We had the good fortune of connecting with Brian ‘chef Turok’ Menendez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian ‘Chef Turok’, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
We pride ourselves in giving back as much as possible- even if we don’t always have much ourselves. When I started the business, I was unable to work full-time due to a work-related injury, had eviction threats, and barely had any money to my name. Luckily, the business took off, but I could never forget that feeling of not being able to have my needs covered. So once the opportunity came up to start helping charities to fundraise that help families in need, I immediately went to work. As of now, we have proudly helped various organizations which include: Richstone Family Centers; St. John’s Movable Feast; Project By Project; Altamed; and The Laurel Foundation, to name a few.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
To try and keep it short, I started the business out of necessity. I was the Exec Sous Chef at a restaurant where I got badly injured and couldn’t work for a few years because of it. Through Physical therapy, I was slowly able to get around more. With that, I knew I couldn’t be in a kitchen anymore, so I decided to do the next best thing- become a foodblogger, to share my knowledge of what I was eating at various restaurants. While going to eat at various places, I made some great connections with Chefs and business owners. In 2015, I found out a colleague had bought a coffeeshop and was selling artisenal products. So I took a chance and brought him a sample. Once he tried it, he bought everything that I had in stock. I felt lucky for being at the right place at the right time because 30 minutes Bill Esparza showed up and loved it (which is how I started doing food festivals with the cheesecakes); then two weeks later was the cover picture for an article written about the coffeeshop in LA Mag.

The whole process of keeping the business going- especially during/after the pandemic has not been easy, but I’m very appreciative that we’re still going with loyal and supportive clientele. There’s always surprises down the road with a business, even if it’s just fixing equipment. But I always believe that where there’s a will, there’s a way. Sometimes it’s just sheer stubborness/strong will, but you always strive to move forward and grow a business that you’ve nurtured from the seed of determination.

What makes me happy throughout these years, is seeing the look on someone’s face when they first try our cheesecakes. We love being able to create various flavors that catches people’s attention, like: Sangria Cheesecake; or Umeshiso (Japanese pickled plum, and Red Shiso). A client tried our cheesecake at that very coffeeshop where we first started and said those words, and I knew at that very moment that we had to use it. That is how we actually got our tagline: The BEST Damn Cheesecake That You’ll EVER Try!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
That would definitely take me throughout SoCal, lol. Let’s see, San Diego: Border X Brewery (good food/drinks/music); Modern Times (met my wife there); Old Town for some shopping; the caves in La Jolla; TJ for a food/beer crawl.

As for LA: Griffith Park/Abandoned Zoo for great hikes/scenery; Abalone Cove; Holbox for seafood; Harvard and Stone for a dancing/burlesque show; The Redwood Bar for local punk/rock shows; Tacos Los Guichos for aftershow tacos (al pastor is best on the weekends).

You can’t go wrong with any beaches in Cali. But if you’re down for a drive, I suggest going to Morro Bay for AMAZING clam chowder and oysters, while watching sea lions basking in the sun just a few feet away from you.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would definitely love to give a shoutout to Chef Gilberto Cetina, Jr; owner of Holbox LA, and Chichen Itza LA. Holbox has carried our cheesecakes since they opened up, and they just received a Michelin star! I couldn’t have gotten this far without his guidance when I would reach certain crossroads throughout the years.

Website: https://turokscheesecakes.com

Instagram: @turokscheesecakes @chefturok

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TuroksCheesecakes

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/turoks-cheesecakes-los-angeles

Image Credits
Brian Menendez/Turok’s Cheesecakes, Miranda R. Aguilar

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.