A Labor of Love
How it all came to be…
It was the summer of 1967, when on a visit to his beloved hometown of Merida, Yucatán, Francisco (Frank) met Josefina (Fina). As Frank will tell you enthusiastically, it was love at first sight! After a brief courtship, he would then ask her parents for her hand in marriage. Upon returning to Los Angeles where he lived, it would be only a few months later before Frank returned to sweep his love off her feet and begin their journey together…
Two children later (Priscilla and Adrian) and after years of providing for his family by working his way up to maître d and manager at a fine dining establishment in Beverly Hills, Frank decided that the long hours away from his family and the hours spent commuting in traffic were taking a toll. In 1980, equipped with a stack of letters of recommendation, Frank moved his family to Las Vegas. He soon found out that in his new city of opportunity it’s not what you know, but indeed who you know. He eventually found work at Paul Anka’s Jubilation and later on the Strip.
In his heart however, Frank dreamed of opening his own restaurant. He knew that his wife’s cooking would be a hit! In 1992 this dream would become a reality when he was presented with an offer to take over a small restaurant on W. Charleston that would become Frank & Fina’s Cocina. It would be Fina, who alongside her daughter and a dishwasher would work seven days a week from open to close to build a clientele and introduce them to her cooking. Frank and his son would help when they could, as Frank worked a job full-time and Adrian was in school. Shortly thereafter, Frank was able to leave his job and he and his son would join the “team”.
Frank & Fina’s Cocina is genuinely a hands-on, family-run restaurant; a labor of love. Most importantly, none of it would have been possible without the wonderful, loyal customers we have had the honor to serve all these years and the amazing staff that now work alongside us.
Thank you for patronage!