Moving from Jalisco, Mexico, to California at just 7 years old, Gerardo Hernandez left a piece of his heart in his native country.
Though most of his memories from his early years in Mexico are faint, one thing he always remembers vividly is the culture and the food, which continue to inspire him as he strives to share them with the people of his new home.
In 2023, twenty-eight years after moving to the United States, Hernandez opened a restaurant on King Street in downtown Madison called Jalisco Cocina Mexicana that showcases cherished family recipes and brings the taste of Jalisco to his adopted community while also creating a welcoming atmosphere for diners.
Hernandez has worked in the food industry since a young age. His dream of opening a restaurant began at age 16 while he was working at a hamburger joint. Over the years, his passion only became greater as he spent more than 12 years working as a bartender and server. Inspired by his mother and brother, who also opened their own restaurants, Hernandez’s dream continued to grow.
Alongside his work in restaurants, he served as a volunteer firefighter, often cooking for other firefighters who complimented his food. On his days off, he dreamed of the day he’d open his own restaurant.
“You start thinking, ‘What else can I do?’” Hernandez, now 36, said.
His dream nearly came to life when the owner of the burger joint where he was working decided to sell it. Hernandez and his high school sweetheart and now wife, Brooke Hernandez, wanted to purchase it and transform it into a Mexican restaurant. Unfortunately, the deal fell through because the owner wanted to sell the brand name but not the physical space.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Hernandez took it as a sign to start something new and pursue his dream.
“When this opportunity came to come out here and start something, it was like stars in his eyes. His dream was finally going to end up happening,” Brooke Hernandez said.
After relocating to Wisconsin from California to be closer to family, the Hernandezes opened a food cart, Cultura Cali, on State Street. The cart allowed them to connect with customers despite the challenges of the pandemic.
“I think that’s why we took the cart in first — to kind of build a clientele so that way when we did open, people would know us like familiar faces,” Brooke Hernandez said.
In 2023, the Hernandezes closed the food cart and opened Jalisco Cocina Mexicana. Their menu blends authentic Jalisco family recipes with California-inspired dishes, offering a sense of home for both of them.
Popular items include the Cali Burrito filled with steak and fries, enmoladas and chicken made with his grandmother’s mole sauce and traditional Jalisco dishes like the Quesa Tacos, which include birria meat served along a side of consomme, a clear and flavorful brothy soup. They even offer a cantarito, a popular cocktail from Mexico, that can serve up to 18 people.
“The mole is our number one. I grew up with that recipe,” Hernandez said. “My grandma would be [like], ‘Hey, it’s your birthday. I’m making mole.’ It was something we ate, and it had sentimental value. So when I opened the restaurant, I wanted to make sure that I had my grandma’s recipe.”
Hernandez’s Jalisco Cocina Mexicana is more than just a restaurant; it’s a place where cherished family recipes come to life, and where customers can feel at home, too.
Percival Matthews, a longtime customer who regularly visited the food cart, now brings his family to the restaurant almost every Friday.
“It really is my kids’ favorite place. I love the way their faces light up when we say, ‘Yeah, we can go,’” Matthews said. “It’s an unpretentious place where we can get great food and the kids can relax with people who know their names.”
“The main goal that I want people to feel — I want them to feel at home,” said Hernandez.
Jalisco Cocina Mexicana is located at 108 King St. in downtown Madison.
