If you’ve been to Portland, you may have visited Guero, the Mexican food truck in Southeast that serves up mouthwatering tortas and bowls. Megan Sanchez, who co-owns Guero with her partner Alec, has impeccably designed and branded the truck, transforming it into an oasis of plants, color and energy. (Truly. Just looking at the truck, you feel happier!) Megan is an entertainer and a hostess at her core: inviting, warm and full of culinary secrets. Always flawlessly dressed in an assortment of thrifted finds and simple statement pieces, she is a visionary in every sense!

Her truck, Guero, has become a staple in the Portland food cart community, and we were fortunate enough to sit down with her to understand her life outside of the food truck. Read below as we cover everything from vintage style to the importance of grace, and why she’s set out to make “homemaking” trendy again.

An Interview with Megan Sanchez

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE FOOD SCENE?

My dad is an incredible chef, and I grew up working for his catering company. My mom’s whole family is Egyptian so I also grew up eating and cooking a lot of delicious Egyptian food. After graduating from college, I moved to France and that’s where I really became interested in food and agriculture. What struck me most was the style of shopping for food—going to the market every day to get what you need. Around that time I also discovered the River Cottage Cookbook—which set me on my next path of working as a cheesemonger and then cheesemaker on a farm in Vermont.

HOW DO YOU FEEL BEING DESCRIBED AS ‘THE ENTERTAINER’?

It’s fitting, because my interests are cooking and homemaking. I hate that “homemaking” can have such a negative connotation! I’m going to bring it back, and make homemaking cool again. I feel like I always have people over, whether it be for a backyard barbecue or a drop-in dinner guest, so I like making my space homey for myself but also for others.
 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?

It’s all over the place! I’ll go from leather and more boy-ish styles to girly and feminine, and I love pairing pieces of each together in an unexpected way. I’m also really into vintage finds—I love the ethical aspect of recycling clothes and making them feel new again. I believe clothing has a transformative power to it, and I want the pieces in my wardrobe to tell a story. One of favorite pieces is my Sseko bucket bag because it transitions between all of my different outfits, and it’s sturdy enough for when I’m running errands for the cart. Plus, the leather wears with my vintage pieces so nicely!

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO SEEK THE UNFAMILIAR IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?

I’m always scheming up new entrepreneurial ideas and collaborations! I try to set myself up to always have new doors opening, and I am not afraid to go down those paths. I think that seeking the unfamiliar is really about tuning into yourself. Clue into your own sense of adventure, your patterns and your interests, and what you are naturally drawn to. And be open to ideas that arise within those spaces. Fall into the things that you are naturally drawn to, rather than what you “should” be pursuing, because you have a natural curiosity that will flourish there if given the opportunity.

What piece of the Brave Manifesto resonates most with you and why?

“When in doubt, give grace.” I feel like as humans, we all make mistakes, and there are many moments when you need grace from others. This is a good reminder that you’re always in a position to offer that yourself; being a well of grace toward the people in our lives is just a good way to live.

You can follow Meg on Instagram @meganouveau. And if you find yourself in Portland, be sure to check out the delicious tortas at Guero and say hi to Meg!

PICTURED:Brass Sole Sister Bangle Set, Bayou Green Crossbody Bag and Caramel Accent Loafers with Leopard Accents.