Second Generation Chef Marco Zapien Catapults Zapien’s Salsa Grill to Fame

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Chef Marco Zapien has elevated the Mexican cuisine of his heritage and enhanced its popularity well beyond the borders of Pico Rivera primarily with Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria.  The dynamic chef  has accomplished this in only two decades, after partnering with his father, Jess  in 2003. In addition to the restaurant, Chef Marco owns and operates the bakery next door and a full-service catering firm, Black Tie & Blue Jeans Catering, a sister company.  The is a role model as a second generation chefs, and for home cooks alike.  He shares his expertise and food in a  full schedule of cooking classes at the restaurant and seasonal events with special menus.

Chef Marco has refined a unique style of cooking that marries two generations of his mother’s and father’s family recipes with the passionate creativity he has enhanced throughout his culinary career.  He shares his secrets with students on a regular basis with cooking class demonstrations that include a full meal!

Here Chef Marcos makes bread pudding using the bollillos from his bakery next door!

The Salsa Grill serves traditional Mexican food with items such as Lengua and Enchiladas en Mole on the Chef’s Specialties menu, Camarones Mojo De Ajo and Tequila Fried Shrimp on its Seafood Specialty Menu, and fresh Menudo, Cocido and Pozole served daily.

Marco prides himself on using the freshest, highest quality food and maintaing excellent service. He uses the higher-priced, premium quality produce from Melissa’s, for example, to make all the dishes, including sauces, from scratch.    There is even a fresh tortilla counter in the dining room. Those fresh-off-the-griddle tortillas become the restaurant’s crispy, addictive tortilla chips.

Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria’s fresh tortillas turn into addictive chips

A staffer makes fresh tortillas at the counter near the wall of accolades and awards at Zapien’s

Award-winning Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria is on a championship run that any sports team would be proud of.  The Mexican restaurant, located at 6704 Rosemead Blvd., is  named “the best in Los Angeles County” over and over again.

Our contributing writer, Barbara Hansen, was the first to write about Marco Zapien in the LA TIMES

After working in the sports and entertainment industry for years, Marco Zapien decided in 2003 that it was time to build a reputation in the private sector by partnering with his father, Jess, in the family-operated restaurant. Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria almost immediately became community favorite for each and every one of those years. Since joining the partnership full time, the restaurant has been showered with much acclaim because of the tantalizing menu creations Marco has developed.  Below are some of the more popular dishes.

Chef Marco graduated with honors from The Los Angeles Culinary Institute in 1997.  Marco began his professional culinary career with a solid experience base at The Dal Rae Restaurant in Pico Rivera, California.  The chef took every opportunity to work his way up from there.  He began an illustrious culinary career in the sports and entertainment industry only a year or so later as a sous chef at Edison International Field of Anaheim.  Marcus in a few years  made his name known in the industry by working in stadiums and arenas, including most of the major league baseball and basketball teams on the west coast. The last couple of stops were extra special in that Marco was able to cook and experience two Lakers’ championships, an Angel World Series and a Mighty Duck trip to the Stanley Cup.  Another highlight, though not in the sports world,  was a visit from Pope John Paul II while working in Saint Louis.

For details and upcoming events, please see: thesalsagrill.com,  6702 Rosemead Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660,  m,(562) 942-7072