Juliana Calloway - Black Rooster

I met Juliana back when the first location of Black Rooster was opening at her media event. I remember vividly her hugging me as though we had been friends for years, as if I was celebrating this milestone with her not as a blogger or patron but as someone in her crew. After that, Black Rooster became a staple in my household, it’s one of my husband’s favorites, leading to many fights over equally dividing the guacamole.

As time passed, I got to know and appreciate all that Juliana stands for, what she puts back into her community, and how she cares for others. For example, in the aftermath of a hurricane, I sat in her restaurant waiting for to-go food while talking to my dad on the phone about trying to find supplies, and she immediately offered what she had to me. Proprietors of good food are one thing, but good, truly altruistic neighbors are a whole different breed of my favorite human.

Black Rooster is a spot I always recommend. When I commissioned the Chris Uphues mural in College Park a few years back, the artist and his wife who live in the foodie destination of Chicago became obsessed with their food and even requested it as their last Florida meal before going home. Black Rooster has stood out in a sea of local tacos with local and national accolades as a beloved spot that isn't going anywhere.

In celebration of the 2nd location of Black Rooster opening soon, I wanted to share a bit of her story with you and where some of the most popular tacos in Orlando began.

Not just the wife

What some may not realize about Juliana’s background is that it is deeply rooted in the restaurant industry. From working at Carraba’s when she was 16 to corporate hospitality, she has experience in the front of the house and operations. From Colombia to Florida, she eventually moved to Los Angeles on what was supposed to be a trip meant to help open a chef-driven concept for four weeks, but she ended up staying. From concepts like Rock Sugar, Cheesecake Factory, Four Seasons, and Richard Sandoval Restaurants, it’s clear she knows her way around the hospitality industry. During her time with Richard Sandoval, she met John who was a corporate executive Chef, and eventually they moved back to Florida to put down their roots as a family. Back in Florida, pregnant with her first child, she took a job running an East Coast office for a social media marketing agency and did that for five years.

LH: Finding the right spot for a 2nd location can be difficult. How did you land on the Hourglass District? Do you have an ideal area for a 3rd location in the future?

JC: “We looked for over two years before the pandemic hit. We originally wanted to be in SODO, but it was tough to find a space. Once the pandemic hit, we decided we absolutely needed outdoor space. Friends that own Floyd’s Barbershop were trying to fill in the rest of the spaces in that strip, and we felt it was a great location, it was bigger, and it had a patio.

When we started Black Rooster in Mills/50 six years ago, it was already a cool district, but it was becoming what it is now, and we feel like that’s what is happening over in Curry Ford West.

Additionally, when I did the margarita grams, I had so much data from where people were sending them to and from, which also told us this was an area to tap into for growth.

As far as a third location, we would probably go further South. We’ve always wanted to do something Disney adjacent. We’ve been lucky enough to get National Press, and we’d love to tap into that by being closer to where those tourists are.”

LH: What can we expect from the new location?

JC: Eventually we plan on having brunch. We will do new drinks, including fun brunch-type drinks.  The new location is double the size, so we are hoping it’s a big weekend location.”

LH: Dining now has new normals that all patrons need to accept. What would you want current patrons and new customers of Black Rooster to understand while dining with you?

JC: “Have patience. Have patience with the number of staff that is working. It’s not always a matter of being understaffed, but also letting your staff rest and be their best when they are at work. 

The prices of everything have gone up well over 20%. So, unfortunately, we are all paying more for everything right now. 

Supply chain issues hit us during the height of the pandemic. I think people don’t realize how it’s all connected. Everything shuts down for a year, then things open back up, and you add in labor shortages, backed up orders, people waiting on supplies. I think these issues will continue for a while. We are used to getting everything exactly when we want it, and the realization is that may not always be the case. So restaurants have to figure out how to manage that while keeping workers happy, guests happy, offering good wages, and so much more.”

LH: Having lived in LA and now being deeply rooted in Orlando’s culinary scene, what excites you the most about how it’s changed and grown?

JC: “Over the past six years, it’s been such a shift of getting more diversity in our food scene. People started to care where food came from, but now they are more interested in different cuisines and approachable experiences. You don’t have to go to a fancy place to get good food. So even though John's background was in fine dining, when we decided to open Black Rooster, we wanted to do something fast casual because we had been through the financial crisis of 2008. We saw the effect it had on the industry, so we wanted to have a better chance at surviving another crisis, never expecting it would come in the form of a pandemic. 

The consumer mindset may not be wanting to indulge in a $300 dinner; they want to go somewhere and get good food without spending that much money without forgoing the experience.  

It’s not like in the 90s where everyone was trying to dine out at the “it” restaurant every weekend. Now the “it” restaurants are little hot spots where you can grab it to go, and it's more approachable and accessible. When you hear people say hole-in-the-wall, some people assume it can’t be high quality, the way they presume "street taco" can’t mean great food and quality ingredients.” 

LH: With your background at a social media agency, and now being responsible for the marketing of your restaurant, what takeaways would you share with others?

JC: “Social media is where I decide where to eat. I go to Instagram to get the information and make my dining decisions. For the restaurant industry, it is a must. However, you don’t necessarily need to hire someone to do it for you because you’ll spend time micromanaging them because they aren’t you, and it’s not your voice. 

Also, it’s ok to add some personal background to the business page without going overboard. It has to be cohesive and make sense, but people care about some aspects of who you are and what your story is, and what they can relate to when getting into your story. 

The goal is to do it every day but know that you don’t have to be everywhere.“

LH: What are some of your favorite local spots?

JC: “We love A La Cart, it’s such great place to bring the kids. We love Dochi Donuts, we have to get them every Sunday on the way to Lake Eola. We love Sanaa at Animal Kingdom. We also really enjoy Reyes Mezcaleria, Hunger Street Tacos, and Hawkers.

Side note: My favorite go-to order at Black Rooster are the Black Rooster Asada and Crispy Fish tacos, the kale salad, and a side of maduros.

Black Rooster’s second location should be opening up this month, so keep an eye on their social media channels.