In 2016 when I created our El Padrino logo, I was in my apartment in Downtown LA. At that time I was an events producer and a big musichead, so the idea that the logo of our new venture would read “EP” made me quite excited.
However, not many people shared the same sentiment. Most of my mentors felt that the name deserved more character and even though they were right, I have always believed in starting with what you have.
After all, the idea of a musical EP (extended play record) is similar to sowing seed. When artists release an EP, it means that they have a project longer than a single but not long enough for an album. A trailer to what the artist is capable of.
Our “EP” logo was just that, great preview.
In the early days, we received some critique about the logo but gradually, it grew in our community. “EP” is what they know us as in these streets, and just like a great album, it has stuck. But we didn't come here to just stick, we came here, to grow.
In 2017, when I moved to Nigeria, we planted a seed. Can we build the world’s first Naija-Mex franchise? An idea that with quality Mexican food: we can promote fresh and flavorful fast-casual meals (cuisine), can celebrate our local Nigerian produce and spices (culture), and ultimately use that to build (community).
Every day since June 1st, 2017, we have watered that seed. Whispering sweet affirmations of “slowly but surely,” to it daily, giving it the space it needs to grow, and trusting that the other growers around us are happy to work in unison to reap a bountiful harvest together.
So when Samson Mshelia asked us what message we wanted our new logo to convey, we started with a lot of vague words and phrases; “global community,” “Mexican food as a channel,” etc. He kept inquiring, “What design styles? Colors? Sketch Ideas?”
Me: Idk why but 🥑 comes up in my head
Samson: Hahahah. Avocados are LIFE!!
He was right. Avocados are life. Not only because they are one of the world’s most sought-after fruits, but because they are one of the world’s most patient. An avocado teaches you love, patience, and pain. If you decide to plant an avocado seed, prepare to wait, because it can take anywhere from five to 13 years before its tree is mature enough to set fruit.
It took the creative process of developing our new logo for us to really understand that the story of El Padrino, is similar to that of an avocado tree.
You see Padrino when we planted our first seed in Lagos four years ago, we knew that it would take a long time for us to set fruit. In that time, we have learned: how to spread love with food, how to be patient with our journey, and how to turn our pain points into progress.
Next year, as we prepare to embark on our 5th year, as we move from our “EP” seed to our fruit, we promise to double down on excellence. We promise to always choose quality over quantity. We promise to always allow you to be yourself in our spaces. We promise to always treat our food, our team, and you with dignity, love, and respect. And of course, we promise to never stop telling you, how much, we can’t wait to serve you!
2022, padrinos prepare for harvest.
