Mike Rypka

Mike Rypka is the founder and CEO of Torchy's Tacos, a fast-casual Mexican chain that has grown from a single Austin food truck into a national brand with more than 130 locations and over $300 million in annual sales.

Long before he was running a taco empire, Rypka was a troubled teenager caught up in heavy drug use and surrounded by addiction. Cooking gave him structure and purpose, eventually leading to a career in restaurant kitchens across the country. After years working in corporate and restaurant kitchens, he found himself broke and burnt out in his early 30s, living in Austin and searching for a new direction.

In 2006, Rypka bought a beat-up barbecue trailer and converted it into a single-seater taco truck. He launched Torchy's Tacos with nothing but a dream, a bold fiery logo, and a menu full of creative flavors. That humble truck on a corner in Austin became the foundation for one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains in America. Through decades of sobriety and relentless hustle, Rypka has turned Torchy's into a beloved national brand while staying true to its scrappy, unconventional roots.