In the high-stakes world of Mexican entertainment, where visibility is the primary currency, the transition from a television studio to a street-side grill is rarely seen as a strategic move. However, for Ulises de la Torre, the sudden shift has become a public lesson in resilience and the definition of professional dignity.
The actor and presenter recently became a focal point of social media conversation after he was spotted working at a taco shop in Mexico City. While the images sparked immediate speculation regarding a financial crisis, the reality is more nuanced. Ulises de la Torre, the brother of renowned host Arath de la Torre, has clarified that his venture into the culinary world is a calculated entrepreneurial pivot following a jarring end to a long-term career in broadcasting.
For 14 years, Ulises was a staple of the program Expreso de la mañana. His departure was not a planned retirement or a mutual agreement, but a abrupt termination driven by administrative shifts. According to the presenter, the explanation provided by the production was stark: “La razón que me dieron fue que ya no tenían dinero para pagarme,” he explained, describing the experience as sudden and tricky to process.
The anatomy of a professional pivot
The transition from the screen to the kitchen was not an overnight reaction to unemployment. Instead, it was the culmination of two to three years of financial planning and personal savings. The resulting business, Los Igualados, is positioned as a gourmet taquería located in the Progreso Tizapán neighborhood of the Álvaro Obregón borough in Mexico City.
Rather than offering standard fare, the establishment differentiates itself through its choice of protein and preparation. The signature dish is a picaña barbacoa—a high-end cut of beef rarely found in traditional street tacos—which requires a rigorous nine-hour preparation process to achieve its specific flavor profile. The menu is rounded out by a selection of flautas, gorditas, and tortas, served with a variety of homemade salsas including cilantro, habanero, and chile ancho.
Ulises has been transparent about the financial structure of the business, noting that it was funded through his own savings and a strict financial plan. This detail serves as a counter-narrative to the “economic crisis” rumors that often follow celebrities who enter the service industry.
| Item | Variation | Price (MXN) |
|---|---|---|
| Taco | Corn Tortilla | $35 |
| Taco | Flour Tortilla | $40 |
| Barbacoa | By the Kilogram | $750 |
Redefining dignity in the public eye
The reaction on social media has been polarized. While many have praised the move, others have used the transition to mock the presenter, framing the move from “telenovela heartthrob” to “taco vendor” as a fall from grace. Ulises has met these criticisms with a firm defense of labor dignity.
“No se minimiza ningún trabajo. Poner una taquería con este perfil me hace sentir muy orgulloso. No me estoy denigrando. Ahí está mi carrera y seguirá por mucho tiempo. Tiene 2 meses que salí del programa, no tengo 3 años sin proyectos como se ha dicho. No me lo tomo personal. No me pierdo en cosas malas o turbias, vicios o en la ociosidad,” Ulises de la Torre stated.
This sentiment reflects a broader cultural conversation in Mexico regarding the “dignity of work” (trabajo digno), challenging the stigma associated with manual or service-oriented labor when performed by those with academic or artistic backgrounds. For Ulises, the business is not a replacement for his artistic identity but an expansion of it.
Family support and the industry’s volatility
The volatility of the entertainment industry is a recurring theme in this story. Arath de la Torre, a prominent figure in the industry and current host of the program Hoy, has publicly backed his brother’s decision. Speaking on the program De Primera Mano, Arath emphasized that the entrepreneurial venture was a long-held dream for Ulises, rather than a desperate measure.
Arath noted that professional trajectories are rarely linear, observing that there are “vacas gordas, vacas flacas” (fat cows and lean cows)—a colloquial reference to the cycles of abundance and scarcity. By framing the taco shop as a “modern vein” in Ulises’ life, Arath has helped shift the narrative from one of loss to one of diversification.
The emotional toll of the firing, however, remains a point of contention. Ulises described the end of his 14-year tenure as “difficult and nostalgic,” noting the lack of a formal farewell. “No hubo una despedida como tal. No me dijeron: ‘Gracias, Ulises, por tantos años que estuviste aquí’. De repente cambiaron. Fue un momento muy tajante. Nadie es indispensable. Lo viví en carne propia,” he recalled.
Beyond the grill: The next steps
Despite the success of Los Igualados, Ulises de la Torre is not abandoning the entertainment sector. He has been clear that he is not giving his life a complete “turnaround” but is instead pursuing a multi-hyphenate career. The business is a financial anchor, but his creative ambitions remain centered on the screen and the stage.
As part of this reinvention, he is preparing to launch an informative podcast with entertainment elements, aiming to blend his journalistic experience from Expreso de la mañana with his personal brand. This dual approach—maintaining a physical business while building a digital presence—reflects a modern strategy for survival in an industry where stability is an illusion.
The next milestone for Ulises will be the official launch of his podcast and the potential expansion of Los Igualados to additional points of sale, as he seeks to scale his gourmet concept across the city.
We invite you to share your thoughts on this transition in the comments below. Do you believe diversifying into business is the best path for artists in the modern era?
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