Escuela Taqueria and Pigeon

Steven Arroyo is the man behind some of LA’s most cherished eateries and his latest venture, Escuela Taqueria, is a family favorite of ours. From the food to the décor, we were instantly hooked. Tanner and Ripley love their chips and quesadillas, and there are always vegan and veggie options for Richard and I. I’ve always had a weak spot for Mexican food and decided it would be fun to get a couple of friends together for a cooking lesson from Steven himself. We had a great time learning from him – and, of course, eating all the delicious food!

We also took a visit around the corner to check out his latest creation, Pigeon, an amazing store filled with great vintage finds and curiosities. Besides being a great chef, Steven has an incredible eye and all his restaurants reflect his unique eclectic style. We sat down with Steven and wanted to share our conversation about style and food with R+T.

R+T: When did you first start out in the restaurant business? How did you get involved and what sparked your interest?

I started in the restaurant business 27 years ago. It started out as a part-time job and the industry wasn’t really something I felt I had anything to contribute to. At that time, there weren’t any interesting cookbooks that I had known about. There wasn’t any sort of Food Network and as a kid, I was never given the opportunity to travel further then a neighboring state. My mom’s cooking was the best thing I had ever experienced. I got involved more for a creative way to make a living than to be creative in general. So I guess I created to live and now I live to create.

R+T: Who first taught you to cook?

I would credit that to my employees. Some of the most talented employees I’ve had are Neil Fraser of BLD and Brooke Williamson, who is currently competing on Top Chef and doing very well. I have more interest in setting the stage to sell food than I do cooking it. I know what I want out of my kitchens. I am currently working with Jared Simons, who I have a ton of respect for and have found the most rewarding to work with. Our latest collaboration is Escuela Mariscos, and we are having a ball making it happen.

R+T: How did you come up with the idea of Escuela Taqueria?

Escuela has been in the works for all of my career. I have been getting acquainted with different flavor profiles and learning to understand braises and different cuts of meat on the grill. Escuela is a dedication to pairing flavors with a good corn tortilla. The idea of a taqueria has been around forever – Escuela is just my interpretation of what a taqueria should be.

R+T: What is the secret to making the perfect taco?

Proportion! Tacos have one parallel flavor, which is corn. The only secret is to proportion the flavor of the inside with the outside, which is a corn tortilla. We had to almost ignore the fact that we were creating tacos. Tacos can be dismissed as something you don’t spend much money on, but that wasn’t going to stop us from sourcing natural hormone free proteins and executing a dish that might have more value than a buck fifty a pop.

R+T: How would you describe your style?

I’m almost 44 years old and I find it flattering that I am still being asked this question on a regular basis. I truly believe that style is an expression that can only speak for itself.

R+T: The décor in your restaurants is amazing – did you design them yourself?

“Design” is a really funny word and I find it used most by the least creative people I know. I have everything to do with the look and feeling of my restaurants. But to me, it’s like an art piece. Some people paint on walls and some people paint on canvases. I paint in physical dimensions – my only discipline is that my medium is a restaurant. The typical artist goes to an art store to buy pencils and paper to draw a table. I go to a craftsman to make a table. The typical artist sells his image of a table once. I sell my table all day long, every day. I want my customer to own the atmosphere I have gifted them. I love to hear people say, “That’s my favorite restaurant.”

R+T: Where do you find the furniture and decor you put in the restaurants?

I spend a lot of time putting objects in front of my eyes. I get inspiration from both nature and what men before me have created. I pull from anything that has a color palette or shape. I am most attracted to things that look amazing in repetition. My only approach is to always keep the world in front my eyes and not my eyes in front of the world.

R+T: Will you share your favorite Escuela recipe with R+T?

My favorite recipe is very, very simple a great piece of steak, grilled to perfection and seasoned with salt amd pepper. Then you cut the meat into pieces and warm up a really great corn tortilla. I personally like my tortillas warmed on the grill, as well, and almost blackened in some spots for that flavor of the open fire. Add the perfect proportion of meat, avocado, onion and cilantro so that you can fold that tortilla over and put it in your mouth without making a mess. Always season in layers.

R+T: How did Pigeon come about?

Pigeon is a store that demands more of my vision on a day to day practice. I have to continue to recreate relationships with objects every time a piece is sold. It came about from a larger need to create atmospheres. I have already outgrown it in a couple of months, but I don’t have any plans to get a better space. The store was curated for the most part to help me launch the desire to design space outside of my own restaurants. I have been hired to do one interior and that was a big deal for me. Now I am being considered to curate a whole city block in Downtown LA. It would be a dream come true to work on something with that much scale.

R+T: What is your favorite piece in the store right now?

I don’t have a favorite piece – well, that’s a lie! I do love an Otto Heino ceramic piece I secretly hope no one ever comes in to purchase. I love to work around it everyday. I also love a drawing from Rosemarie Trockle I hide in the corner so only a serious collector can find. Those two pieces and a chair & table in a room would be my dream space.