Carlotta Flores

Interview by Ashley Pearlstein

Carlotta Flores, a skilled chef and manager of El Charro Café, has been running the favorite Tucson restaurant for about 40 years. Her rich Mexican heritage, superb cooking abilities, and good heart make her a leading woman of Southern Arizona.

Describe El Charro Café. What type of restaurant/when was it founded?
The restaurant was founded in 1922. We are now celebrating their ninetieth year. We are the oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation in Arizona. I have run the restaurant for about 40 years, but I grew up there and it was founded by my great aunt.

You are a chef at the restaurant. Do you enjoy the cooking?
I am responsible for the food at seven restaurants. The businesses have gotten so big and I want to remember the little things. My whole family are good cooks with Mexican influences, but we cook a lot of other types of food too. My aunt was an amazing cook, that’s where I learned how to eat rabbit, quail and other things. We are all over the wall when it comes to food.

What is your favorite part of your job?
There is nothing better than when your employees enjoy working for you and when a customer says they want to come back again because they really enjoyed their experience.

What is your main goal of your job?
I have a strong desire to make really good food that is nutritionally good for you. I think Important for moms now with how busy they are to have a nutritional place to take the family to eat. If I can provide a comfortable area for you to come eat with us that isn’t full of preservatives, that makes me happy.

I understand you are an author, what book have you written?
Yes, I have written “El Charro Café.” It is a cookbook that is a tribute to my ancestry and my aunt who started the business.

What are your hobbies/what do you do in your spare time?
I am up at 6 a.m. and home by 9 p.m. almost everyday. I still wish I were 40 because I am almost 66 now and it’s tiring, but I enjoy doing what I do so much that I just get up and keep going. I hardly have time for anything else though.

Describe your family. Do you have any children or grandchildren?
I have four grandchildren, almost five! We are expecting another one any day now. I live with my husband, Ray, and we have three kids, two sons and a daughter. All of our children are involved in the restaurant, but work in other businesses as well.

Describe a woman who inspires you and why.
I have many women who inspire me. I have to say my aunt inspires me, she was a single woman running the business. I feel bad that she didn’t have people in her family to help her like I have to help me. I try to use the ingredients she used to keep her original taste, but strive to make the dishes even better.