About
Notes from Kurt Eller
founder, partner & chief concept officer
Continuing with my focus of providing Taco Buddha employees and leaders a pathway
to great careers and self enhancement, Taco Buddha joined forces with Ben Hillman’s
Gastronauts Food Group that also owns and manages Hi Pointe Drive-in Burgers on
February 4 th of 2024.
To this day I get questioned about what took me on the “Taco” journey.
My connection with tacos is a cumulative collection of personal memories of people,
places, and experiences that evokes a certain “familiar fondness.” In my opinion, we
each develop our relationships to food through our personalized journeys to arrive to a
unique philosophy of what a taco represents. I see tacos as more than just nourishing
food wrapped snuggly in a tortilla; they are miniature time capsules that stir feelings of a
familiar fondness. I was lucky to have been raised in a land that created some of the
first recorded tacos in history. Here is my journey.
Many of my earliest memories are of food, in particular, the Mexican food that
dominated my hometown of Austin, Texas. In the late 1960s, my family would often dine with family friends at La Tapatia where I would inevitably order the cheese enchiladas.
Even then, I was fascinated by the red chile, as its spice both daunted and thrilled me.
When I was 9 years old, we moved to Clear Lake, Texas on Galveston Bay where I
developed an obsession with fresh seafood right off of the Vietnamese fishing boats —
red fish, speckled trout, gulf shrimp, and oysters.
Growing up, we would travel to New Mexico and I fell in love with the smell of green
chile roasting in the fall, which was outside everywhere we went, permeating the air with
a sweet, spicy perfume for the duration of the season.
I moved in with my father who was living in Madras (now Chennai) in southeastern India
during my sophomore year of high school where I experienced the marvels of south
Indian cooking. Of course, I found the Indian version of a “taco” (a variety of proteins
served in a round, wheat flatbread called chapatti or naan) irresistible. During this period
one of my favorite pastimes was learning how to cook traditional Indian dishes,
especially curries, with our live-in chef, Thomas.
I moved back to Texas for my final year of high school and attended college in the
region while working a variety of restaurant jobs, both front and back of house. These
led to multiple ventures owning and running restaurants in my early career.
After some successes and failures, I entered the furniture business in 2000 after
seeking some one-of-a-kind pieces for a restaurant and stumbling across Four Hands
furnishings in Austin. I recognized the smells and craftsmanship of Indian furniture and
was immediately transported. Literally. My new position sent me to China and back to
India working with various furniture factories, areas where, again, I had the chance to
experience more incredible food. It was in northwestern India, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
that I really grew to appreciate spicy, grilled Indian food.
In 2006, the furniture business took me to St. Louis. I still couldn’t get my fond
memories of food and New Mexico green/red chile out of my mind. I launched Taco
Buddha in 2014 as a mobile catering company (a side business) with a focus on the
different chiles used in cuisines across the globe, including the beloved red and green
chile of New Mexico.
The name — Taco Buddha — reflects our embrace of fond memories of food not only
from the traditional taco concept, but also our fond memories of the global formula of
chiles, proteins, and vegetables served in bread. While we continue to add different tacos to our menu, from day one, some of our most popular menu items were the adventurous “Jodhpur” (Tandoori-Style Chicken) and the “Thailand” (Thai Street Beef) alongside the more traditional New Mexican and south Texas-style tacos. We are proud to offer something delicious – for carnivores to vegetarians to vegans – without judgment.
With each dining experience, Taco Buddha strives to create the feeling of “familiar
fondness” and of what tacos can conjure in an open mind.
“It is one of my primary functions to develop our leadership team’s culture (as well as all our staff.) Over years of experience and from some of my mentors, I’ve learned culture building tools and concepts that I do my best to not only teach but also exemplify. One of my life’s goals is to grow Taco Buddha well enough so this will be their career path from which they can be happy, challenged daily and financially secure. They know that while I can help lead the way, it is up to them to create their future and my goal.”
– Kurt Eller, Founder, Partner & Chief Concept Officer
LEadership team
“I feel so lucky to have acquired such quality people on my Taco Buddha team. It took me a while to find the right people and create a very real team. We work together based on trust and vulnerability. We don’t point fingers and WE admit when we’re wrong or when we’ve screwed up. I personally admit that a lot!”
~Kurt Eller, Founder, Partner & Chief Concept Officer
Brandon Lannom
Catering ManagerBrandon comes to Taco Buddha by way of small town Illinois. His lifelong goal is to be Dolly Parton’s #1 fan! Although Taco Buddha isn’t quite Dollywood, he sure does make it just as fabulous. Graduating from SIUE with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Art History, he takes a colorful approach to any situation he’s presented with. Brandon joined our team with a substantial background in customer service and it shows in all he does. He’s thrived in every role our restaurant has, starting as an hourly employee, working his way to being a manager, a general manager, and he has found that catering is where he thrives the most. His thoughtfulness and attention to detail make him the ideal person to plan the perfect taco party for you.
When asked what 3 things Brandon would bring to a deserted island, he said “Dolly Parton’s Greatest Hits album, and my two cats.”
If you’re interested in a taco party for your next event, check out our Catering Page or send Brandon an email to brandonl@tacobuddha.com
Emily Bellenbaum
Kirkwood Front of House ManagerEmily has been with our Kirkwood team since we opened the doors in 2023, starting as a Front of House employee, and in 2024, grew to become one of our Front of House Managers. With over 10 years in the hotel/hospitality experience, she knows how to create a comfortable stay for whoever enters our establishment, and she found us while looking for a place that allowed her to be her authentic self. We love having her on our team, and her insights into our astrological readings. She has her own astrology blog (emmyofthelou.com) and her big three are Cancer Sun, Capricorn Moon & Rising, which in her words means she’s “empathetic and sensitive but also determined and serious.” Those are the exact traits we love for our managers to have, and she shows it everyday. Outside of astrology, she enjoys writing and spending time with her partner and their “lil guy” Joey (a chihuahua pekingese).
Jen Dooley
UCity Front of House ManagerJen would proudly describe herself as a mom-ager, which would accurately describe her leadership style with our Front of House team in UCity. As a restaurant industry veteran for the better part of 30+ years, Jen knows this industry inside and out. She knows that people are at the core, and it dictates how she operates, whether that’s with our customers or with our staff. She joined the team in 2023, immediately meshing with our people-first approach, and has since helped develop the awesome culture we have in UCity. Outside of work, she loves her family, her dog, the St. Louis Blues, and some good ole fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. Just like her idols, she’s a real rockstar.
Liam Johnston
Head of OperationsLiam joined Taco Buddha in April 2021 after years of restaurant experience working in St. Louis that shaped him into a leader with a resilient work ethic and a passion for food. He brought those qualities to our restaurant and quickly became a reliable leader in the kitchen while always bringing an infectiously goofy energy, even when the going gets tough. After a hugely successful run as our Kitchen Manager, he earned the role of Head of Operations as we continue to grow. His steady and easy-going presence helps keep both of our restaurants running smoothly as he oversees operations and finds ways for us to improve. He’s been an integral part of our growth and has used his expertise in all things Taco Buddha to continually make us better.
For business inquiries, you can contact Liam via email at liamj@tacobuddha.com
Matt McMillin
Kirkwood General ManagerMatt, like many of our other leaders, has a long history of customer service, working in the retail space for over 40 years. He decided to venture into the restaurant industry and joined our team in 2023, and it was a seamless transition. Matt is a family man who loves his wife, their three boys, and their three boys’ families, and he brings that family man mentality into work, treating our customers and staff as an extension of his family. He genuinely cares, and it shows in all he does. He runs our Kirkwood location with aplomb (one of his favorite words), ensuring every customer leaves happy, and that our staff is upholding our values. In his free time, Matt can be found enjoying the finer things, like his family, his motorcycle, poetry, and sinking into an album of the day. He’s a bit of a renaissance man. A renaissance Matt, if you will.
Michael Arnott
Marketing DirectorMichael is a seasoned Taco Buddha veteran. After graduating from Mizzou with a Bachelor’s in Mass Media Communication, Michael joined the team in 2019 when we reopened after the fire. Since then, he’s worked in just about every role this restaurant has to offer, adding social media and marketing to his Taco Buddha repertoire in 2021. Combining his restaurant knowledge with his past social media experience, Michael has thrived in his role as our marketing director, serving as the public voice of Taco Buddha through many different developments of the restaurant and brand, and will be leading the marketing efforts as we continue to grow.
For marketing inquiries, send Michael an email to marnott@tacobuddha.com
Surabhi Kumar
Front of House Manager University CitySurabhi, or Surb as we call her, grew up in the East Bay in California, enjoying the beautiful mountain landscapes and encompassing ridges, but wanted a change of pace. From East Bay to St. Louis, the differences couldn’t be more stark, but she fell in love with the community of St. Louis, and obviously, the food scene. While pursuing her Bachelor’s in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology at WashU, she gained experience providing comfort and care working in a hospital. That experience made her a natural fit on our team providing outgoing hospitality to our guests, ensuring comfort for every customer through communication, empathy, and authenticity. She’s grown into an attentive Front of House manager at our University City location, and we’re lucky to have her as she continues to grow.
When asked what her next tattoo would be, she said “I would get a taco shaking up one of our Mad Dog Margaritas, although I don’t think the taco would shake better than me with its little lettuce hands.” Good choice, Surb.
Tamara Netsch
Kirkwood Front of House ManagerA native of Columbia, MO, Tamara found herself back in the Show Me State after years of living in Minneapolis, MN and joined our team in 2023. In her time here, she’s answered the call for whatever role we’ve needed help with, and done it with a radiantly positive attitude. She’s been the Front of House Manager in UCity, our HR Manager, and now handles Front of House Manager duties at our Kirkwood location. She’s been in customer-facing roles for most of her career, even owning her own business for a time, and knows how important the customer experience is. Her ability to connect with people is something you can’t teach, and she brings that ability to the forefront of our Kirkwood locale, establishing long-lasting relationships with our customers and teammates alike. She loves spending time in the great outdoors, hanging out with her cat Logan, and enjoying some quality time with her family. Come say hello to Tam next time you’re in Kirkwood!
Taco Buddha Staff
Many Taco Buddha associates are cross-trained to work all positions (both back of house and front of house) and they excel at what they do. Staff really does care about the results of their work, which is one of Taco Buddha’s primary ingredients. We like to think that our caring and compassion shine with each order. While about half of Taco Buddha’s part-time people rotate in and out, mostly because of school, there is very little turnover with full-time associates. Taco Buddha ensures associates are paid well/on the higher spectrum of restaurant workers. We are proud of the environment we’ve created as a place for staff to be their true selves in a culture rooted in teamwork and transparent communication.