MILWAUKEE — TrueMan McGee, owner of Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, is paying his success forward by helping one of his former employees make her dream of owning a restaurant come true.
Lupe Santiago, her husband Alejandro, and her brother-in-law Elliot have three food trucks and, in August, opened the doors to a sit-down restaurant, Los Tuxtla.
For several years, Lupe was head chef at Funky Fresh Spring Rolls. Its founder, McGee, credits Lupe with helping him grow his business to where it is now.
From a restaurant to retail, McGee's spring rolls are now sold in the frozen food section of select grocery stores in Wisconsin, with plans to expand to East Coast stores.
"Almost immediately, Lupe was like my food soulmate. She just understood my recipes. Even though there was a little language barrier, she was able to take our recipes and elevate them to such a higher level," McGee said.
As Lupe worked to help elevate Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, she and her family embarked on opening three food trucks of their own.
She then set her sights on a dine-in restaurant. After searching for the right space, she found a former restaurant closing its doors and thought it would be the perfect home for Los Tuxtla, named after her family's hometown in Mexico.
Watch: Paying it Forward: Owner of Funky Fresh Spring Rolls paying his success forward
Combining her culinary skills with those of her husband and brother-in-law, the restaurant began to thrive.
However, Lupe wanted to reach an even broader audience. She reached out to McGee, whom she looks up to like a big brother. Knowing he was savvy with social media, McGee immediately sprang into action.
He considered it an honor to help the person who had played such a significant role in his success.
"Lupe called me and said, 'Can you help us make videos to promote the restaurant?' I was happy to do it because she was such a huge part of our success, and it wouldn’t have happened—literally—without Lupe," McGee said.
McGee believes that when successful entrepreneurs share their knowledge with those following in their footsteps, the whole community benefits.
Los Tuxtla is open seven days a week, and Funky Fresh Spring Rolls are sold in the frozen food section of Woodman’s and Outpost.
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