Today we’d like to introduce you to W. Scott Koenig
Hi W. Scott, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve worked as a creative director and graphic designer for forty years and own a San Diego-based agency, Koenig Creative LLC. In the early 2000s, I began to burn out, as I was regularly working 60–80-hour every week. This ultimately impacted my family and my happiness. So, in 2012, I gave myself a slight pay cut and began blogging on Mexican cuisine as A Gringo in Mexico at www.agringoinmexico.com. I’d always wanted to write, as I have journalism in my background, and have enjoyed a torrid love affair with Mexico, it’s culture, cuisine and people since the mid-nineties.
Since, I’ve written hundreds of articles for my blog, as well as columns for Dining Out San Diego, San Diego Red, Baja.com and Discover Baja. I’ve also written features for several print and online publications, including Newworlder, Destino Magazine and San Diego Magazine. I’ve curated and led public and private culinary tours of Baja California—including taco tours of Tijuana as a partner in Three Amigo Taco Tours—and have assisted with video productions in the region, working with Netflix, the Food Channel, the BBC, NPR and the Culinary Institute of America.
In 2018, I wrote and self-published, “Seven Days in The Valle: Baja California’s Wine Country Cuisine”, a photo book that documents the cuisine of the Valle de Guadalupe, a burgeoning gastronomic destination. This year, I’m proud to announce the publication of my second book, “Taco Megaregion: The Essential Guide to San Diego & Tijuana’s Best Tacos”. It’s the most comprehensive taco guide for both cities and quite possibly the only taco guide that encompasses a cross-border zone. In addition to listing over a hundred taquerias along with stunning full-color photos and information on taco culture, traditions and trends, Taco Megaregion celebrates the shared culture of the San Diego-Tijuana Megaregion. A bi-national community that embodies the spirit of unity and collaboration and reminds us that great food knows no borders.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s always a challenge to nurture a passion while working to support a family. However, when creating my book “Taco Megaregion”, I scheduled the research, writing, design, layout and publication as I would any client project at Koenig Creative LLC. This allowed me to complete the book within just six months.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a designer, artist and writer, I’m probably most proud of the sheer amount of creative work I’m able to produce—from branding and logo design for my corporate clients to the creation and marketing of a 160-page taco guidebook. I decided to write a book, and not just another online “Top 10 Tacos” list, as I feel creative work has become somewhat temporal in the age of social media. An influencer posts a video, it makes the rounds, then is typically gone and forgotten the next week, only to be replaced by another video which repeats the same cycle. A book feels more permanent, more a work of art, if you will. Though “Taco Megaregion” will be updated every year or two, it’ll be around hopefully for years. I like the idea of leaving behind a legacy. And a book is a great way to fulfill that desire.
Any big plans?
Right now, I’m very much focused on marketing and selling “Taco Megaregion: The Essential Guide to San Diego & Tijuana’s Best Tacos”. One of the ways I’m doing this is by visiting the taquerias I’ve featured in the book, giving them a copy and then asking them to help promote the book on their social media. We call it the “Taqueria Outreach Program”. I didn’t approach taquerias to pay for a listing, as I wanted to create an honest, opinionated guide, including only what I consider the “best of the best”. Also, a lot of smaller taquerias and mom and pop spots can’t afford to pay for promotion, which is the model of a lot of the food media today. So, when we show them the book, they’re always surprised and happy to help. It’s a win-win situation.
If “Taco Megaregion” sells well, I may venture further into Baja California, Mexico and even taco-centric cities across the U.S. and write guides for those regions. It would be fun to continue the taco regions theme as a guidebook series.
Pricing:
- Taco Megaregion Book: $22.95
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.taco-megaregion.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agringoinmexico
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agringoinmexico
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/agringoinmexico
Image Credits
All images: 2024 Koenig Creative LLC
