspective?
Yes, please, and it's just apossibility.
You know your life better thananybody, but you have made
references several times toguests.
But your story tells me thatthe way you listened to these
people, the way you tookinterest in their lives, that
(18:25):
they were not guests, they wereyour family.
They literally were your family, and I get that.
I was a career hairdresser for40 years and my clients became
my family.
Now it may not have been thefamily that you chose and a wife
(18:54):
and then had kids, but Isuspect part of the reason that
your mother spent as much timeat the restaurant as she did was
because that was where she feltthe most loved and where you
(19:20):
probably felt the most lovedbecause you had nurtured those
relationships to the degree thatthey were no longer guests.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Yeah, and you went through their highs and their
lows and you felt it.
You know you're trying to befamiliar, not too familial, but
it's hard, especially when theylook at you as an extension of
the family or a family friend,because I'm, you know,
essentially an important thing,serving something that's
substance, that people need tonourish, and to me it's a very
(19:49):
intimate thing.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
But you had an element you and your mom both of
nourishing that had nothing todo with food.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Well, it was a little self-serving because we were I
think we were medicating.
You know, listening and seeingother people's lives, that well,
we're not like that but we'rehappy, but maybe, maybe we could
be like that someday.
And you know, every family has,of course, the ordeals and the
(20:23):
struggles.
But that was my point ofreference and so even when we
got home we would talk about theJoneses or the Richards and how
idyllic.
Their life felt that youperceived, and they were
interesting.
And I was fortunate enough thatwe were surrounded by
(20:46):
interesting people and peoplethat were willing to share some
wisdom.
And I paid attention, I did dothat, and sometimes you need to
expand your wardrobe ofknowledge and of sharing.
(21:12):
My brother, paul, was probablythe biggest influence as far as
culture.
The first time I heard the wordavant-garde, I'm like what does
that mean?
And so my brother, 18 18traveled to europe by himself
and I didn't understand that andI felt fear for him, um, or not
(21:37):
fear, but uh, scared thatsomething could happen to him.
I was 13 and he was, and fiveor six years is a huge
difference.
When he's 24, you're 18.
And so there are hugedifferences, although we became
really brothers and very close.
(21:58):
In the end we were estrangedbecause he passed, but he was
such a big influence.
He taught me wait a minute,there's a big world out there.
There are far more interestingpeople, people that are
accomplished, people that areartists, and I do believe we're
all artists.
(22:20):
He really gave me that dreamthat I was worthy that I could
learn and talk about things thatpeople in my class weren't
talking about.
So I realized, as being exposedto my brother in the restaurant
(22:42):
business, the idea that I wasmaybe a little bit more mature,
maybe I was a little bit moreworldly, even though I'd never
traveled.
But I lived my life and throughmy guests and my brother, he
(23:05):
always said to me because youknow he had well, he never
really.
He loved beautiful people andbeauty to him, whether it's male
or female, was something fromthe inside and something from
(23:26):
the outside.
And whenever I never asked hima question about his sexuality,
but it influenced me in a waythat I would hear things from
other people and, of course, Iwas a little bit confused.
(23:48):
Young, I didn't know, we sharedthe same bedroom.
I didn't know why they'remaking fun of my brother, but I
learned how to deal with it andit was more or less my brother
expanded.
He goes Mika, I love beautifulpeople and I still hear those
(24:08):
words and he did.
And he was a hairdresser formany, many years and, like you
say, interesting guests andinteresting clients, so I got to
hear about them.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Plus I got a good deal on haircuts, but a big
influence in my life, that youmentioned how in the restaurant
you grew up with your motherhaving seven days a week, you
(24:55):
know for 10 years straight, youknow never going outside of it,
and you kind of inherited thatsame drive, that same tenacity.
The restaurant became first.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Well, I didn't know how to do it.
So I went the first week weopened.
Every time I said we're goingto do this or let's try this, I
would quickly look behind mebecause I was going to be
overridden and my mother wasn'tthere.
(25:24):
It was just a learned behaviorof hearing her voice and, you
know, you could say one couldsay that well, you felt like
maybe you were lacking in yourmother's attention or your
mother's love, but she did whatshe knew how to do and that was
(25:50):
life experience.
And when I realized, afteropening a couple of restaurants
well, more than a couple that Ididn't feel comfortable being
the person she was and I had afamily and the success was
beyond my wildest dreams,juanita Miller walked into my
(26:16):
first restaurant and thatneighborhood had launched us and
I was very, very appreciativeand there was that codependency
as far as well Miko's there, orthe food's good or they're open
late, and we were there to serve, there to serve.
(26:50):
But a woman told me, a ladyfriend said Miko, I love you,
but I don't have as much love asyou need.
So there was a certainemptiness that I was lacking,
emptiness that I was lacking,and I chose to put well, food
and work ahead of everythingelse.
I talked about my addictionsand during the 90s in 1989, 1988
(27:18):
, I'd met, I'd known Carolyn allmy life and we became very
close and one day I asked her tomarry me and I said why would I
want this man to marry mysister?
When I was doing drugs, I wasdrinking, I was, but I worked
(27:39):
every day.
My mother would hand that to me.
But I needed to be a better manand so I got alcohol and drug
free and I started working aprogram that through the years I
was committed to, and someyears I backtracked from not
(28:01):
managing my personality or mybehaviors, and so I decided then
that I needed to be alcohol anddrug free or not ask her, her,
to marry me.
But she went through this,let's say, life-changing
(28:23):
experience with um I was umspeaking earlier, juanita miller
, who owned highland parkvillage, so Potom Park's
downtown, but it's also Dallas'Rodeo Drive, right and I knew
(28:46):
then that how did we get here?
And my mother and I always hadan agreement that well, okay,
it's Mia's North, that kind ofwent unsaid, but I don't want
you to come below Lover's Lane,no, northwest Highway.
And I said that's good, mama,because even when things got
(29:10):
tough, she didn't forget aboutCarol and I were newly married
and so things were tough and shewas always considerate of that.
But I went to the phone because, well, here I was looking at an
opportunity that a lot ofpeople wanted.
(29:30):
I'd heard about it, but I neverthought that the village would
be available or available to me.
And so I call Mama and I saidthis is actually, I remember,
because it was my one of myfirst cell phones maybe, but it
was one of those flip phones andI said Mama, so she knew what
(30:03):
that meant.
And I said Mama, she wants mefor the village.
And there was another longpause and the whole time I was
thinking about our agreement andI had committed to it, and she
(30:33):
said you have to do it.
So here I go.
By that time I referenced this.
After we got busy at Harlem Park, I visited Mexico City for the
first time and I went with somedear friends who had lived there
and I saw glamour, style,fashion, history I'm Mexican in
(31:03):
every color and a wholedifferent point of view as far
as design.
Luis Barigon became a biginfluence and when we did
Venturi, you could see, you knowthere was.
(31:24):
You walked in and there wasthis curved brick wall.
They called it Pepto-Bismolpink.
I didn't see Pepto-Bismol pink.
I thought it was graphic, itwas architectural and it had a
purpose.
But the restaurant definitelywas in a different direction and
(31:44):
I had worked with fortunately Ihad worked with Zero Three, who
did Baby Ruth in Dallas.
It was one of my favoriterestaurants design-wise and so I
was very fortunate.
I walked into their office andwe were all the same age if I
(32:06):
got to later, but I was sittingdown and they were at an oval
table I think the serenade table, because I asked that it was a
beautiful table and not knowingthat for the next probably 30
years we were gonna designbeautiful restaurants, be a part
(32:31):
of it, have a great experience,travel together, have those
moments of sincerity, have thosemoments of sincerity and when
maybe I need some advice and Ilearned a lot and I brought to
them my restaurant part.
(32:54):
So it was a very goodrelationship.
People will say now I had aninterview where somebody said
what was the most importantthing?
That you and 03, paul and Janwere at the same table and I
look at Paul and he looks at meand I said our relationships
(33:19):
Because we were truly.
I said our relationshipsbecause we were truly.
We cared about each other, wecared about what we produced.
Disagreements, yes.
Did I learn how to surrender?
Yes, but I also learned a lotabout design and I was very
intrigued by it and I realizedthat, at a point of view that
(33:40):
was different, mexico City hadheavily influenced that, because
I had never traveled and Ithought I saw sophistication and
I saw glamor that you don't seehere with glamour that you
(34:03):
don't see here with.
You know, you're either aMexican national or you're what
we call Chicano, and a Chicanois someone that more than likely
has Indian in their blood anddarker and we were here before
Texas was Mexico or the nationof Aslan, and so we tended to be
(34:31):
.
As we assimilated into theAmerican culture, it was half
and half.
You know, if, culinarily andculturally, the Mexican national
felt like superior and this wasthe 60s, even the 70s felt
(34:55):
superior, especially when youcouldn't speak the language
correctly and let's say theywere educated people there was a
certain kind of I don't want tosay racism, but superiority.
So my version of that was thatmy parents would take sometimes
(35:19):
the cooks home.
That was that my parents wouldtake sometimes the cooks home,
and so I related to them.
But there were rancheritos,people from the farm, and being
in Mexico City just changed mywhole perspective and certain
(35:40):
guests will tell me that theycan see the difference and that
has really, really been aprivilege in my life and
designing a restaurant with apoint of view and representing.
One of the best compliments Ithink I've ever received was
(36:03):
from a guest.
He said, miko, the way yourrestaurants are are the way I
want to live.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I can relate.
So I've been to a couple ofyour the, the restaurant
concepts, and I just know thatthe feeling that I got walking
into a Mi Casina was it was aplace that had a certain charm
and elegance.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
And people cared for each other, our staff, people
that didn't belong in ourculture.
They would get weeded out, notby management, a lot of it by
staff, in a subtle way, andunfortunately there were some
people that didn't want to care,and so we developed a culture
(36:56):
that we called it la escalerathe ladder.
You came in with no experience.
You started washing dishes.
You became a buzz boy.
Guess what that?
We call that la escalera theladder.
You came in with no experience.
You started washing dishes.
You became a buzz boy.
Guess what you learned?
10 words Enjoy, what do youlike to drink, what do you like
to eat?
And thank you very much.
And you made a very good living.
But sometimes those well, everytime we had only in-house
(37:22):
growth.
We would prepare people formanagement and it was tough.
Some of my managers couldn'tspell, but they would take care
of guests, they would clean therestaurant, they would take
their employees, care for theiremployees and they would make
them taller, build them up,because that's the way we wanted
(37:45):
to do it.
And, like I said, el Chico wasthat big influence as far as the
foundation and the platform andthe way it was in the 60s.
It was like a family and at onetime it was 90 restaurants.
Some of those were franchises.
I knew all this before I was 10.
(38:05):
That's how curious I was, andnot knowing that there were five
brothers that owned El Chicoand I was 1962.
I was serving waters and I wasthree by three and I would be so
(38:32):
nervous, you know, in thebeginning.
And one day somebody said thebrothers are coming.
Ok, the brothers that I'veheard about.
And when I saw them I'd alwayswanted to be.
My dad was a management, mymother was a cashier, and so I
(38:57):
said that's what I want to do.
And when everybody was sayingthe brothers are coming, and I
saw it was like seeing beautifulArabian horses.
They had custom cowboy bootsand they all wore hats and they
were treated with much respectand they treated their people
with respect and but there was acertain dignity and I decided
(39:22):
then I want to be one of thoseguys, because and again because
they were so revered, notknowing that well, that success
would come with that and notknowing beyond my wildest dreams
that that would even come closeto that, because Micasina won't
(39:48):
ever happen again in Dallas.
But it was a bloop, but it wasmade possible.
A lot of it was made possibleby El Chico and what I learned
there, and so I startedabsorbing this at five years old
, which naturally made me morecurious.
But everybody I went to schoolwith said Nico, you know, you
(40:09):
were pretty consistent In firstgrade you wanted to own a
restaurant.
In fifth grade, you know asophomore that's all you wanted
to do was own a restaurant.
So true, but, like I said, Inever thought that dignity and
(40:54):
joy, not enough joy, at leastwith my family.
I always kind of felt like I'mthe one that's different.
Okay, there's 30 Mexican kidsand one Anglo teacher from Park
City and she shows up every dayand I felt like wait a minute,
(41:18):
I'm not the same.
I was felt uncomfortable incertain situations and it was
again because the waitstaff, thebussers, they were my friends
and so it was difficult.
It was difficult growing uplower middle class and not
(41:41):
wanting for things.
My mother would be a goodprovider, my dad and they worked
very hard and at that time itwasn't really financially, it
was more or less culturally.
My vocabulary was a littlebroader and I loved to read in
(42:07):
class and I was a good studentat that time.
But I didn't feel I feltdifferent than the other, than
my friends, and I didn't realizeit.
But I should have felt finewith that.
I shouldn't have felt abnormalor not normal.
(42:29):
I should have felt, beencomfortable.
But I have spent a lifetime,you know, feeling comfortable in
my own skin.
People think, well, you're Miko.
In my own skin.
People think well, you're MikoPeople.
And I would consider, you know,I'm a minor celebrity in Dallas
(43:08):
because I've served a lot ofcodes that were perceived as
extremely fortunate and so, notknowing that I was going to live
in the same neighborhood andagain, not feeling so
comfortable, it got to a pointwhere, after we'd been in
(43:32):
business that I realized, and ittook a while, that I didn't
belong in 75205.
I didn't belong with my friendsin the kitchen.
So it was like I was suspendedand I made a decision to go to
(43:52):
Europe by myself and that wasprobably a life-changing
experience.
But I didn't fit in andremember I told you about that
kid that felt like he didn'tquite fit in.
So it's almost like that, allthose emotions and feelings I
(44:13):
was, that I had felt as a childnow even, and you could say the
success and the people loved youand people held you in high
regard that you know I wouldfeel different, but I have to be
(44:34):
honest, I didn't.
And so I looked for other things, and one of them was I'm going
to build restaurants, becauserestaurants they love me back,
and this is what I do, and Irealized then the thought came
to me once that well, maybe I amlooking for these projects and
(44:59):
restaurants and then to findthat what I'm searching for and
one day I and this was therewere different times and
different places, but we hadadopted a little girl named
Bianca Elena and Brianka Elenaand of course she doesn't
(45:31):
remember this, but I spent a lotof time with her when I could
and her life experience verydifferent than anyone I knew or
grew up with.
But we were fortunate and shewas a little girl.
She was always well-behaved andshe was a diner.
We could take her to arestaurant with pasta and
(45:53):
truffles and she would scrapethe truffles, forget the pasta,
forget the pasta, and we couldtake her to any restaurant and
she must have been about six orseven and we had five lines,
(46:18):
telephone lines at home, whichwas like the glass house.
We were never by ourselves andwe were never the restaurant
conversation always, and phonecalls and stress and things that
go wrong.
At that time I had a habit ofgrabbing the phone and slamming
it down and feeling normal andso I would be short.
(46:42):
You know, there were times Iwas very proud of myself.
There were a lot of times thatI had shame.
I had shame and because of mycertain behaviors I was so
driven that I thought, you knowit was going to end and I had to
have things this way and I wishI would have listened more.
But at the same time peoplecould say well, describe Miko in
(47:09):
one word.
Some people would say heart.
And that was like I couldn't, Inever had thought about that, I
never had thought.
So that was new to me, thatsomeone would think that Driven,
(47:31):
focused, consistent curiosity,curious in search of yes, but to
say heart was another ballgame.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Miko, you have said that you were different, and I
agree with you completely.
I think you're quite differentand I also think that's what
makes you an extraordinary man.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Well, thank you for that compliment, but I think you
know how I feel about both ofyou.
I felt very comfortable, I feltgenuine, and you know, quickly,
when you said, well, I'd likefor you to appear with us, I
(48:24):
said sure, I didn't even thinkabout it, and so this experience
is as well.
I think it's gone like Iimagined.
I don't know.
We just I think we have threehearts, that we similar.
Yes, you know, and so it's good,because when you're around it
(48:46):
it just nurtures you.
You create, you know, you wantto, you're more alive.
Speaker 3 (48:51):
I feel a definite connection with you.
You know, our podcast is allabout creativity and community
and your story depicts this in away that is just breathtaking.
You know, you talked about thecollaborations with the partners
and they weren't justcollaborators and they weren't
just partners, they were closefriends, people that you loved.
(49:15):
You talked about all of thepeople that worked in your
restaurants and how much theywere family.
I mean, this is a rare storyand such a gorgeous story and
you and mom, you and mom, youknow you said in the very
(49:35):
beginning it really stuck withme.
You said, mom just sprinkledpixie dust and I kept wanting to
ask oh, tell me more, tell memore about that pixie dust.
I want to know more.
But throughout the wholeconversation you did, there was
pixie dust sprinkled throughevery aspect of your story and
(49:58):
the way that you related and thepeople that would come in that
didn't even speak English andyou would start them washing
dishes and before long they'remanaging a restaurant.
So for those that don't know,he and these partners, these
collaborators, built this.
To correct me if I'm wrong 22Miccosino locations.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
We were at 25.
And we closed a few, but notmany.
And you know, I was the CEO and, like I said, there were two
managers sitting in front of mewhen we did Highland Park and I
said, well, whatever, we'regoing front of me when we did
Highland Park and I said, well,whatever we're going to learn,
(50:44):
we're going to learn together.
And one of those gentlemen haseight restaurants today which
I'm very, very proud of for him.
Speaker 3 (50:54):
Mika, do you have any idea how many lives you have
impacted?
How?
Speaker 1 (51:01):
many lives you have impacted.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Well, I do now.
I mean from the people whoworked for you to the people who
you served.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
You remember I told you about, my mother had always
told me be humble, so I didn'twant to see myself as any
different, even though I hadbeen in places and and done
things I never thought.
And my employees, you knowpeople that I worked with
weren't exactly exposed to that.
(51:37):
So so I would share things withthem because they would ask me
questions and so I felt aresponsibility, but I also felt
like I didn't want to bearrogant.
You know one of the articlesthat D Magazine and they wrote a
(51:59):
lot of wonderful articles.
That D Magazine and they wrotea lot of wonderful articles.
Wake Allison, who was the owner,was a dear friend and they said
they described me as thetimeline of Mexican food in
Dallas in the 40s and the 50sand the 60s and the 70s.
(52:21):
Well, I was almost an expertbecause I could give you names,
locations and restaurants of themost influential Mexican
restaurants in Dallas and whatage they were.
So it was always like PeteDominguez at Casa Dominguez,
(52:43):
mariano at Mariano's.
You know I was revered and Ithought, well, maybe someday
when I have my restaurant, youknow people will like me and
they like what we do, and Ididn't want to seem that way.
So I think I came off assomewhat vulnerable and I think
(53:05):
it was self-induced, because Ididn't want to see myself
different, even though we'dcreated something that was very
special, I didn't want to see.
I wanted to be part of thefamily.
Speaker 3 (53:19):
I didn't want to be the tyrant or dictator that is
what makes you extraordinary,right there, that's it in a
nutshell.
Right there, that vulnerabilityand that humility.
Speaker 1 (53:35):
And then getting to enjoy the process.
While we were growing, ourmantra was, or the behavior was
if somebody is new and I walkinto a restaurant, I want to
meet them, and it wasn't for anyother reason, because I had
(53:58):
confidence that whoever hiredthem it wasn't for any other
reason, because I had confidencethat whoever hired them,
mistakes were made, sawsomething in them, or after
speaking to them, and so I wouldliterally walk up and I would
say you are blessed, god hasbrought you here, you're in a
(54:20):
special place and you're aspecial person and I want to
welcome you.
And sometimes they would saywho are you?
Oh yeah, you know, I know whoyou are Well, but I felt good
that I could be genuinely feelthat way because I felt like you
(54:44):
know we were, we were specialin that God held us in his hand.
I was, and it started actuallywith my partners Caroline, my
first partner, but my partners,who I was very close to, still
own the company Mi Casino.
I always felt like we were heldin God's hands and I always
(55:06):
gave, them, felt like well, theymade, they contributed, and
this was the way it was supposedto be, because one of my
partners, I called him up and Isaid, looking for some advice.
I'd never asked, I'd neverfundraised.
This is the first me casino andhe picks up the phone.
(55:27):
Very entrepreneurial guy,business guy, high profile guy.
Now he said well, let's talkabout it.
So in five minutes he said I'llbe your partner, not knowing
that he was interested.
I had overheard him in therestaurants and we had a nice
(55:50):
relationship and and he saidI'll be your partner.
And I said immediately I needto tell you something, what I'm
an alcoholic and.
I said immediately, I need totell you something.
What?
I'm an alcoholic.
And he says to me well, are youdrinking now?
(56:11):
I said no, I haven't drank in anumber of years.
And he said, ok, we'll get towork.
The original investment in theFirst Me Casino was $27,500.
And I thought to me it couldhave been like $10 million,
(56:31):
because how do I pay my partnersback?
Well, with you know, with beinghumble, being tenacious, being
tough on yourself and tough onother people, because I felt
like maybe they were capable ofmore.
Speaker 3 (56:52):
Oh, I could listen to this story for another two
hours, but out of respect forour listeners, I think we need
to wrap it up.
This has been absolutelyamazing and maybe we need to
have a part two.
Speaker 1 (57:07):
Oh, I love that.
I'll probably be better at it,but again I have to tell you
that both of you make me feelcomfortable and I know that the
tender heart.
You know they recognize eachother.
Speaker 3 (57:22):
Yes, they do.
Speaker 2 (57:23):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (57:24):
Yes, they do.
This has been an amazing story.
I can't even begin to tell youhow much I've enjoyed this.
Before we wrap up, Dwight's gotthree rapid fire questions for
you.
Speaker 2 (57:38):
For some rapid fire answers.
Speaker 1 (57:40):
questions for you for some rapid fire answers.
Is it one word or just?
Speaker 2 (57:45):
well, let's, we'll make it rapid fire it's just
whatever comes up right so firstquestion what's one restaurant
concept you've always wanted tocreate but haven't yet?
Speaker 1 (57:57):
yet R&D, which is cross-cultural American, and I
call it well, I've readcross-cultural exchange, which
is our country.
Speaker 2 (58:10):
Love that.
Speaker 3 (58:11):
Love that yes.
Speaker 2 (58:14):
Next question If you could cook dinner for any three
people, living or dead, who?
Speaker 1 (58:20):
would they be?
Who would they be?
Well, one would be KarlLagerfeld, one would be my great
grandmother, and then maybe,well, certainly, my wife, but
maybe someone like elon musk.
Speaker 2 (58:42):
Okay, another political figure maybe, but
certainly my great-grandmotherthat's beautiful, uh, final
rapid fire question what's themost unusual source of
inspiration you found for arestaurant design?
Speaker 1 (59:01):
A shoe and a bag.
At Island Park we weresurrounded by some of the
greatest fashion, yes, and so Iwould always share.
Look at this, look at this.
You know the wonderment of itall.
You see that fur coat.
It's probably worth thousandsof dollars and of course it was
July, but it's Dallas.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(59:23):
I would take a shoe even nowand see, picture the restaurant,
and how does that shoe fit?
And so, monolabronic orLouboutin, whatever that was, I
would see how it fit, the colorsand everything, the
craftsmanship.
And then the same thing withthe back, a nervous back.
(59:44):
Is it transitional?
Does it play along?
Can I take it there in theafternoon, late afternoon, early
dinner and late night?
So it's always been fashion,somehow, somewhat.
Speaker 3 (01:00:04):
You certainly have had an extremely creative life,
but the one thing that standsout and this is a term we use
may not be your term, but what Ihave heard throughout this is
that one of the main things thatyou created was people.
Speaker 1 (01:00:22):
Magic yes, you know it's true because I witness it.
I get to hear from them or seethem, and there's always fun
things to talk about and greatmemories.
Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
I can imagine.
Well, Miko, thank you so much.
This has just been amazing.
Yes, it's been magic.
Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
Thank you for allowing me to share and bless
the both of you for doing whatyou do, because I think it has
value and meaning and purpose.
Thank you, thank you.
He taught me wait a minute.
There's a big world out there.
There are far more interestingpeople, people that are
accomplished, people that areartists and I do believe we're
all artists.
But he really gave me thatdream that I was worthy, that I
(00:35):
could learn and talk aboutthings that people in my class
weren't talking about.
So I realized, as being exposedto my brother in the restaurant
business, Hello and welcome toanother edition of For the Love
(01:03):
of Creatives podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Welcome to another edition of For the Love of
Creatives podcast.
I am your co-host, dwight,joined by our other co-host,
maddox, and today we have aspecial guest, michael Miko
Rodriguez.
He is some Dallas restaurantroyalty.
I could not give him anintroduction that would do him
(01:27):
justice.
So, michael, why don't you tellour listeners about yourself?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Well, thanks for making me feel special, but and
I'm honored to be on yourbroadcast Born and raised in
Dallas, been in the business allmy life, I had no choice.
My mother was a big influencebecause I worked for her for
many years.
We had a restaurant and I grewup at Mia's on Lemon Avenue.
(01:57):
So I knew at a very young agethat this was what I was going
to do and even though theholidays and seven days a week,
it still intrigued me.
When I'd go to restaurants, I'dlook at lighting, I'd look at
(02:18):
the floors, I'd look at you know, and I was 17 years old Only
because this is the way I wantedto live my life.
I wanted to be in a restaurantand my dream was to have only
one restaurant.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
That would have sufficed, for sure.
Well, you certainly surpassedthat in spades.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And there's a lot I left in between, but I'm sure
we'll get around to some of that.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, it sounds like it kind of took on a life of its
own, didn't it?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
You know what it did create?
My mother did create arestaurateur and it was.
Maybe I didn't recognize it atthe time but even today, you
(03:10):
know, I hear my mother's voiceinside my head.
So a privilege and tough,because my mother was a very
believed in being an old school,a dictator, a tyrant when it
those times came.
But we were working, my motherhad a busy restaurant and we're
working as a family, which isthe highs are high, the lows are
(03:32):
low.
But when I dream restaurants, Idream that restaurant.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
What year did your mom open that restaurant?
1980.
1980.
And for those that don't know,it's a very prominent restaurant
in Dallas.
It still exists.
It moved here a couple of years.
No, it's been more than that,probably been five or six years.
Now it moved to a new location.
Is it still part of your family?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yes, my sister, my mother, my mother passed, my dad
had passed several years ago.
She inherited the restaurantand they actually moved from one
side of Chipotle to the otherside of Chipotle, which was
fortunate for them becausethey're they kept their client,
they kept their customer.
They have a very loyal customer.
(04:26):
They kept their customer, theyhave a very loyal customer.
And when you walk into therestaurant it feels like Mamma
Mia.
Mamma Mia had a distinct vibeand a distinct way of doing
things, but she was consistent.
(04:47):
And to be successful in thisbusiness you've got to be
consistent not just with thefood but with the process and
the behaviors and representingthe brand.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
So that restaurant's now 80, no 45 years old,
Unbelievable and still goingstrong.
So how old were you when youstarted helping out in the
restaurant?
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Oh, I was five.
My parents worked for Chico.
It was 1962.
And well, every now and thenyou might see a car on Sunday in
Dallas, maybe not.
So things were a lot different.
But I would go to work.
My dad would pay me a dollar anhour and I'd work three hours.
(05:24):
So that was.
I was in a good place, I felt.
I felt I felt at peace believeit or not in a restaurant.
It felt very comfortable for meand, of course, my parents.
They worked morning, noon andnight and even for the other
company.
So El Chico, who they workedfor, fabulous company in the 60s
(05:47):
really was a blueprint for MiCocina and it was owned by the
Cuellar family.
But the Cuellar family loved mymom and dad because they were
good for the bottom line and myparents were turnaround artists.
They'd come in, put a littlepixie dust in a restaurant that
(06:07):
wasn't operating well and theywould turn it around.
And that's a special thingbecause it's hard to have that
you.
You know you're at the bottomof the you and it's hard to get
up again.
But resilience and perseveranceand never stop doubting.
(06:33):
They never really thought thatthey were going to fail.
Because one guest at a time ifyou make the children, they'll
bring the parents of time.
If you keep, if you make thechildren, they'll bring the
parents.
And, um, like I said, you knowthe commitment and my parents
(06:58):
were together every day for 40years and even that is an
accomplishment, but, um, it is.
My mother was definitely theboss.
My dad, well, he justsurrendered Because when they
got successful, they startedtraveling a little bit and I
would always stay at therestaurant.
So, and my dad, you know, itwas a 12-table restaurant,
(07:20):
24-table restaurant that waspacked all the time and, of
course, dallas had fewer Mexicanrestaurants and they just, well
, they loved their customers andI think that was really what
kept them going.
There's so many stories that Ihaven't heard, and some I've
(07:42):
been hearing lately, that I hadno idea.
And it's special, and it'sspecial, it's special.
I had a gentleman that, let meknow, he was in the radio
business and he was producingfilms and he said to me you know
I'm going to tell you somethingIn the 80s I was going through
(08:03):
a very, very sad divorce and soI would go to Mia's, I'd be by
myself and your mother wouldalways soothe me and we would
talk and share.
And I just want you to knowthat I'm very grateful that I
had her in my life and I had noidea, no idea.
(08:29):
So those are the special thingsthat either are said or unsaid.
But my mother never.
She never said well, we talkedabout this or we talked.
She kept it private, which youknow.
It's easy to share that, butshe felt like that was a moment
(08:51):
that she had and she had a lotof respect for the gentleman.
But that was nice to hear.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
You know, miko, there are more stories like that than
you can begin to imagine thatyou will never hear, because
you've already said.
That's who she was, and hewasn't the only one she did that
with, for sure, oh no.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
So you spoke.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Oh, go ahead, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, she did it with me because she planted a seed
and you know, I have two peoplein my life really that said to
me Miko, you're going to make it, and that was my mother and
Carolyn, my wife, father, who Iwas very close to, and they
(09:40):
never gave up.
They always said you're goingto be fine, you're going to have
.
All I wanted was one restaurant, and when I got to be 30, I got
my twenties out of the way.
I'd gotten control of myalcohol and cocaine addiction
(10:00):
and I've had addiction probablysince the age of 11, when I ate
two bags of Chips, ahoy cookies,and so I knew that something
wasn't quite correct.
But I've had.
Well, I'm bipolar, I'm prettysure I'm ADD, I'm sure I don't
(10:25):
know what else, but I know that,above all, I'm a good man and I
feel good about this, that Ifeel comfortable in my skin.
In my 20s, the drinking and thedrugging and working in a
restaurant kind of went hand inhand to a lot of people.
The drugging and working in arestaurant kind of went hand in
(10:46):
hand to a lot of people, and so,but I always made it to work
and it's because I wanted to bethere and I didn't want to miss
anything and it was a busyrestaurant.
I mean, whatever I made, Ilived like if I had a different
lifestyle because of Mamma Mia.
So you know, that was nice, butwe were, you know, very
(11:14):
moderate people.
We didn't have anythingextravagant or anything, but we
had the commitment to thebusiness and our guests and it
was basically, it was our lives.
It really was our lives.
If I dream it has, well, let'ssay this I never had.
(11:35):
If it's a backyard barbecue,not really.
If it's a family vacation, notmany, but you know.
But when you celebrateeverything at a restaurant, then
birthdays or whatever then younever get to be at home.
(11:57):
My mother for 10 years sheworked seven days a week.
As I got older and went throughthe experience of Mia's, I
realized that that's the choiceshe made, because she felt safe,
secure and she didn't have todeal with everything except
(12:17):
things that she could accomplish.
She could run a restaurant.
But I realized that it wasdifficult sometimes for her, you
know, to be I don't want to saynormal, but to be more
conventional, and I found myselfduplicating a lot of that.
And so it affected me becauseshe was probably the most
(12:42):
influential, because she wasprobably the most influential.
And when I left Mia's, mybrother says that I changed
history.
I walked out of Mia's becausemy mother was telling me a
certain way to live and Ifinally said, well, it's to
(13:04):
myself, it's time for me to getout of mama's skirt.
And I started walking downLemon Avenue and my brother,
paul, who's very creative andartistic, my big business
influence he ran outside and hesays Miko, don't leave.
And he said to me you're goingto change history.
(13:25):
And I had no idea that Mikosinawas going to happen.
I had no idea.
Like I said, I got to when weopened Mikosina.
It was basically Mia's North,but my cousin and I had
contributed a lot.
My cousin, ernest, contributeda lot to the menu of the
(13:50):
restaurant of Mia's, so Iliterally opened up Mia's North.
So it was quite controversial.
My mother never gave upconnecting with me, but my dad
didn't.
We didn't speak for a couple ofyears and I didn't go back to
Mia's for nine years.
So yeah, it took a toll on myrelationship with with my family
(14:17):
.
But even with my, my family,caroline and Chris, my son Chris
we all got married the same daybecause she had Chris from a
previous marriage and they werewilling to sacrifice not ever
(14:42):
seeing me because literally Ikind of well, I made some
choices my mother made and thatwas almost truly sad.
Just sad for me, because therewas a time when I felt like like
my restaurant came first and aregret, yeah, a growing
(15:07):
experience and appreciation thatI've gotten to this moment.
Right now I'm very grateful andhave a lot of gratitude,
because I have taken it to theedge a few times and it took a
long time to get here.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
You know, your energy tells me that's true that
you're in a very good place.
The day I met you, Iimmediately recognized a man
with great wisdom and greathumility.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Well, my mother said always be humble.
And I never.
Really.
A lot of people define thatword differently and they think
some people might think it'ssubmissive or some people might
think that it's the best thingthey like about themselves, it's
the best thing they like aboutthemselves.
(16:06):
And she also said that I wouldask her.
I said Mama, what do you wantfor your birthday?
And she would say just give mepeace of mind.
And my experience tells me thatall our life we struggle
looking for peace and serenity,because you're either off to the
(16:39):
races, creating a life for yourfamily, working, occupied, and,
you know, you surrender a lotof those things that maybe you
wish you had, and so you'reliving your life really kind of
through your guest.
Because as a server I realizedthat listening was important and
when people would talk abouttrips and travel and meals and
(17:04):
fashion and it's not like Iintentionally overheard,
although sometimes it was hardnot to but I didn't get that
interaction at that level.
You know we're families, that'snot what we did.
So I always appreciated that.
I always appreciated to seepeople share a meal and actually
(17:29):
talk about the day, talk aboutthe weekend, talk about the
trips and so.
But it really made me curiousand really broadened.
I say, you know, people say,well, where'd you get your
education?
I say in the dining rooms, andthat's really what it was,
(17:53):
working with my co-workers andthen listening in the dining
room.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Miko, can I offer a different perspective?
Yes, please, and it's just apossibility.
You know your life better thananybody, but you have made
references several times toguests.
But your story tells me thatthe way you listened to these
people, the way you tookinterest in their lives, that
(18:25):
they were not guests, they wereyour family.
They literally were your family, and I get that.
I was a career hairdresser for40 years and my clients became
my family.
Now it may not have been thefamily that you chose and a wife
(18:54):
and then had kids, but Isuspect part of the reason that
your mother spent as much timeat the restaurant as she did was
because that was where she feltthe most loved and where you
(19:20):
probably felt the most lovedbecause you had nurtured those
relationships to the degree thatthey were no longer guests.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Yeah, and you went through their highs and their
lows and you felt it.
You know you're trying to befamiliar, not too familial, but
it's hard, especially when theylook at you as an extension of
the family or a family friend,because I'm, you know,
essentially an important thing,serving something that's
substance, that people need tonourish, and to me it's a very
(19:49):
intimate thing.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
But you had an element you and your mom both of
nourishing that had nothing todo with food.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Well, it was a little self-serving because we were I
think we were medicating.
You know, listening and seeingother people's lives, that well,
we're not like that but we'rehappy, but maybe, maybe we could
be like that someday.
And you know, every family has,of course, the ordeals and the
(20:23):
struggles.
But that was my point ofreference and so even when we
got home we would talk about theJoneses or the Richards and how
idyllic.
Their life felt that youperceived, and they were
interesting.
And I was fortunate enough thatwe were surrounded by
(20:46):
interesting people and peoplethat were willing to share some
wisdom.
And I paid attention, I did dothat, and sometimes you need to
expand your wardrobe ofknowledge and of sharing.
(21:12):
My brother, paul, was probablythe biggest influence as far as
culture.
The first time I heard the wordavant-garde, I'm like what does
that mean?
And so my brother, 18 18traveled to europe by himself
and I didn't understand that andI felt fear for him, um, or not
(21:37):
fear, but uh, scared thatsomething could happen to him.
I was 13 and he was, and fiveor six years is a huge
difference.
When he's 24, you're 18.
And so there are hugedifferences, although we became
really brothers and very close.
(21:58):
In the end we were estrangedbecause he passed, but he was
such a big influence.
He taught me wait a minute,there's a big world out there.
There are far more interestingpeople, people that are
accomplished, people that areartists, and I do believe we're
all artists.
(22:20):
He really gave me that dreamthat I was worthy that I could
learn and talk about things thatpeople in my class weren't
talking about.
So I realized, as being exposedto my brother in the restaurant
(22:42):
business, the idea that I wasmaybe a little bit more mature,
maybe I was a little bit moreworldly, even though I'd never
traveled.
But I lived my life and throughmy guests and my brother, he
(23:05):
always said to me because youknow he had well, he never
really.
He loved beautiful people andbeauty to him, whether it's male
or female, was something fromthe inside and something from
(23:26):
the outside.
And whenever I never asked hima question about his sexuality,
but it influenced me in a waythat I would hear things from
other people and, of course, Iwas a little bit confused.
(23:48):
Young, I didn't know, we sharedthe same bedroom.
I didn't know why they'remaking fun of my brother, but I
learned how to deal with it andit was more or less my brother
expanded.
He goes Mika, I love beautifulpeople and I still hear those
(24:08):
words and he did.
And he was a hairdresser formany, many years and, like you
say, interesting guests andinteresting clients, so I got to
hear about them.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Plus I got a good deal on haircuts, but a big
influence in my life, that youmentioned how in the restaurant
you grew up with your motherhaving seven days a week, you
(24:55):
know for 10 years straight, youknow never going outside of it,
and you kind of inherited thatsame drive, that same tenacity.
The restaurant became first.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Well, I didn't know how to do it.
So I went the first week weopened.
Every time I said we're goingto do this or let's try this, I
would quickly look behind mebecause I was going to be
overridden and my mother wasn'tthere.
(25:24):
It was just a learned behaviorof hearing her voice and, you
know, you could say one couldsay that well, you felt like
maybe you were lacking in yourmother's attention or your
mother's love, but she did whatshe knew how to do and that was
(25:50):
life experience.
And when I realized, afteropening a couple of restaurants
well, more than a couple that Ididn't feel comfortable being
the person she was and I had afamily and the success was
beyond my wildest dreams,juanita Miller walked into my
(26:16):
first restaurant and thatneighborhood had launched us and
I was very, very appreciativeand there was that codependency
as far as well Miko's there, orthe food's good or they're open
late, and we were there to serve, there to serve.
(26:50):
But a woman told me, a ladyfriend said Miko, I love you,
but I don't have as much love asyou need.
So there was a certainemptiness that I was lacking,
emptiness that I was lacking,and I chose to put well, food
and work ahead of everythingelse.
I talked about my addictionsand during the 90s in 1989, 1988
(27:18):
, I'd met, I'd known Carolyn allmy life and we became very
close and one day I asked her tomarry me and I said why would I
want this man to marry mysister?
When I was doing drugs, I wasdrinking, I was, but I worked
(27:39):
every day.
My mother would hand that to me.
But I needed to be a better manand so I got alcohol and drug
free and I started working aprogram that through the years I
was committed to, and someyears I backtracked from not
(28:01):
managing my personality or mybehaviors, and so I decided then
that I needed to be alcohol anddrug free or not ask her, her,
to marry me.
But she went through this,let's say, life-changing
(28:23):
experience with um I was umspeaking earlier, juanita miller
, who owned highland parkvillage, so Potom Park's
downtown, but it's also Dallas'Rodeo Drive, right and I knew
(28:46):
then that how did we get here?
And my mother and I always hadan agreement that well, okay,
it's Mia's North, that kind ofwent unsaid, but I don't want
you to come below Lover's Lane,no, northwest Highway.
And I said that's good, mama,because even when things got
(29:10):
tough, she didn't forget aboutCarol and I were newly married
and so things were tough and shewas always considerate of that.
But I went to the phone because, well, here I was looking at an
opportunity that a lot ofpeople wanted.
(29:30):
I'd heard about it, but I neverthought that the village would
be available or available to me.
And so I call Mama and I saidthis is actually, I remember,
because it was my one of myfirst cell phones maybe, but it
was one of those flip phones andI said Mama, so she knew what
(30:03):
that meant.
And I said Mama, she wants mefor the village.
And there was another longpause and the whole time I was
thinking about our agreement andI had committed to it, and she
(30:33):
said you have to do it.
So here I go.
By that time I referenced this.
After we got busy at Harlem Park, I visited Mexico City for the
first time and I went with somedear friends who had lived there
and I saw glamour, style,fashion, history I'm Mexican in
(31:03):
every color and a wholedifferent point of view as far
as design.
Luis Barigon became a biginfluence and when we did
Venturi, you could see, you knowthere was.
(31:24):
You walked in and there wasthis curved brick wall.
They called it Pepto-Bismolpink.
I didn't see Pepto-Bismol pink.
I thought it was graphic, itwas architectural and it had a
purpose.
But the restaurant definitelywas in a different direction and
(31:44):
I had worked with fortunately Ihad worked with Zero Three, who
did Baby Ruth in Dallas.
It was one of my favoriterestaurants design-wise and so I
was very fortunate.
I walked into their office andwe were all the same age if I
(32:06):
got to later, but I was sittingdown and they were at an oval
table I think the serenade table, because I asked that it was a
beautiful table and not knowingthat for the next probably 30
years we were gonna designbeautiful restaurants, be a part
(32:31):
of it, have a great experience,travel together, have those
moments of sincerity, have thosemoments of sincerity and when
maybe I need some advice and Ilearned a lot and I brought to
them my restaurant part.
(32:54):
So it was a very goodrelationship.
People will say now I had aninterview where somebody said
what was the most importantthing?
That you and 03, paul and Janwere at the same table and I
look at Paul and he looks at meand I said our relationships
(33:19):
Because we were truly.
I said our relationshipsbecause we were truly.
We cared about each other, wecared about what we produced.
Disagreements, yes.
Did I learn how to surrender?
Yes, but I also learned a lotabout design and I was very
intrigued by it and I realizedthat, at a point of view that
(33:40):
was different, mexico City hadheavily influenced that, because
I had never traveled and Ithought I saw sophistication and
I saw glamor that you don't seehere with glamour that you
(34:03):
don't see here with.
You know, you're either aMexican national or you're what
we call Chicano, and a Chicanois someone that more than likely
has Indian in their blood anddarker and we were here before
Texas was Mexico or the nationof Aslan, and so we tended to be
(34:31):
.
As we assimilated into theAmerican culture, it was half
and half.
You know, if, culinarily andculturally, the Mexican national
felt like superior and this wasthe 60s, even the 70s felt
(34:55):
superior, especially when youcouldn't speak the language
correctly and let's say theywere educated people there was a
certain kind of I don't want tosay racism, but superiority.
So my version of that was thatmy parents would take sometimes
(35:19):
the cooks home.
That was that my parents wouldtake sometimes the cooks home,
and so I related to them.
But there were rancheritos,people from the farm, and being
in Mexico City just changed mywhole perspective and certain
(35:40):
guests will tell me that theycan see the difference and that
has really, really been aprivilege in my life and
designing a restaurant with apoint of view and representing.
One of the best compliments Ithink I've ever received was
(36:03):
from a guest.
He said, miko, the way yourrestaurants are are the way I
want to live.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I can relate.
So I've been to a couple ofyour the, the restaurant
concepts, and I just know thatthe feeling that I got walking
into a Mi Casina was it was aplace that had a certain charm
and elegance.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
And people cared for each other, our staff, people
that didn't belong in ourculture.
They would get weeded out, notby management, a lot of it by
staff, in a subtle way, andunfortunately there were some
people that didn't want to care,and so we developed a culture
(36:56):
that we called it la escalerathe ladder.
You came in with no experience.
You started washing dishes.
You became a buzz boy.
Guess what that?
We call that la escalera theladder.
You came in with no experience.
You started washing dishes.
You became a buzz boy.
Guess what you learned?
10 words Enjoy, what do youlike to drink, what do you like
to eat?
And thank you very much.
And you made a very good living.
But sometimes those well, everytime we had only in-house
(37:22):
growth.
We would prepare people formanagement and it was tough.
Some of my managers couldn'tspell, but they would take care
of guests, they would clean therestaurant, they would take
their employees, care for theiremployees and they would make
them taller, build them up,because that's the way we wanted
(37:45):
to do it.
And, like I said, el Chico wasthat big influence as far as the
foundation and the platform andthe way it was in the 60s.
It was like a family and at onetime it was 90 restaurants.
Some of those were franchises.
I knew all this before I was 10.
(38:05):
That's how curious I was, andnot knowing that there were five
brothers that owned El Chicoand I was 1962.
I was serving waters and I wasthree by three and I would be so
(38:32):
nervous, you know, in thebeginning.
And one day somebody said thebrothers are coming.
Ok, the brothers that I'veheard about.
And when I saw them I'd alwayswanted to be.
My dad was a management, mymother was a cashier, and so I
(38:57):
said that's what I want to do.
And when everybody was sayingthe brothers are coming, and I
saw it was like seeing beautifulArabian horses.
They had custom cowboy bootsand they all wore hats and they
were treated with much respectand they treated their people
with respect and but there was acertain dignity and I decided
(39:22):
then I want to be one of thoseguys, because and again because
they were so revered, notknowing that well, that success
would come with that and notknowing beyond my wildest dreams
that that would even come closeto that, because Micasina won't
(39:48):
ever happen again in Dallas.
But it was a bloop, but it wasmade possible.
A lot of it was made possibleby El Chico and what I learned
there, and so I startedabsorbing this at five years old
, which naturally made me morecurious.
But everybody I went to schoolwith said Nico, you know, you
(40:09):
were pretty consistent In firstgrade you wanted to own a
restaurant.
In fifth grade, you know asophomore that's all you wanted
to do was own a restaurant.
So true, but, like I said, Inever thought that dignity and
(40:54):
joy, not enough joy, at leastwith my family.
I always kind of felt like I'mthe one that's different.
Okay, there's 30 Mexican kidsand one Anglo teacher from Park
City and she shows up every dayand I felt like wait a minute,
(41:18):
I'm not the same.
I was felt uncomfortable incertain situations and it was
again because the waitstaff, thebussers, they were my friends
and so it was difficult.
It was difficult growing uplower middle class and not
(41:41):
wanting for things.
My mother would be a goodprovider, my dad and they worked
very hard and at that time itwasn't really financially, it
was more or less culturally.
My vocabulary was a littlebroader and I loved to read in
(42:07):
class and I was a good studentat that time.
But I didn't feel I feltdifferent than the other, than
my friends, and I didn't realizeit.
But I should have felt finewith that.
I shouldn't have felt abnormalor not normal.
(42:29):
I should have felt, beencomfortable.
But I have spent a lifetime,you know, feeling comfortable in
my own skin.
People think, well, you're Miko.
In my own skin.
People think well, you're MikoPeople.
And I would consider, you know,I'm a minor celebrity in Dallas
(43:08):
because I've served a lot ofcodes that were perceived as
extremely fortunate and so, notknowing that I was going to live
in the same neighborhood andagain, not feeling so
comfortable, it got to a pointwhere, after we'd been in
(43:32):
business that I realized, and ittook a while, that I didn't
belong in 75205.
I didn't belong with my friendsin the kitchen.
So it was like I was suspendedand I made a decision to go to
(43:52):
Europe by myself and that wasprobably a life-changing
experience.
But I didn't fit in andremember I told you about that
kid that felt like he didn'tquite fit in.
So it's almost like that, allthose emotions and feelings I
(44:13):
was, that I had felt as a childnow even, and you could say the
success and the people loved youand people held you in high
regard that you know I wouldfeel different, but I have to be
(44:34):
honest, I didn't.
And so I looked for other things, and one of them was I'm going
to build restaurants, becauserestaurants they love me back,
and this is what I do, and Irealized then the thought came
to me once that well, maybe I amlooking for these projects and
(44:59):
restaurants and then to findthat what I'm searching for and
one day I and this was therewere different times and
different places, but we hadadopted a little girl named
Bianca Elena and Brianka Elenaand of course she doesn't
(45:31):
remember this, but I spent a lotof time with her when I could
and her life experience verydifferent than anyone I knew or
grew up with.
But we were fortunate and shewas a little girl.
She was always well-behaved andshe was a diner.
We could take her to arestaurant with pasta and
(45:53):
truffles and she would scrapethe truffles, forget the pasta,
forget the pasta, and we couldtake her to any restaurant and
she must have been about six orseven and we had five lines,
(46:18):
telephone lines at home, whichwas like the glass house.
We were never by ourselves andwe were never the restaurant
conversation always, and phonecalls and stress and things that
go wrong.
At that time I had a habit ofgrabbing the phone and slamming
it down and feeling normal andso I would be short.
(46:42):
You know, there were times Iwas very proud of myself.
There were a lot of times thatI had shame.
I had shame and because of mycertain behaviors I was so
driven that I thought, you knowit was going to end and I had to
have things this way and I wishI would have listened more.
But at the same time peoplecould say well, describe Miko in
(47:09):
one word.
Some people would say heart.
And that was like I couldn't, Inever had thought about that, I
never had thought.
So that was new to me, thatsomeone would think that Driven,
(47:31):
focused, consistent curiosity,curious in search of yes, but to
say heart was another ballgame.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Miko, you have said that you were different, and I
agree with you completely.
I think you're quite differentand I also think that's what
makes you an extraordinary man.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Well, thank you for that compliment, but I think you
know how I feel about both ofyou.
I felt very comfortable, I feltgenuine, and you know, quickly,
when you said, well, I'd likefor you to appear with us, I
(48:24):
said sure, I didn't even thinkabout it, and so this experience
is as well.
I think it's gone like Iimagined.
I don't know.
We just I think we have threehearts, that we similar.
Yes, you know, and so it's good,because when you're around it
(48:46):
it just nurtures you.
You create, you know, you wantto, you're more alive.
Speaker 3 (48:51):
I feel a definite connection with you.
You know, our podcast is allabout creativity and community
and your story depicts this in away that is just breathtaking.
You know, you talked about thecollaborations with the partners
and they weren't justcollaborators and they weren't
just partners, they were closefriends, people that you loved.
(49:15):
You talked about all of thepeople that worked in your
restaurants and how much theywere family.
I mean, this is a rare storyand such a gorgeous story and
you and mom, you and mom, youknow you said in the very
(49:35):
beginning it really stuck withme.
You said, mom just sprinkledpixie dust and I kept wanting to
ask oh, tell me more, tell memore about that pixie dust.
I want to know more.
But throughout the wholeconversation you did, there was
pixie dust sprinkled throughevery aspect of your story and
(49:58):
the way that you related and thepeople that would come in that
didn't even speak English andyou would start them washing
dishes and before long they'remanaging a restaurant.
So for those that don't know,he and these partners, these
collaborators, built this.
To correct me if I'm wrong 22Miccosino locations.
Speaker 1 (50:23):
We were at 25.
And we closed a few, but notmany.
And you know, I was the CEO and, like I said, there were two
managers sitting in front of mewhen we did Highland Park and I
said, well, whatever, we'regoing front of me when we did
Highland Park and I said, well,whatever we're going to learn,
(50:44):
we're going to learn together.
And one of those gentlemen haseight restaurants today which
I'm very, very proud of for him.
Speaker 3 (50:54):
Mika, do you have any idea how many lives you have
impacted?
How?
Speaker 1 (51:01):
many lives you have impacted.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
Well, I do now.
I mean from the people whoworked for you to the people who
you served.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
You remember I told you about, my mother had always
told me be humble, so I didn'twant to see myself as any
different, even though I hadbeen in places and and done
things I never thought.
And my employees, you knowpeople that I worked with
weren't exactly exposed to that.
(51:37):
So so I would share things withthem because they would ask me
questions and so I felt aresponsibility, but I also felt
like I didn't want to bearrogant.
You know one of the articlesthat D Magazine and they wrote a
(51:59):
lot of wonderful articles.
That D Magazine and they wrotea lot of wonderful articles.
Wake Allison, who was the owner,was a dear friend and they said
they described me as thetimeline of Mexican food in
Dallas in the 40s and the 50sand the 60s and the 70s.
(52:21):
Well, I was almost an expertbecause I could give you names,
locations and restaurants of themost influential Mexican
restaurants in Dallas and whatage they were.
So it was always like PeteDominguez at Casa Dominguez,
(52:43):
mariano at Mariano's.
You know I was revered and Ithought, well, maybe someday
when I have my restaurant, youknow people will like me and
they like what we do, and Ididn't want to seem that way.
So I think I came off assomewhat vulnerable and I think
(53:05):
it was self-induced, because Ididn't want to see myself
different, even though we'dcreated something that was very
special, I didn't want to see.
I wanted to be part of thefamily.
Speaker 3 (53:19):
I didn't want to be the tyrant or dictator that is
what makes you extraordinary,right there, that's it in a
nutshell.
Right there, that vulnerabilityand that humility.
Speaker 1 (53:35):
And then getting to enjoy the process.
While we were growing, ourmantra was, or the behavior was
if somebody is new and I walkinto a restaurant, I want to
meet them, and it wasn't for anyother reason, because I had
(53:58):
confidence that whoever hiredthem it wasn't for any other
reason, because I had confidencethat whoever hired them,
mistakes were made, sawsomething in them, or after
speaking to them, and so I wouldliterally walk up and I would
say you are blessed, god hasbrought you here, you're in a
(54:20):
special place and you're aspecial person and I want to
welcome you.
And sometimes they would saywho are you?
Oh yeah, you know, I know whoyou are Well, but I felt good
that I could be genuinely feelthat way because I felt like you
(54:44):
know we were, we were specialin that God held us in his hand.
I was, and it started actuallywith my partners Caroline, my
first partner, but my partners,who I was very close to, still
own the company Mi Casino.
I always felt like we were heldin God's hands and I always
(55:06):
gave, them, felt like well, theymade, they contributed, and
this was the way it was supposedto be, because one of my
partners, I called him up and Isaid, looking for some advice.
I'd never asked, I'd neverfundraised.
This is the first me casino andhe picks up the phone.
(55:27):
Very entrepreneurial guy,business guy, high profile guy.
Now he said well, let's talkabout it.
So in five minutes he said I'llbe your partner, not knowing
that he was interested.
I had overheard him in therestaurants and we had a nice
(55:50):
relationship and and he saidI'll be your partner.
And I said immediately I needto tell you something, what I'm
an alcoholic and.
I said immediately, I need totell you something.
What?
I'm an alcoholic.
And he says to me well, are youdrinking now?
(56:11):
I said no, I haven't drank in anumber of years.
And he said, ok, we'll get towork.
The original investment in theFirst Me Casino was $27,500.
And I thought to me it couldhave been like $10 million,
(56:31):
because how do I pay my partnersback?
Well, with you know, with beinghumble, being tenacious, being
tough on yourself and tough onother people, because I felt
like maybe they were capable ofmore.
Speaker 3 (56:52):
Oh, I could listen to this story for another two
hours, but out of respect forour listeners, I think we need
to wrap it up.
This has been absolutelyamazing and maybe we need to
have a part two.
Speaker 1 (57:07):
Oh, I love that.
I'll probably be better at it,but again I have to tell you
that both of you make me feelcomfortable and I know that the
tender heart.
You know they recognize eachother.
Speaker 3 (57:22):
Yes, they do.
Speaker 2 (57:23):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (57:24):
Yes, they do.
This has been an amazing story.
I can't even begin to tell youhow much I've enjoyed this.
Before we wrap up, Dwight's gotthree rapid fire questions for
you.
Speaker 2 (57:38):
For some rapid fire answers.
Speaker 1 (57:40):
questions for you for some rapid fire answers.
Is it one word or just?
Speaker 2 (57:45):
well, let's, we'll make it rapid fire it's just
whatever comes up right so firstquestion what's one restaurant
concept you've always wanted tocreate but haven't yet?
Speaker 1 (57:57):
yet R&D, which is cross-cultural American, and I
call it well, I've readcross-cultural exchange, which
is our country.
Speaker 2 (58:10):
Love that.
Speaker 3 (58:11):
Love that yes.
Speaker 2 (58:14):
Next question If you could cook dinner for any three
people, living or dead, who?
Speaker 1 (58:20):
would they be?
Who would they be?
Well, one would be KarlLagerfeld, one would be my great
grandmother, and then maybe,well, certainly, my wife, but
maybe someone like elon musk.
Speaker 2 (58:42):
Okay, another political figure maybe, but
certainly my great-grandmotherthat's beautiful, uh, final
rapid fire question what's themost unusual source of
inspiration you found for arestaurant design?
Speaker 1 (59:01):
A shoe and a bag.
At Island Park we weresurrounded by some of the
greatest fashion, yes, and so Iwould always share.
Look at this, look at this.
You know the wonderment of itall.
You see that fur coat.
It's probably worth thousandsof dollars and of course it was
July, but it's Dallas.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(59:23):
I would take a shoe even nowand see, picture the restaurant,
and how does that shoe fit?
And so, monolabronic orLouboutin, whatever that was, I
would see how it fit, the colorsand everything, the
craftsmanship.
And then the same thing withthe back, a nervous back.
(59:44):
Is it transitional?
Does it play along?
Can I take it there in theafternoon, late afternoon, early
dinner and late night?
So it's always been fashion,somehow, somewhat.
Speaker 3 (01:00:04):
You certainly have had an extremely creative life,
but the one thing that standsout and this is a term we use
may not be your term, but what Ihave heard throughout this is
that one of the main things thatyou created was people.
Speaker 1 (01:00:22):
Magic yes, you know it's true because I witness it.
I get to hear from them or seethem, and there's always fun
things to talk about and greatmemories.
Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
I can imagine.
Well, Miko, thank you so much.
This has just been amazing.
Yes, it's been magic.
Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
Thank you for allowing me to share and bless
the both of you for doing whatyou do, because I think it has
value and meaning and purpose.
Thank you, thank you.
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