Everyone always has a place at the Segura family dinner table. Miguel and Lisa Segura, owners of Miguel's Artisan Recipes in Clovis, California, have been making homemade Mexican recipes for their friends and neighbors for decades.

But when the pandemic hit and both were laid off, they turned their passion into a business. Lisa created a label, and using Miguel's mother's recipes, they began delivering fresh food to friends and family by car.

When word spread, the Seguras were invited to serve their home-style cuisine at pop-up events with Fresno Street Eats, a food truck and festival venue. The owner of the company helped them set up with a certified kitchen and a pop-up tent. The following year, the tent was converted into a food truck, which eventually gave way to a storefront. In the corner of a neighborhood convenience store, the owners cook food for catered events and sell their famous dishes and jarred sauces.

Fresh recipes and a tight-knit community of customers earned the restaurant the top spot on Yelp's 100 Best Places to Eat in the Central Valley – North list in 2023. Here's how Nathan M.senior director of community at Yelp reviewer and Elite, discovered—and grew to love—Segura's business.

“Their food and jarred sauces are simply fantastic and consistently delicious,” reads his review. “Their tacos are to die for, but I recently tried their tamales and it's the perfect ratio of meat to tender pork. My Mexican mother-in-law, who is very, very crazy about her tamales, saluted twice. .”

The restaurant's authenticity is a big reason why Lisa and Miguel have seen great success. Taking advantage of the farming community in the Central Valley, they source fresh ingredients each week to honor their family's original recipes, which resonate with nostalgic customers.

“Some people actually (say), 'You just set me back 20 years.' That's the biggest compliment in the world to me because you're eating my mom's food,” Miguel said.

Although many of Liza and Miguel's recipes have been in the family for generations, a key component of their success is their flexibility in the kitchen. Starting with a short menu of staples, the owners have carefully built their offerings over the past few years after receiving customer feedback. With a background in sales, Miguel understands the importance of truly listening to his customers.

“I have cooks and cooks that are already in my kitchen right now,” he said. “All we have to do is find out what food you like.

“We have high expectations for ourselves and we want other people to have good experiences when they eat the food,” added Lisa. “So how can I be better? Continuous improvement is part of our culture.”

Not only are Miguel and Lisa open to feedback, they are proactive making connections with customers, eager to share their food with as many people as they can. Inside and outside their store, the Seguras are always asking regulars how they're doing and inviting new customers to try their salsas.

One of the biggest ways to reach customers is through appearances on local television channel Fox 26, where they visit the Big Day Kitchen and put on cooking demonstrations of their popular dishes. Beyond the screen, Miguel and Lisa are involved in several community projects, speaking at conferences and with non-profit organizations about their path to entrepreneurial success.

“It's not just about us making food, it's about making a difference, giving to other people,” Lisa said. “We're all growing up together. I feel so blessed to be giving the community a piece of myself, our cooking, and our family heritage. I think Miguel's mom would have said it best, 'Bring everyone to house. Let them eat.'”

Miguel and Lisa are friendly customer service and community integration is what struck Nathan most about their business.

“It's a lot of work to be out and about all the time and run a business, and they do it with grace,” Nathen said. “Whenever I've met them in person, there's never a look of 'How do we do this?' Just, 'How are you doing?' We are excited to see you. Do you want food?””

Having worked with Yelp consumers and small business owners for nine years, Nathen believes these small interactions are the key to the community's success.

“One thing (that) has never changed when it comes to pitching Yelp event is (that) your food will become secondary. If people can see you and identify with you and learn a little bit about you, they will fall in love with you and want to support you. And how do they do it? Going back to your restaurant and eating your delicious food.”

Nathan urges business owners to connect on a human level with customers, even on days when they're not feeling 100% or dealing with a difficult person.

“Don't look at a person who is going to potentially scrutinize you as your enemy,” he said. “You don't know where they're coming in from. Maybe the best part of their day is enjoying your sandwich, tacos, or your gym class.”

Nathan brings the same level of sensitivity to his interactions as a reviewer. When he has a negative experience, he waits 24 hours before writing a review, pausing to think about the person on the other side of the counter who may be stressed out trying to make ends meet. When he provides critical feedbackhe makes sure to be constructive and not destructive.

“Try to put your best foot forward all the time,” he said. “If the consumer and the owner were beaten before immediately assuming something, there would be a little less anger out there.”

In addition to building community, Miguel's Artisan Recipes believes in:

• Listening to feedback. Start with a small list of offerings and give yourself room to grow your menu based on what customers want to see.
• Engaging with customers whenever possible. Build long-term relationships with your customers by getting to know them on a personal level, inside and outside of your store.
• Using fresh ingredients and authentic recipes. Invest in the quality of your products and customer demand will follow.

Listen to the episode below to hear live from Miguel, Lisa and Nathan, and Subscribe to After the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.

Editorial contributions by Callie Morgan and Kristi Lindahl