LOMO LIBRE'S Story
I was a Senior attending Riordan High School when my father finally achieved one of his dreams - to open his own restaurant here in the city. I would go in after school or on the weekends to help out, but it was a way to be close to my dad. I idolized my father for his work ethic and his leadership.
For years I’ve been a huge fan of the Food Truck Scene and have come across some of the best food the city has to offer.
And now, after 23 years in the restaurant business and seeing how the dining scene continues to evolve here in the Bay Area, I feel it’s time to go Mobile.
Just as I helped my father out with his dream, there will be days where my children will be helping with the truck and learning how special a family-run small business in San Francisco truly is. We are really looking forward to meeting wonderful people from all over and having fun with it! I am excited to be able to cook simple yet amazing flavored street food focused around one of my all time favorite childhood dishes - Lomo Saltado.
“being around him and experiencing the love for food and people is what drove me to take on this business”
About the Chef
Jose Calvo-Perez was born and raised in San Francisco.
Both his parents emigrated from Lima, Peru in 1978 and set out to California to create a better life for their family. Their formidable immigrant experience encapsulated all the strengths of their family and their embedded appreciation for their culture and upbringing.
Jose has been working in the restaurant business since 1996, when the first of four Fresca restaurants opened.
After working at the original Fresca Peruvian Restaurant on West Portal Avenue in San Francisco, Jose went on to study at the Hotel and Restaurant Department at CCSF and then graduated from the California Culinary Academy in 2000. Upon graduation, Jose moved to Europe where he gained a true appreciation and understanding of other foods and cuisines from around the world. Jose furthered his education and style of cooking by tasting and working his way through Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, France and Italy.
Years later, Jose and the family have opened three more branches of Fresca Peruvian Restaurants throughout the city and a fourth establishment in Pacifica called Puerto 27, which is dedicated to the memory of his oldest brother Julio. His spirit lives on at Puerto 27.
Now joining the San Francisco Bay area food truck craze, Jose brings you LOMO LIBRE, A Peruvian Fusion Food Truck.
“The San Francisco I grew up in always-valued family-run small business, and I plan to keep that San Francisco spirit alive through Lomo Libre. ”
