Thanksgiving Throwback: Luis Sanchez, chef owner of Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks, CA

To honor the intention of Thanksgiving, we're throwing it back to someone I'm extremely grateful for -- Luis Sanchez, chef owner of Mouthful Eatery in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Just shy of one year ago, Luis took a chance and agreed to be my first interviewee for the podcast.

I'd always loved Mouthful - the Lomo Saltado sandwich was my guilty pleasure during pregnancy - and I was so impressed with what he had created there.

I'll always be thankful he said yes because it was the yes I needed to help me take the idea of Conejo Valley Visionaries and turn it into a reality.

Thank you Luis, and thank you to everyone who has tuned in, shared feedback, and helped the podcast grow!

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If you’re not familiar, Mouthful is the most delicious Peruvian restaurant in Conejo Valley and one of Yelp’s top 100 restaurants in the country. 

Luis’s story is just as interesting. As a kid in Lima, Peru, food was an important part of his childhood and cooking up his own creations sparked joy. While studying film in the US, Luis worked in various front of house positions at restaurants and bars in the LA area. It was during a job at a bar in Agoura where he was able to go back of house and design his own menu. A serious incident there underscored his decision to focus on cooking and went to pursue a degree at the Cordon Bleu. 

In our conversation, Luis shares the importance of a business plan, the value he places on the Conejo Valley community, and advice he has for anyone considering opening a restaurant. 

Follow Mouthful Eatery ⁠here⁠

Follow Conejo Valley Visionaries ⁠here⁠

If you want to share your visionary story on the podcast, send us a DM - we are always open to guest nominations!

This episode was produced by Cristina Dennstedt and Justin K. Sloan. Conejo Valley Visionaries is edited by Justin K. Sloan and ⁠J.Sloan Productions⁠.