Mexican and Korean Fusion: TaKorean’s Recipe for Entrepreneurial Success

Michael Lenard may not have a drop of either Mexican or Korean blood, but a passion for both cuisines courses through his veins.

It was this passion that led Lenard to found Washington, D.C.-based TaKorean, his signature Korean taco grill, back in August 2010. Following the classic trajectory of a “humble beginnings” story, Lenard started his operations out of a 1985 Ford step van (which he won on eBay).

Growth came quickly for the entrepreneur. The food truck was quickly followed by the company’s first food hall location, at Union Market in 2012, and its first stand-alone brick-and-mortar store, in 2014.

TaKorean is now in its 10th year. And, while