Mr. Tempo plots growth with Mexican fusion concept
Former Daphne’s, Sharky’s exec finds a food/bar scene sweet spot
He came to the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 1992 when he was 18 and didn’t speak English. He got a job as a dishwasher in a restaurant. Now Jorge Cueva heads a multi-brand restaurant company that by the end of 2020 will include nine locations in the U.S. and Mexico.
And Cueva says he’s just getting started.
Under his Mr. Tempo brand, the Los Angeles-based Cueva is planning a move into the world of tequila, wine and beer, and later candy and cigars. And he is thinking about possibly licensing or franchising his Mexican brand, which include Tempo Cantina and King & Queen Cantina — essentially the same concept under different names. He describes them as a high-end Latino fusion concept with a lively bar scene.