Hidden Gems: Meet Ben King and Michael Bencomo of Kingcomo’s Quesadillas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben King and Michael Bencomo.

Hi Ben and Michael, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The idea for Kingcomo’s stems back to high school when we became friends and talked about potentially running a food truck together. When we graduated, we remained good friends but didn’t pursue the business immediately. It was not until 2019 that the timing was right for both of us, and we found our awesome quesadilla cart for sale. We refurbished the cart and began the permitting process. Covid pushed back our original opening but we were eventually open for business in July 2020. We parked at a mix of breweries and parks around Boulder- wherever hungry people might be, as well as doing a variety of private events. Since then, we have gotten a permit to set up on Pearl Street, which is our base location now. We are looking forward to a great summer!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There have been many challenges from the very beginning. Our biggest lesson has been that we need to be able to adapt. When we first started, we had to learn about the minutiae of mobile food service license. It felt like every time we completed one step of the process, there would be two more things we needed to do. Another obstacle we found was setting our schedule and finding the best way to reach our customer base. Covid-19 was certainly a challenge, but we were well equipped to adapt because all our service is outdoors. We managed to operate during the pandemic, and we think people appreciated the familiarity of eating out during such an unprecedented time.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Kingcomo’s Quesadillas is a unique food cart caterer. We offer a wide variety of tasty and differentiated quesadillas – some more traditional, some wilder. From el Classico to mac ‘n cheeseadilla to chikn bakin ranch, there is a great selection to choose from. If you have a good quesadilla idea, we encourage you to visit the menu on our website and scroll down to submit your quesideas.

We used to go to breweries and parks but have now begun to focus on private event catering and our main location on pearl street. You can find us between 13th and Broadway for a quick bite or hire the cart for any kind of event. In the past, we have done birthdays, graduations, block parties and much more. Our cart sets us apart from other food trucks due to its intimate size and flexible nature. It can physically fit in smaller spaces. The menu can be a roller coaster of flavors. And we try to keep the prices reasonable.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
We have not had a one-on-one mentor, but, there are many people with good advice and suggestions. Like Carolina with the Boulder SBDC, who helped us with our Pearl St permit on 13th & Broadway. Also, we never underestimate the power of networking. We have had slow days that barely make money and feel like a failure. But maybe it might be the day we meet someone who likes the food and hires us for a party. And we might meet more people that like the food and have more parties. We might build a great big network of clients – all from one slow day. Don’t underestimate people and their ability to make connections!

Pricing:

• $5 is the least expensive with just cheese
• $10 for our most expensive with all the fixings (beans, cheese, rice, veggies, hot sauce, & chicken)
• $20 T-shirts

Contact Info:

• Email: kingcomosquesadillas@gmail.com
• Website: https://kingcomos.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingcomosquesadillas/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingcomosquesadillas/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kingcomos-quesadillas-boulder

Image Credits
Mike Pope