Jan 07, 2013 8 Questions With Frederick Guerrero
Frederick Guerrero’s family has been rooted in the Glassell Park area of Los Angeles since the 1950s. His father emigrated from the Philippines and worked in the food industry for 35 years, gaining valuable experience in every aspect of the game. Fred has been working for the family business since 2003. At the moment, that involves running their critically acclaimed Eagle Rock “slow fast food” burger hotspot, Oinkster; their Highland Park pizza haven Maximiliano; and Little Bear, a Belgian beer cafe in the Arts District of Downtown LA. “It’s kind of weird being that person that falls into the family business, but I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity. I work alongside my brother, as well, and we’re pretty much into all the same things. It’s been really rewarding being able to implement our own influences into the restaurants and see them take off.” Indeed, Oinkster has been featured on Food Network, and in 2010, Yelp voted it one of the top 10 restaurants in the country. Part of this phenomenal success is due to innovative initiatives such as their annual Burger Week event. Every day for one week, Oinkster creates their own version of famous hamburgers. No shortage of people line up gladly, eager to taste them all. In addition to running several amazing restaurants, Fred and his brother Max also run the #BURGERLORDS blog, a Tumblr directory dedicated to all things burger, with an impressive following in its own right. And don’t forget you can follow @TheOinkster and @FredForever on Instagram too.
What are you currently working on?
I’m currently outlining 2013. We have a ton of cool collaborations and projects for all of the restaurants lined up. Our main priority though is getting the 2nd Oinkster open in Hollywood. Hopefully we can get it open by June, so we can host Burger Week at both locations.
How would you describe your job?
Lately, I’ve had this same question stuck in the back of my mind. Titles are so loose these days, but if I had to have one it would probably “Director of Operations.” It’s my job to do whatever needs to be done so that everyone else can do their job. Most of the time this consists of project managing and creative direction.
What does your average work day look like?
It changes really drastically based on whatever needs my attention the most. Lately, I’ve mostly just been at our main office which is above Maximiliano. Developing promotions, doing all the legwork try to get Oinkster 2 open, and strategizing with our other managers. Most of time is just spent talking to them and helping them with whatever they need.
What do you think sets your restaurants apart from the competition?
I think the thing that sets us apart from the competition is that we do what we are extremely passionate about and obsess about doing it the best we can. We stay away from trends, and just focus on developing restaurants that we would want to eat at.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in obsession. Things that people are really passionate about. I just love that there’s these things people would go through crazy feats for, just because they have to have it. There’s something really inspiring in that level of dedication. Life would be really boring if I didn’t have things to be passionate about.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?
It’s hard to remember as a kid. I remember more as a teenager, I wanted to be in a band. I’m a big music nerd. I was obsessed with Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. I had this old VHS tape with all of these different concerts, videos, and interviews I had recorded from MTV. I would just watch it over and over. I played in some bands, and did that for a little while, but nothing too serious. I still go to shows and collect records.
I still don’t really feel like I’m grown up, so I still have aspirations to do other jobs outside of the restaurant. I’d really like to create some sort of think tank or agency like Pancake Epidemic or Staple Design. My favorite part of my job is collaborating with our team, creating new ideas and problem solving. I think I’d be really good at doing for other people as well.
What are you reading at the moment?
This past year I’ve read more books than I ever had in my life. I think it’s so important to be a “constant student” and continue to learn about new things. I just finished reading My Heart is an Idiot by Davey Rothbart, and now I’m reading Mortality by Christopher Hitchens.
What’s your favorite post-work destination?
My favorite post-work destination is Hermosillo Club, which is right down the street from where I live. It’s not really a club, the new owners just kept the old name and sign. It’s only beer and wine, so it’s a real mellow vibe, which I really dig. I’m a big beer nerd and they have a really great list. You will always find something you want to drink. Also, the great thing about Highland Park is that it’s a very tight community and everyone’s friends, so you’ll always run into someone you know there.
