In 1960, two-year-old John Salazar immigrated from Bogotá, Colombia, to San Jose, California, with his parents, grandmother, and four older siblings. In California, burritos were as common as hamburgers, so good Mexican food was something the family took for granted.

By 1975, the entire family had relocated to Vancouver, where they quickly noticed the lack of quality Mexican restaurants. John’s eldest sister, Yolanda — a passionate hobby chef — began hosting an annual Mexican feast for the family. These gatherings soon became a cherished tradition, with everyone joking about opening their own Mexican restaurant so they could enjoy the food anytime… without the hassle of washing dishes.

For more than five years, the family viewed several restaurants that were for sale, but none felt quite right. Then, in the summer of 1980, they discovered a Spanish restaurant for sale on Vancouver’s busy 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. The prime corner location with its sunny southwestern exposure convinced John to vote in favor of making an offer. On September 18, 1980, Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant opened its doors.

In 1992, John moved to Kelowna with his wife and children. Two years later, in 1994, the family sold the restaurant at the peak of its success.

By 2016, John had been working as a cable installer for six years when he transferred to Grand Forks with the company. In 2018, he accepted a buyout package that would take effect in 2020. This gave him a valuable two-year window to develop his new concept, perfect the kitchen layout, test recipes, and finalize menu costing.

On June 30, 2020, Las Chimichangas Mexican Food Truck opened for business in Grand Forks, BC. The truck parks at various locations around town during warmer weather and operates from its home base on cold or rainy days. John is thrilled to finally share his passion for authentic California-style Mexican food with the Grand Forks community.