Today we’d like to introduce you to Makenna Medrano.
Hi Makenna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Family is at the core of Destino Empanadas, we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those who paved the path for us. My dad grew up watching my grandfather cook Argentine classics like empanadas, Milanesa, and so much more. My dad absorbed the knowledge and upon moving to the United States from Argentina 30+ years ago, he found his way into the kitchen. He opened several successful Argentine restaurants such as Pampas and Patagonia, and was even the Exec chef at The Brigantine in Del Mar. But he always had a deep passion for making an empanada his dad would be proud of. In 2010 he opened Gauchito Grill in San Marcos, another small Argentine inspired “grill” in a strip mall. It was wildly popular, and especially well known for their empanadas. Fast forward 15 years, my dad, my partner, and myself found our way back to San Diego after opening a small empanada cafe in Omaha, NE. We saw the potential but wanted to get back to our roots, which for me, were planted in Encinitas. Destino is a labor of love that uses knowledge from my late grandfather, the recipes are handwritten by him, combined with our collective experience in the industry. Tied together with the passion for good food, sustainable and mindful sourcing of high quality ingredients, and the love for our cultural roots & community here in Encinitas.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We have definitely had our fair share of wild experiences that led us to where we are today, which is why we are thankful for even the most difficult parts of the journey. First, in 2016 I was enrolled in culinary school to gain classical training on how to work in a kitchen and operate a restaurant. Unfortunately, I received news that my brother has committed suicide which led me to drop out of culinary school and take some time to figure out what direction I wanted to head. As you can imagine, this devastated our family but also drew us closer together. At the time my dad and brother were living in Brazil and I was in Nebraska. In 2020, I met my partner Chris, and on a whim, we decided to move to Brazil to carry out my brothers dream of starting an Eco-Villa, until one night we were awoken by a man with a machete in our bedroom, jumped from a second story building and ran for our lives . All of our belongings were then burned in an intentionally lit fire and/or stolen (long story very short). That is when we headed back to Nebraska to reevaluate, this time my dad tagged along. After our stint in Nebraska, the pieces to come back to California fell together so. seamlessly, we know that this time we are exactly where we need to be.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Destino Empanadas?
Destino is a small family owned and operated business specializing in Argentine Empanadas. It is run by dad-Gaston, my partner- Chris, and myself-Makenna. What sets us apart from others is our attention to detail and borderline obsession with making the best empanada possible. Each one is meticulously crafted by hand, from hand cut cheeses, to each hand wrapped empanada coded by its repulgue- Argentine word for the distinct shape of the empanada. Brand wise we are most proud of our dedication to quality, we source local whenever possible, use only grass-fed butter and extra-virgin olive oil to cook, and source mostly organic products. We want people to know that our empanadas stem beyond tasting a bit of our heritage and story, they are so carefully crafted with our customers in mind. Everyone deserves to indulge a little bit but also feel good why doing so. Beyond making empanadas to sell online or at pop-ups, we also specialize in specialty dinner catering and love to engage in the community. We are a small but mighty operation that is still growing. Ideally, within the next year, we will have a flagship storefront where we produce our empanadas, chimichurri and salsa…. stay tuned
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was cooking with my big brother, he looked after me a lot growing up and there are many photos of us in the kitchen cooking together. One night my parents left us alone and he made me baked chicken and rice, what is most astonishing is he was only 12 years old, I was 5. Which explains why when we sat at the table to eat together, our goal was to clean our plates without using our hands, pecking at our dinner plates like chickens. Most of my favorite childhood memories revolve around food. The times when my dad brought me to his restaurant and I would sit outside of the back kitchen door with a pot of clams, carefully picking each one and tossing the shells aside. Good food has always been such an integral part of my life, it’s not a surprise that now I wish to share that passion.
Pricing:
- $6 per empanada
- .50 for homemade chimichurri
- .50 for homemade salsa
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Destinoempanadas.com
- Instagram: destino_empanadas
Image Credits
Camila Badaro Photo
