Meet James “Haggo” Haggard of Haggo’s Organic Taco in North County, San Diego

Today we’d like to introduce you to James “Haggo” Haggard.

James, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all got kick started December 1997 I got a job at Rancho Valencia Resort, Rancho Santa Fe, CA, as an In-Room Dining Server, My manager at the time was very strict with extensive knowledge of 5-star customer service guidelines, food and wine knowledge I even had to watch “Remains Of The Day” starring Anthony Hopkins a mini butler learning lesson homework project. The next day would be to follow up on Q&A’s. After 1.5 years of employment at RVR, I had assumed the manager position of In-Room Dining. I carried on the department’s strict guidelines for superior service, food & beverage knowledge. Around Jan/2010 I had left Rancho Valencia Resort to pursue my strong desire to operate a small restaurant focusing on organic high quality ingredients and excellent customer service.

My overall mission was to prepare and cook healthy organic foods. The design would be an outdoor courtyard with an 8″X16′ food trailer budded up against a weather wood fence. The courtyard would display colorful and eclectic art with an obvious nod to Jacques Cousteau and as Wes Anderson. The food, a Neo-flare to local Mexican taco shops. Also, my mission was to use some of my profits or no profits to protect the air, water and land. Oceans took the front seat. Ironically, after the first year of opening, I did some quick research and discovered Cousteau’s birthday was June 11. Same date as Haggo’s opening debut. Quirky fact, coincidental? who knows none puffy customers were really amused but made me feel somewhat accomplished.

Name choice, many taco shops use the names of proprietors i.e.; Roberto’s, Filiberto’s, Alberto’s, etc. I decided to use my nickname “Haggo” used by my closest friends. Haggard – remove “ARD” add the ” O”. Customers frequently miss pronounced it. sounding more French or European to the lesser California feeble sound {HAGG-O}.

My whole concept was build-out on a 900 sq. ft. dirt lot in Leucadia. with an *8×16 food trailer which required a Minor Use permit, which had rarely been done in the city of Encinitas. The process took approx. ten months and had many hurdles along the way, which is normal for most permit processes.

The outdoor area courtyard displayed a small organic garden, which I used for a small portion of my daily ingredients. Also, a small hydroponic garden with Tilapia fish to recirculate their by-product to feed the garden. Funny fact, I never was able to get it fully operational But the hypnotic system still did recirculate water creating a feature to amuse and intrigue customers daily. My running joke was a quote in Jurassic Park by Jeff Goldblum, “Now, Will there be dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour?’

The courtyard displayed an eclectic mix of ocean colors and eclectic art and even a small bookshelf loaded with vintage books of my findings, many of Jacques Cousteau’s writings and publications, of course, Ernest Hemingway’s opus Old Man And The Sea, vintage cook and garden books.

Has it been a smooth road?
Very bumpy ride to fruition. Start-up capital low, like many small start-ups. location scouting and city permit had many obstacles, the timing of lease, food truck purchase and city sign off to not fall in order. At one point city altered its original minor use permit rules to pay traffic mitigation fees of 19K which I did not have in budgeted capital and almost pulled the plug on the whole quest. fought process and got reduced to $8,000 decided to swipe the handy credit cards and pursue on! I had dragged my feet on the opening date from Jan to Feb to March and finally painted a huge question mark on my opening soon sign! the one cook I hired April finally in June said we are opening on Saturday, June 11! At one point I felt like Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation beating the shit out of Santa Claus and his reindeer!! His dam Christmas lights wouldn’t illuminate his suburban wonderland. In the end, I prevailed in my back breaking and physical draining mission.

Tell us more about the business.
The strict focus on organic ingredients, low salt and use of cooking oil (organic safflower) No deep fryers ever allowed, Always said to myself take the fryers away from most restaurants and 45% gone! Buying from a local farmer was a top priority! Through Local Harvest.org I found Coral Tree Farm located in Encinitas. Laurel the farmer was just what I was looking for, organic and Heirloom vegetables. At that time not many businesses for tapping into that. The whole “Farm to Table”, “local”, “Sustainable” and other “LABELS” were not being overly marketed. My use of strict organics was an umbrella for all the above. Organic encompassed all I was passionate about. Clean food, air, water and land. And not to forget a humane treatment of livestock. My passion for food and organics was immediately celebrated by the majority of my customers. My reputation was established as somewhat “purest” with food. If I wouldn’t eat it, I wouldn’t serve it. I was proud of, my daily passion for organic food and farms and low waste and my reduce reuse recycle approach.

March 2013 I was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Food Network. Although Guy Fieri wasn’t my role model chef and our approach to cooking and eating radically differ the opportunity was enthralling. working with a film crew, producer, celebrity chef, two full days filming and finally airing July 2013 and many re-runs. Post feature of episode “From Pound Cake To Pot Pie” Business increased even more and I and my small crew maintained our 4.5 Star quality and consistency.

Lastly, Donating to environmental causes with my profits. was very rewarding as well.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
When I started my mission I saw the movement of organics growing rapidly. I also see the industry following in this path to some capacity. Some of the restaurant operators will strategically use “we use organic when possible” or “farm to table” “sustainable” but the majority will over time be weeded out. Interior designs with continuing with the reclaimed barn wood feel and hanging hipster lights. Trends – to suggest healthier foods, “plant based” I like to say “vegetables” another label industry uses, “Vegan” which all the above I sincerely promote, always have, In a Summary neo-restaurant base will promote healthier fare organic cuisines using more plant based products, which is a great thing for the planet and animals. The Impossible burger revolution is here to stay with younger generations coming in. This is not to say that animal foods and deep fryers will retire!

Contact Info:

• Email: haggo@icloud.com
• Instagram: whereintheseaishaggo

Image Credit:
Timothy Gibbons, JT, J Grant Brittain, Gillian Flynn

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