Family’s culinary vision takes flight with newest Latin American eatery at Kellogg Field

Editor’s note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave’s On the Ground Battle Creek series.

BATTLE CREEK, MI — Taking taste buds to new heights is the goal for Battle Creek’s newest restaurant, which offers food with a Latin American flair against the backdrop of the city’s Executive Airport at Kellogg Field.

During a grand opening in late November, diners at San Francisco Latin American Cuisine feasted on entrees including Argentinian-Style Steak Frites, Beef Empanadas, and Tallarines Con Camaron (shrimp, red bell peppers, red onion, tomatoes, linguini pasta, oyster sauce, ají amarillo, scallions).

Those looking for more standard Mexican fare like tacos or burritos won’t find them on the restaurant’s menu, says Noel Gembe, CEO of San Francisco Latin American Cuisine.

“This one is more focused on high-end dining,” he says. “What sets us apart from other restaurants is that we bring something different to the table,” he says. “Our goal is to bring Battle Creek a dining experience usually found in major cities like Detroit and Chicago. Our menu highlights the bold flavors of Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Puerto Rico, with more Latin American classics coming from our chefs.”

Foods native to Latin American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Puerto Rico will be showcased on an ever-changing menu created by Executive Chef Paco (Francisco Lara Ruiz), who has worked at Michelin Star restaurants in Chicago as well as restaurants in Mexico.

Using a Farm to Table concept, many of the ingredients are locally sourced, Gembe says.

“We value supporting local agriculture. Going into spring, we are expanding partnerships with regional farms and vendors, bringing fresher ingredients and a stronger community connection. At the moment, we are working with Crisp Country Acres, Ron’s Beans, Pop City Popcorn, and Oma’s Greens.”

The restaurant is located on the grounds of the Battle Creek Executive Airport within WACO Classic Aircraft Corp. The space housing it was formerly occupied by WACO. WACO Kitchen opened in 2021 and closed in April 2024.

“Our modern space features wide runway views and the energy of the airport, creating a dining experience that blends culture, creativity, and movement,” Gembe says.

It cost under $1 million to retrofit the space to accommodate his new eatery and secure a liquor license.

“We didn’t have to do too much work because when we purchased the space, it included everything that was inside,” Gembe says. “We added some texture on the walls, decorations, and signage, which is expensive. The liquor license, which cost $55,000, was the most expensive thing for us.”

Building on a recipe for success

San Francisco Latin American Cuisine is the fifth restaurant and the third one in Battle Creek, opened and owned by Gembe’s family. The name of each restaurant includes “San Francisco” and contains words descriptive of the food offered at the different locations.

Kalamazoo is home to San Francisco Neveria Paleteria. Taqueria San Francisco’s Bar & Grill is in Plainwell.

Gembe’s parents, Norma Duran and Rafael Gembe, opened Taqueria San Francisco #1, the family’s first restaurant on Columbia Avenue Southwest, in 2010. Taqueria #2, located on Capital Avenue Southwest, opened in 2015. The Plainwell location opened in 2021, followed in 2022, by the Kalamazoo location.

“My parents had a dream to open a Mexican restaurant,” Gembe says. “They had worked in manufacturing at Denso and II Stanley and were tired of factory life. My mom’s from Mexico, and her family has a business ther,e so she knew what would be involved. She walked into this not knowing much, honestly, but had people helping us. We learned a lot by ourselves.”

The Gembe’s restaurants are among 1,339 Mexican restaurants in Michigan, according to RestaurantsListHQ, and more than 80,000 throughout the United States, according to an article on the DATAESSENTIAL website.

“Mexican cuisine is the third most popular cuisine in the United States, and growing in popularity, particularly among younger adults,” according to DATASSENTIAL. 

“Mexican is only behind American and Pizza/Italian when it comes to the number of restaurants. While younger generations have flocked to Mexican food and Latin cuisine in general, still more of them say they’d choose these flavors over stalwarts like Italian if they could only eat one cuisine for the rest of their lives.”

Gembe credits authentic flavors and menu items for the longevity and growth of his family’s restaurant enterprise.

“When we opened Taqueria #1, there were other Mexican restaurants in Battle Creek, but none of them offered authentic food like street tacos. We did.”

The operation of the six restaurants is a family affair. Gembe, his two sisters, their parents, and an aunt manage the businesses, often rotating duties at the different locations.

“For me, I’ve always been a partner with my mom. She took care of the kitchen, and I took care of the front of the house. We got my dad and sisters involved, and we all put in the work.”

His mother is the President of the newest restaurant. Fernando Torres is the Manager and also a partner, and his wife, Janet, is in charge of Human Resources and is also a partner.

“Janet originally alerted us to the space available at the airport,” Gembe says. “We weren’t too interested in the beginning, then we thought that it would be a good idea to bring something like this to Battle Creek. Janet had worked with the chef before, and Fernando had worked with us for eight years as a server. We wanted to give him the opportunity to grow.”

Torres oversees a staff of 21.

Although there have been times of worry about the continued success of the restaurants, Gembe says he and his family stay positive.

“We see what people like the most. Everybody really likes Norma. She just has a good way of communicating with customers. She doesn’t see them as customers but as friends. We use her recipes, and our food is consistent. We are always bringing something new and different to the table.”