SMALL BUSINESS SUMMER: Ratengo Food Truck

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - CBS7′s Small Business Summer with Mary Kate Hamilton is back. For week one, we are highlighting a business we featured in last year’s segment that has grown exponentially in just a year. Ratengo’s food truck is located at Blue Barn Coffee Co. in Andrews, TX: 1212 NE Mustang Dr. You can follow them on Facebook for private catering inquiries, food truck hours, specials and more.

“Just knowing that we had a belief and we took a chance and it paid off, man it’s hard to put into words to be honest,” Chef and founder of Ratengo Raul Vasquez said.

One year ago in an interview, Vasquez said “I’m just a young, ambitious Chicano from Andrews, Texas.”

That young, ambitious man has come far in just a year. When we first met the brothers of Ratengo, they were working parttime building their luxury private catering business.

“It went from just me and my brother quitting our jobs to going all in and now having a full family business,” Vasquez said. “It’s just a blessing to be here.”

“Last time we spoke to you I was parttime this, parttime at the country club,” chef Marco Salazar said. “Now this is my fulltime gig. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

A year later their catering business is still thriving and they’ve added a food truck.

“When we were doing everything and dropped our jobs and started private cheffing, a lot of our community here in Andrews gave us a lot of support. And that was me just saying, ‘hey I want to open a food truck here,’” Vasquez said.

But, the more things change, the more they stay the same. They’ve brought on a few more family members.

“My sister Bri over here, my wife’s over here, my brother’s over here... I have a cousin who works on the night shift,” Vasquez said. “Just seeing not just how much I take pride in this, but how much they take pride in this as well.”

They’re still dedicated to their hometown of Andrews, Texas.

“It’s like, ‘woah I grew up here.’ I remember walking these same streets, and now it’s our food truck here,” Salazar said.

“You know, it’s nice to be in your hometown and see my dad coming in for lunch and bringing one of his coworkers. It’s just been blessings. I can’t say it enough,” Vasquez said.

And they’re still dedicated to giving West Texans a premiere dining experience.

“The biggest problem I think we have is we don’t have a lot of options here. We always drive to Midland or Odessa and I just wanted to come back and show the community if you have a dream, you have a passion, go ahead and do it,” Vasquez said.

“I’m so proud. Super proud.”

Ratengo’s next goal is to open a second food truck that will be based in Midland. To watch last year’s feature on Ratengo, see here: https://www.cbs7.com/2022/07/06/small-business-summer-west-texas-brothers-bring-fine-dining-your-kitchen-with-ratengo/

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