About Us

We are a proud Latin American owned business devoted to feeding people, supporting culture, connecting people and celebrating our rich heritage. Our food is inspired by native and traditional produce. We take pride in our own unique fusion of flavors because we believe ours is a story worth telling. Our cuisine is something worth sharing.

Our story first began when Miguel Tenesaca, founder and chef, immigrated to the United States more than 20 years ago and settled in Chicago’s West Town.  Tenesaca came from Ecuador, and got a start working in kitchens all over Chicago, starting as a dishwasher and slowly climbing his way up.

Being an immigrant, and having grown up in an environment where there was always food being prepared and eaten, he holds steadfast to the idea that good ingredients in food make for a difference in the dish, and that no artificial, frozen, or food made in factories should be accepted.

For  Tenesaca, food is more than just fuel; it represents the identity of many places, and ties people to their roots. To create their dishes, they drew inspiration from all 27 Latin American countries (North and South America, as well as the Caribbean). From Colombia’s arepa de choclo, to sweet corn empanada in Mexico, the influences of Latin American cuisine can be felt throughout each of the dishes.

Miguel believed that pursuing their American Dream would require them to have a passion for what they do, a desire to continually challenge themselves to grow, and a desire to be recognized as the very best, and that’s exactly what they accomplished. Nevertheless, they could not have achieved this without the support and help of family, as it is important to recognize every individual who has contributed to the restaurant’s success.

At Dell Rooster, we extend the concept of family beyond those who are related by blood. – “I want them to feel like family, and care about their job.” – We wanted to break the norms, and trained their chefs, cooks, and staff to connect with the restaurant, by taking the unique approach of whoever cooks the dish, has to bring it to the customer. This is what has made them so successful.

The Latin American culture is one filled with color, life, and happiness; so, it was important for Miguel to connect back to his roots when naming the restaurant. Miguel wanted to create a brand that was different and would be a place where everyone felt connected to one another, as if they were in the comfort of their own home.

A Rooster or “El Gallo” is a well-known animal throughout all of Latin America, and is said to refer to an animal that brings faith, strength, hope, unity, life, the beginning of a new day, and much more. It ultimately represents how Miguel choose to live his life, and why the restaurant is named Dell Rooster.

Though we trace our roots to comforting Latin American dishes, we pride ourselves on drawing inspiration from across the globe and transforming that on a plate.

The dream and hope are to “keep growing,” as the Rooster can fly anywhere, and it’s just the beginning. “Anything can be real, as long as you have hope and passion, because when people say, the sky is the limit, I say the opposite, because there is more to life and one must always keep pushing and growing.” –  Miguel Tenesaca