Al Pastor Taqueria

Haro Siblings Serve Traditional Mexican Cuisine with Modern Flavors

By Anais Hernandez

When you walk into Al Pastor Taquería in Montclair, the aroma of seasoned meats and the warmth of handmade tortillas transport you straight to the heart of Mexico City.

It’s not just the food that makes this taqueria a neighborhood favorite, but it’s the Cal Poly Pomona sibling duo behind it — Joseph and Brenda Haro — who are blending family tradition with distinctive flavors.

Joseph, a business student studying computer information systems at CPP, grew up in his father’s restaurant, El Ranchero in Claremont, where he learned the art of Mexican cuisine from the ground up. His sister, Brenda, is a 2017 Cal Poly Pomona alumna with a degree in management and human resources. Inspired by their family’s roots in the restaurant industry and driven by their shared passion for food, they are managing a growing business that serves authentic Mexican food with a modern twist.

“Having stepped into the commercial kitchen as a porter to now running a kitchen has definitely been a highlight in my career. I have been able to learn the front and back of house duties,” he says.

In developing the concept for Al Pastor Taquería, Joseph wanted to combine fine dining techniques with the comfort of casual street food. In 2022, Joseph and Brenda traveled to Mexico City to learn from renowned Mexican Michelin star chef Jorje Vallejo and then researched the culture and flavors behind successful taquerias.

“We met with different chefs and visited numerous taco spots. Joseph created various recipes until we narrowed it down to the recipe that took us down the streets of Mexico with every bite,” Brenda says.

Staying true to their name, the restaurant’s most popular menu item is the al pastor tacos made with Mexico City-style al pastor meat and pieces of pineapple on a warm handmade nixtamal tortilla, garnished with cilantro, onion and a creamy cilantro salsa.

Joseph ensures that every dish reflects Mexico’s rich heritage, starting with the most important ingredient, maiz. Each morning, “masa” is made from scratch, following the traditional process of nixtamalization, which involves treating ground corn with calcium hydroxide. The overnight process is elaborate but ensures the authentic taste and texture of Mexican tortillas. “Every single item is made with passion. I want people to enjoy my food and feel the same emotion I had when I created the dish,” says Joseph, who is the CEO of Al Pastor Taquería.

Entrepreneurship by Doing

While Joseph spends most of his time in the kitchen, he chose to major in computer information systems when he applied at Cal Poly Pomona so he could learn about information security. With the skills learned through his major, he set up the restaurant’s network and applied operations management knowledge to track and analyze inventory.

Brenda’s path into the family business was slightly different. During college, she worked at the Mexican chain restaurant El Torito and helped with administrative tasks at her father’s restaurant, El Ranchero. She also interned in the human resources department at a Marriott hotel in Ontario, where she learned about the hospitality industry.

Her degree in management and human resources gave her the skills to oversee the administrative, operational and marketing aspects. She serves as the restaurant’s human resources and marketing director.

Brenda and Joseph credit their parents as their mentors and role models. They learned about hard work and dedication to quality from their father Jose, while their mother Leticia’s nurturing spirit shaped the way they communicate with customers. Al Pastor Taquería recently became a member of Montclair‘s Chamber of Commerce and hopes to expand in the future.