Danny Trejo Tells A Story About Anthony Bourdain - Exclusive

Danny Trejo and Anthony Bourdain weren't best friends, but the fact that Bourdain appreciated Trejo's food now verges on mythic lore. Yes, we're talking about Trejo's Tacos. The "Machete" actor opened the restaurant in honor of his mother — and also because film producer Ash Shah noticed Trejo was an unsung foodie while the two worked together on the set of "Bad Ass." (At least, that's how Trejo tells it in his cookbook.) Trejo and Shah were on to something.

Trejo's Tacos opened its doors in 2016. A year later, Bourdain sat down at a table there while filming "Parts Unknown." His reaction is now emblazoned on Trejo's Tacos' virtual door front: "It's just really good." Actually, you can witness Bourdain say just that in a "Parts Unknown: Los Angeles" trailer, which captures Bourdain and Trejo sitting down to dinner and guffawing at each other. 

If Trejo looks completely taken with Bourdain in the clip, that's not just good video editing. "When he walked in, it was like getting visited by the Pope," Trejo previously recalled to The Hollywood Reporter. Bourdain, it turns out, was a particular fan of Trejo's cauliflower taco, which, as Trejo declared to Mashed in an exclusive interview, is "one of my favorites, too. Sometimes, you don't feel like eating any meat — not that meat's bad."

That Anthony Bourdain liked Danny Trejo's cauliflower taco is a ringing endorsement when you consider Bourdain's love for meat and his electric stance on vegetarianism. To be fair, he also dined on grilled chicken, charred branzino, and crispy pork tacos at Trejo's restaurant — if you believe Secret Los Angeles' account of the night. 

The celebrated chef and travel documentarian didn't only impress Trejo that night. He made an impression on the whole restaurant the second he stepped in the door. "It was the first time I've ever heard the whole restaurant quiet," Trejo recounted to The Hollywood Reporter. "We didn't even have to say, 'Rolling.' Everyone was just quiet, and they wanted to hear what he said." 

For the record, it wasn't just Trejo and his team who were star-struck. The actor made his mark on Bourdain, too. Trejo couldn't find the words to describe how he felt wining and dining Bourdain when Mashed asked him in our interview. He did, however, remember something Bourdain told him. "He said I should run for mayor!" Trejo recalled. "But no, no thanks."

Trejo already has plenty on his plate with his latest project — returning for his second year working with Tostitos, Trejo is joined by fellow remix master Sofia Reyes to inspire fans to blend their unique styles for Cinco de Mayo and summer fiesta festivities. In the digital commercial for the campaign, Danny and Sofia share their takes on how to add a fresh spin on any party with things like a queso fountain, mariachi bands, and, of course, their favorite Tostitos chips and dips. 

Rounding out any great party is a signature game, so Tostitos has teamed up with Millennial Loteria to bring the classic "Mexican Bingo" game to TikTok. But instead of a board game, participants can complete nine different challenges. For official rules and how to enter, visit Tostitos.com/LoteriaChallenge. To learn more about Fiesta Remix, head to Tostitos.com/FiestaRemix or follow Tostitos on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.