El Rancho Taqueria

Home away from home

For this project, I chose to highlight El Rancho Taqueria, a beloved local Mexican restaurant that serves as a cultural cornerstone within the Eugene community. This establishment evokes the familiar scents, flavors, and warmth of my home, making it a powerful symbol of authenticity and connection. My goal was to capture and communicate the brand’s spirit, rooted in family, tradition, and community and share that essence with a broader audience.

Two of the chefs of El Rancho Taqueria tend to their stations. Emmanuel Granados, left, prepares Al Pastor (sliced pork) tacos. All the meat used in the restaurant is sourced fresh from their meat market next door. The Mexican taqueria and store serves a variety of specialties and serves as a centerpiece in the community.

Cristian Garcia prepares Chicharrón, a traditional dish consisting of fried pork belly. He says it is his favorite dish to make and looks forward to frying the meat each week.

A chef cooks fresh flour tortillas. Each day the employees rotate their duties, today she is in-charge of the dough, forming, and cooking of the tortillas.

An employee prepares flour tortillas made with a tortilladora, the pressing machine used to flatten the dough. Most dishes at El Rancho are served with warm homemade tortillas.

Granados places Menudo, a Mexican soup made of cow’s stomach and chili broth, to be served. Menudo with homemade tortillas is El Rancho’s weekend special, drawing people from all over Eugene.