Today we’d like to introduce you to Fernanda Reyes.
Hi Fernanda , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Chef Fernanda Reyes
Chef Fernanda Reyes comes to Kansas City to revolutionize the American palette and give Mexicans far from home a fresh remembrance of the classic homemade flavor of Comida Casera.
Long before shaping Kansas City’s contemporary Mexican cuisine, Chef Fernanda graduated in gastronomic studies from the Instituto Culinario de México, Campus Monterrey, and later achieved a Master’s in Business Administration and Nutrition of Foods and Beverages. At only 10 years old, Fernanda started learning every recipe from her mother’s family restaurant in Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango Mexico, and started forming her culinary style.
Fernanda has more than 15years experience transporting the flavors of Mexico around the world. During her culinary studies, Fernanda participated in international culinary competitions where she received world-renowned recognition for her gastronomic performance with a Bronze Medal during the 2008 IKA Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, and a Silver Metal during the Culinary World Cup at Expogast Luxembourg 2010. In 2015 Chef Fernanda moved to Dublin, Ireland where she continued her studies and worked at various local restaurants of diverse cuisines and learned the essence of French, Italian, and Spanish dishes.
Chef Fernanda helped bring the vision of modern Mexican cuisine to Kansas City become a reality. Now she is changing the Kansas City taco game with TACO NACO KC by bringing love, flavor, and joy to Kansas City and Overland Park and presenting a little bit of Mexico in just a bite.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
the biggest struggles was Covid
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
aco Naco KC is tacos by Chef Fernanda Reyes.
A welcoming and vibrant local Mexican market and casual limited-service taqueria offering a diverse range of artisanal handcrafted tacos, regional Mexican food, fresh salsas and dips, and popular tequila cocktails in a modern-yet-authentic ambiance.
🥇BEST TACOS, Kansas City Magazine, 2023, 2024, 2025
🥇BEST TACOS, Kansas City Star, 2024
🥈BEST MARGARITAS, Kansas City Star, 2024
🥇BEST POP-UP, Kansas City Magazine, 2023, 2024, 2025
🥈BEST CATERING, Kansas City Star, 2024
🥇BEST NEW RESTAURANT, Kansas City Magazine, 2022, 2024
From Festivals to Farmers Market
From a grad school project to a farmers market pop-up during the pandemic, TACO NACO KC now operates several locations in Kansas City and Overland Park serving chef-designed tacos, burritos, salsas, quesos, margaritas, and amazing seasonal specials.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I would love to have my own restaurant in Mexico and retire by the sea.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://taconacokc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taconacokc/#
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/taconacokc
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taco-naco-kc
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCduROr3hI6SAE-qxd4sz3NA
