Guest Instructor

Chef Rene is the owner of the Taco Bus Mexican restaurant in Tampa and Monterrey Mexican Grill in Plant City, FL. Since childhood Rene started making tacos learning mostly from the mothers of his childhood friends.  Initially selling tacos out of a basket in the local produce market, progressing to street corner taquerias and in his early 20’shis dream came true owning his first sit down taqueria in the prestigious Centrito de la Del Valle in his hometown Monterrey Mexico. Immigrated to the United States in 1994 where he started with taco trucks and eventually opened Monterrey Mexican Grill and  buying from cousin the Taco Bus. A life time student of Mexican food, continuously travels to Mexico to take classes from famous Mexican Chefs such as Diana Kennedy, Carmen Titita and Roberto Santibanez among others.  Most importantly he keeps learning from the keepers of traditional: the old ladies that keep the families happy, well fed and together around the table. His passion is not for fancy, modern or fusion versions of Mexican food, but for the traditional, the orthodox, the real food of Mexico that brings happiness to his family, friends and customers.