Rodrigo Cano

Partner / Chief Operations Officer

Despite his young age, Rodrigo Cano has over 18 years of experience in restaurants, working along side high caliber chefs and restaurateurs. Born in Mexico City, Rodrigo’s modest introduction to the restaurant business began when he was 13. After moving to Illinois with his family, he found himself submerged within the kitchen at his parents’ restaurant helping out with various roles as a dishwasher and food/bar preparation. 

After graduating in 2001 from high school, Rodrigo moved to New York City to pursue his love for music with a degree in Audio Engineering, but his continual passion for the restaurant industry led him to work with some of the city’s most acclaimed Mexican chefs and restaurateurs such as Alfredo and Patricio Sandoval from Mercadito. At the age of 21, Rodrigo was offered a position as manager at the Sandovals’ restaurant and some months later was promoted to general manager. This experience inspired him to pursue his passion as a restaurateur full time.

In 2007, Rodrigo moved back to Chicago to open his first restaurant Bien Trucha along with his family in the western suburbs, where it rapidly became a go-to destination within months of opening, altering people’s perception of Mexican cuisine in Chicagoland. Focusing primarily on the quality of service, food, flavor, and beverages, it only took a few months with the accomplishment of zero funds spent on marketing to attract hundreds of people every day to Bien Trucha. This approach also gained the restaurant attention from several publications including the Chicago Magazine and The Chicago Tribune. The tacos and margaritas there proved their immense popularity and allowed Rodrigo and family to expand within the same location, tripling the capacity to include more dining area, a full bar and a patio. Hoping to alleviate the demand with the added volume, Bien Trucha consistently still had lines out the door. Fueled off this success, in 2012 they opened a second restaurant, A Toda Madre, and proved that both places were something very special.  

Besides overseeing all FOH operations, Rodrigo’s creative and artistic background allows him to play an integral role in the music, interior design and overall vibe of the restaurants.