This Is TASTE 733: Building Santo Taco with Santiago Perez
Feb 20, 2026
Santiago Perez, a Mexico City–born chef who left fine dining to open Santo Taco in NYC, talks tacos, tortillas, and designing a tight menu. Daisy Alioto, founder of Dirt and Tasteland cohost, discusses the future of food media, paywalls, newsletters, and live programming. Short, lively conversations about culinary craft and media innovation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Two Locations, One Neighborhood Strategy
- Santiago opened two Santo Taco locations in year one to serve different seasonal needs and neighborhood footprints.
- He prefers iconic corners and likes locations within walking distance of each other for operational cohesion.
On-Floor Presence and Marathon Regrets
- Santiago spends his days in the taquerias talking to guests for live feedback and avoids having an office.
- He pairs intense restaurant work with marathon training and warns against opening restaurants during marathon week.
Mexico City's Flourishing Food Scene
- Mexico City cuisine has become more confident and experimental, with young chefs taking risks that now thrive.
- Increased U.S. tourism since 2020 influenced the scene but the city's culinary diversity remains vibrant.
