Interview with TheBaddChef
Building two of Austin’s most chaotic food brands, TheBaddChef — Tommy Marquez — has made a name for himself by blending flavor and fearless branding. He’s the founder of El Borracho Tacos, a taco truck born out of chaos and love, and Badd Burgers, a goth-driven burger-loving underground community shaking up the city with every pop-up & burger drop.
Mia:
Started in the dish pits but leveled up over the years to owning and running your own businesses El Borracho Tacos and Badd Burgers. What did that time between then and now teach you?
Tommy:
It was humbling, and it taught me patience and perspective. I’ve done every job in the industry, and it showed me no role is beneath me. Over time, that grind taught me how to build teams, handle the madness, and lead. The biggest lesson? You can turn even the lowest moment into the start of something bigger.
Mia:
What made the connection to tacos for you in this time of pace change and reflection?
Tommy:
Tacos were always my reset. One afternoon after a bad hangover, I made some that hit harder than anything I’d cooked before. That moment showed me food could be more than just comfort, it could be the spark for an idea that could change everything.
Mia:
You have two loudly branded alternative businesses under your belt — El Borracho Tacos and Badd Burgers. For someone who’s never been, how do you explain the difference?
Tommy:
El Borracho is a health-conscious taco truck built on pure chaos, but every taco is made with love and intention. The food reflects that energy — and so does the brand.
Badd Burgers, it’s all about creating unforgettable burgers and an experience of bringing crazy flavor and the community that comes with it all together. The branding is made to be loud and catch you off guard. Just like our flavors and variety of events, you can catch our pop-ups at!
Mia:
When you started Badd Burgers, why did you gear more towards a cult movement than just another food concept?
Tommy:
Because food alone doesn’t build loyalty. I’ve seen how movements pull people in, and I wanted that same pull around burgers. A cult makes people feel like they belong — and belonging lasts longer than a meal.
Mia:
Which hits harder for you — the flavor of the food or the chaos of the brand?
Tommy:
They’re inseparable. The attitude fuels the flavors, and the flavors give the brand its punch. One doesn’t hit without the other.
Mia:
As Baddy Cult Leader, HEARD CHEF — but for everyone else, please explain what the Cult (all burgers and baddies) really means to you, so there’s no confusion.
Tommy:
The Baddy Cult is our team of local girls who supported the vision from - GO. As the face of the company, they’re also the backbone, creating content, promoting the brand, and most importantly, connecting with our customers. They're a part of the experience and one of the most important pieces of this business.
Mia:
Your burger drops sell out SO fast. Why do you run them this way instead of just opening daily?
Tommy:
Because drops keep it electric — they force us to bring our best every time and keep creating new flavors for people to look forward to.
Mia:
When those drops happen — what’s the wildest reaction you’ve had?
Tommy:
Honestly? Consistency. The countless times people come back every drop to compliment our creations always blows me away.
Mia:
You also create vegan twins of your burgers — why is that important to you?
Tommy:
I really like to make food for everyone. I actually learned to cook in vegan kitchens — it’s why I put so much effort into making it taste exactly the same as a traditional burger. My business partner in Badd Burgers has practiced veganism for over a decade. I’ve seen him just eat fries at places, and I knew I didn’t want to run a business where that’s the only option for people with vegan friends.
It's also a part of the branding identity, us being the only burger concept that does this in the entire world.
Mia:
Is there an even bigger vision for both Badd Burgers and El Borracho Tacos?
Tommy:
With Badd Burgers, the end game is an event space, bar, and restaurant all in one — a place in Austin where the alternative evil goth vibes are strong and the food is the chaos everyone craves.
For El Borracho Tacos, the plan is to keep being the most chaotic taco truck in the city while expanding into a nationwide mobile franchise.
Mia:
You built your brands out of chaos — but what does peace look like for you?
Tommy:
Chaos is my peace. It's something I grew up in that's helped shape me and my businesses.
Mia:
Anything else you’d like to add?
Tommy:
Thanks. To my teams from both companies who are committed and show up ready to absolutely kill it, my latest business partner, to our investors for always being there when we needed them the most, and of course everyone who shows up hungry for what we do. Without them, none of this matters.
Final Word
El Borracho is chaos powered by clean eating, chaotic love. Badd Burgers is something sinister disguised as dinner. Together, they are proving that in Austin, comfort food can come with chaos that everyone can get comfortable with.