wellington | table
Don Chepo’s Taco Shop Takes Mexican Food To A New Level Story and Photos by Jack Lowenstein
Fashion Cuisine Group co-founders Dustin Parfitt and Juan Gando have completed the creation of their new Wellington taco eatery. Don Chepo’s Taco Shop is a restaurant that they created to offer a laid-back, Florida-style Mexican restaurant for families and locals to enjoy. Parfitt is the executive chef of the local restaurant group, while Gando is the restaurateur. They both pride themselves in what Don Chepo’s has to offer, from fresh ingredients to its family atmosphere. “Everything in this restaurant has a history,” Gando said. “We built it with our hands, like the tables, the frames, everything you see is with a little bit of love. Everything has a story.” The choice to venture into a taco eatery was a chance to continue working with different styles of cuisine and break away from what the Fashion Cuisine Group already offers in the community. “Something that I’ve always been good at is making deli-
Juan Gando pours the Mercadito, a signature margarita creation.
cious food, as I’ve been a chef for, gosh, 16 years. I’ve developed my own style,” Parfitt said. “I can kind of have different flavors at each place.” So, when the two co-owners decided to create a new dining experience, they knew they wanted it to be based around tacos. “We have so many fine dining restaurants in one town,” Parfitt said. “We’ve got Oli’s, the Grille, White Horse, and we wanted a more casual, laid-back, atmosphere, with games for the kids to play, and just a more reasonable price point.” While the other Fashion Cuisine restaurants cater to a high-end diner, Parfitt and Gando want Don Chepo’s to be a place where families with children feel welcome to come by for a bite to eat. The first thing to make note of are Don Chepo’s housemade corn tortillas. “It’s something really special. They have to be made fresh every day,” Parfitt said. “Right now, we’re cooking them. It’s right before lunch, and we store them hot, and as soon as they’re gone, we make more.” wellington the magazine | january 2018
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