FORGE Fireside with Ray Flores, President Flores Concepts

Date and Time for this Past Event

Thursday, Apr 20, 2023 9am - 10am

Location

Details

Join FORGE founding director Brian Ellerman and his guests, every third Thursday, for a lively conversation about programs and ideas that are growing entrepreneurship in our community. In April, Brian speaks with Ray Flores, President of Flores Concepts.

Ray Flores is President of Flores Concepts, a Tucson-based management and creative company overseeing restaurants, airport cafes, and catering businesses. The core concept of Flores Concepts is El Charro Café, which was founded by Flores' great-great-aunt in 1922 and has been overseen by Chef Carlotta Flores since the early 1970s. Recognized as one of America's 21 Most Legendary Restaurants by Gourmet Magazine, El Charro Café of Tucson, Arizona is the nation's oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family and has been named as a semifinalist for a James Beard Award.

In 2021, Flores teamed up with bread maker Don Guerra to open Barrio Charro, a grab-and-go restaurant, and in 2022, Flores opened the family’s newest culinary vision, The Monica, and launched an El Charro page with Goldbelly, the nation’s leading online food marketplace for iconic restaurant food delivery.

Flores oversees 400+ employees, not including those at several licensed locations. Some of those brands and locations include:

El Charro Café Tucson – The Original Downtown, Oro Valley & Ventana Locations
The Monica – Downtown Tucson’s newest hot spot
Hecho en Vegas – Formerly the Mexican restaurant brand of the MGM Las Vegas
Hecho en AZ Brands –Phoenix Convention Center
Carlotta’s Kitchen – A USDA Manufacturing Facility in Tucson, AZ
Pub 1922 – A gastropub in Rancho Sahuarita
Charro Steak & Del Rey – A Grass Fed Steak & Sustainable Seafood Concept in Downtown Tucson
CharroVida – A clean eating concept at Oracle & Ina in Tucson
Sir Veza’s – At one time a mall concept that is now in Tucson, Phoenix, Kentucky & Baltimore airports
Flores also oversaw the creation of The TRAC (Tucson Restaurant Advisory Council) at the beginning of the Covid pandemic and continues to be involved in advocacy work for the restaurant and small business community of Southern AZ. He helped start the El Rio Foundation as one of the first 2 board members, was named Tucson’s Hispanic Businessman of the year in 2007, and has worked with many local non-profits including the Lupus Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs, Youth on Their Own, and The UA’s Community School Garden Program.

This interview will take place virtually on Zoom, but all are welcome to join us for a live viewing downtown at the FORGE HUB.