Owner/Chef, Javier Hurtado was born in Cuernavaca, Mexico (aka “Land of Eternal Spring”) located in the valley region just south of Mexico City. Both his mother and father came from a heritage both rich in agriculture, as well as food preparation. His family raised cattle and pigs, selling local meats and cheese when farming was a way to sustain life and livelihood. From an early age, Javier learned the importance of raising meats organically and humanely, and shared his time between his father’s butcher shop and his mother’s restaurant, cultivating the craft of cooking and selling indigenous Mexican food. He has shared his gift of blending traditional Mexican food with culinary insight by creating the Cha! Cha! Cha! Mexican taquerias who offer traditional Mexican fare at our restaurants for busy Portlanders, who want healthy, timely, quality food. Hurtado opened Cha! in 2007 to expand on the culinary ideas he started at Cha!Cha!Cha! wanting to create a more formal and modern Mexican dining experience.