We sat down (well, stood; he never sits) with Don Rigoberto between the lunch and dinner rushes to talk about three decades of carving al pastor.
Don Rigoberto, how did you start at the trompo?
I was fourteen. My uncle had a stand in a busy neighborhood and he needed someone to slice onions. I sliced onions for two years before he let me touch the knife. Two years! Kids today want to carve on day one.
What makes a good al pastor?
The marinade, the stacking, and the patience. Chiles guajillo and ancho, achiote, a little vinegar, spices. You stack the pork thin, layer after layer, so the fat renders through everything. Then you let the fire do its work. You do not rush a trompo.
And the pineapple on top?
Theater! Also flavor. When you flick a slice onto the taco and catch it, people cheer. Thirty years and I still like hearing that.
Do you ever miss?
Once in 1998. It hit a customer in the forehead. He came back every week for ten years. He said it was good luck.
What do you eat when you are not working?
Honestly? My wife’s caldo de res. And a hamburger sometimes. Do not print that. …Okay, print it.
Advice for young taqueros?
Keep your knife sharp, your salsa fresh, and your mouth closed when a customer asks for ketchup.
The trompo teaches you everything. Patience, heat, timing. And humility, because every night it is gone and tomorrow you start again.
Don Rigoberto
Read more about the history of the trompo in Taco History.