Tacos of Texas
Mando Rayo
March 10, 2026
Behind the Tacos of Texas Podcast with story producer, Louise Van Assche and Mando Rayo
Get to know our story producer, Louise Van Assche! You can find Louise on Instagram at @whereareyoureallyfrom. This interview was originally aired on Austin Signal in November 2025. Special thanks to Jerry Quijano and Kristen Cabrera of the Austin Signal for having us on the show! From the Austin Signal on KUT 90.5, : Tacos […]
Listen
December 9, 2025
Flipping the Tortilla: One on One with Mando Rayo
In today’s episode we’re flipping the tortilla. I’m actually the one being interviewed by El Mero Mero and Jr. Taco Correspondent Samuel Franco. So sit back and relax and get to know a little more about El Taco Journalist Mando Rayo (me!)
Listen
December 2, 2025
Paprika ATX: When a Taquero stands up for his communities
In this bonus episode we talk to Margarito “Mago” Perez, owner of the Paprika about turning a taco truck to a brick and mortar and standing up for community during ICE and immigration raids.
Listen
November 25, 2025
Los Tacos de ACL Fest with Rosa and Daniela from La Santa Barbacha
Live from ACL, Mando Rayo talks to Daniela & Rosa De Lima Hernandez from La Santa Barbacha about how they started one of the best barbacoa places ATX.
Listen
November 18, 2025
Tacos of Texas Podcast live taping with Journalist Maria Hinojosa
Mando Rayo sits down with Journalist Maria Hinojosa in Studio 1A for a live discussion about the intersection of tacos, culture and community resilience.
Listen
November 11, 2025
Lamb Barbacoa at El Grandpa’s Mexican BBQ
Find out how that slow cooked lamb barbacoa hits differently in an outdoor, above-ground Pozo.
Listen
November 4, 2025
Whole Hog Butchering with Chef Jesse Griffiths (Part 2)
In this episode, we’re gonna let Jesse get to butchering in the whole hog class. Let’s dig in!
Listen
October 28, 2025
Whole Hog Butchering with Chef Jesse Griffiths (Part 1)
Let’s take a class on whole hog butchering with Chef Jesse Griffiths, co-owner of Dai Due and learn the essentials of cutting a wild hog to prep for your favorite dish
Listen
About
El Seis of the Tacos of Texas Podcast is taco journalism at its core. We open with a mom cooking en la casa amid fears of ICE, we sit down with Gina Hinojosa on why she’s ready to take down Abbott, and head into the barrios where Tejano families built Austin’s taco scene, now fighting gentrification. We close our heaviest stretch with “conflict foods”outside a detention center in Dilley, tying today’s story back to the Japanese internment camps in Texas.
But it’s a season filled with sazon as well: a taco truck gone full halal, a live taping on Black, Indigenous, and Mexican Texan history, empanadas y pupusas, fajitas in San Antonio, three generations of Baja-style women in East Austin, the Taco Bell debate, and a Migas Madness showdown to close it out. Twelve episodes, one taco at a time, we’re continuing to share the stories of Tejas.
CREDITS:
IDENTITY Productions
http://www.identity.productions
Host and Producer: Mando Rayo
Story Producer: Sharon Arteaga
Audio Mixing: Nicholas Worthen &
Ever Calderon
Creative Producer: Dennis Burnett
Host
Mando Rayo’s experience is deep-rooted in Latinx & BIPOC communities. Mando is a digital story-teller and uses his Latinx identity to inspire and build bridges through his production company, IDENTITY. From working with Laredo Taco Company, Beef Loving Texans, KLRU-TV, PBS Austin, Whataburger, Austin Film Society, People en Español y más, Mando shares stories through food, culture, documentaries and digital platforms. As an avid taco ambassador, food explorer and street ethnographers, Mando has traveled across the U.S. to uncover the tastiest tacos, from the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to L.A. and New Orleans to New York City. Mando is the producer and co-author of ‘The Tacos of Texas book (UT Press) & docu-series with PBS Digital Studios and United Tacos of America TV Show on El Rey Network. Mando’s work has been featured on Bon Appetit Magazine, The Food Network, NPR, The New York Times and SXSW.
Contact
[Please do a page refresh if you don’t see the contact form here]
