By Mike Kinney
Chef Francisco Arce gets an idea, does a little dance, then he’s off to the races creating delicious meals in front of thousands of his adoring TikTok fans from around the world.
With the channel @chefblackstone, the MexiHibachi chef has amassed more than 77,000 followers by posting videos of his cooking on the social media platform. But residents of the Richmond community don’t require social media to enjoy the chef’s culinary light-bulb moments.
Chef Arce and his family are Richmond residents who own and operate MexiHibachi Catering located at 12724 San Pablo Ave. The chef and his wife, Silvia Cortes, and his brother, Jose Arce, run this successful business from Wednesday to Sunday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cortes said she and her husband launched the small family business from their home. The inspiration derived, first, from Chef Arce’s love of cooking. And after his TikTok channel took off, followers of the channel began asking if they could try out his food. That prompted the idea to bring something new to Richmond. Now, when family members are not at work and are out in the community, they get recognized, and folks will say, ““Hey MexiHibachi!,” Cortes said.
The main ingredient to the business’ success, of course, is the food. The meals are prepped on stainless-steel griddles and fresh to order, offering a variety of protein choices including New York Steak, chicken, shrimp and its newest, salmon, according to Cortez. Dishes can be accompanied with a side of garlic fried rice and vegetables, all mixed with their Udon Noodle Stir Fry.
The company caters all types of events, from pop-ups to school events to birthdays and more. In the past, MexiHibachi Catering has teamed with different fundraisers to help give back to the community, including Thanksgiving meals for the hungry and a donation to purchase toys for children during Christmas.
The business also offers in-person catering where the family takes their equipment to you.
“Our most popular pick for catering is our Trio Plate with New York Steak, Chicken and Shrimp with Garlic Fried Rice and Vegetables,” Cortes said. “Throughout the whole time we are cooking we also offer a bit of entertainment for guests, such as tossing a few bites and having them try to catch it with their mouths. But what customers love the most and ask for it a few times throughout the experience is our Fire Show, where we either light up our griddle to perform the famous Fire Volcano or Choo choo Train.”
For those interested in learning more about MexiHibachi Catering Company’s services or to make an order, call (415) 604-7135. Orders can also be placed on Instagram @MexiHibachi.
