Meet Steven & Devan Ludke | Entrepreneurs

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steven & Devan Ludke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steven & Devan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My husband and I started this business with freedom in mind. We were both working corporate jobs and were very unhappy in that environment. The foundation of our relationship was built on food. He is a chef and I love to cook, so we decided that we wanted to work together and do what we both love. We took a chance and then 6 months later we found out that I was pregnant which inspired us, even more, to be in control of our schedule and have financial freedom.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Don’t Knock My Taco is a full-service catering company providing ladies and gentlemen, young and old, a knockout gourmet taco experience. Don’t Knock My Taco uses local ingredients and provides gluten-free, contaminant-free products for those with special dietary needs. We are a fully equipped mobile restaurant offering your guests an assortment of delicious tacos and serving customers with speed and a smile. All our food is made fresh to order and we believe that when food is prepared with tasty, quality ingredients, great experiences happen. We also now partner with King of Pops and can provide desserts if you are interested!

I think what sets us apart is that we really push our story. People connect with the fact that we are married and love to cook together. I am a notoriously picky eater and when we first started dating my husband was laughing at how I built the taco that I was eating. So, I said, “don’t knock my taco!”, and the rest is history. We also have a very interesting trailer design painted by our friend and local artist Austin Blue (@properblue), that instantly attracts people. I think that what we are most proud of is the response to the food. People have such nice things to say and that is what makes it all worth it. We get so much support from the community and are overwhelmed with business. It has not been easy, as working with your spouse comes with a unique set of challenges. Not to mention the fact that we officially opened last January, right before COVID! I gave birth in May, so we were just very discouraged, running out of money and almost gave up but our families would not accept that. With a little patience and a lot of positive thinking, we pushed through and have been booked and busy since October!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We don’t get out as much as we used to anymore, because we are just so busy! But we love to hang out in Little 5, Edgewood, Midtown, The Highlands. Some of our favorite spots are Sotto Sotto, Fritti, El Myr, Fellini’s, La Fonda, The Beltline, Game X Arcade. We love going to see live music and art exhibits. What is so great about this city is that there is always something exciting and fun to do. There is so much diversity and culture and we love everything about living here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The first person to come to my mind is my amazing mother. My mom has been my #1 supporter in life and while we have had so many amazing people involved in the success of our business, she has made invaluable sacrifices that I could never repay her for. Our business has grown at an overwhelming rate and I asked my mom to quit her job to help us run our businesses and take care of our son. It was a huge risk for her to make that choice as she held a management position at Fortune 500 company and had benefits to consider, but she chose us. I hope that I can be half the mother and inspiration to my child that this woman continues to be for me. She taught me what unconditional love is and she also taught me how to hustle HARD. Had it not been for these lessons, Don’t Knock My Taco would not be standing today. We love you, mom!

Website: https://dontknockmytaco.wixsite.com/dkmt

Instagram: @dontknockmytaco

Facebook: @dontknockmytaco

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/don-t-knock-my-taco-atlanta

Image Credits
@skylerj @honeyrootphoto @renee_vanderwal_photography @taylorenglishphoto @dvanzosigns