Meet the owner of Ta Contento Mex Fresh Food
Meet the owner of Ta Contento Mex Fresh Food, Nora Anaya!
Nora Anaya is the founder and owner of Ta Contento, a Mexican food truck and restaurant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, striving to help customers feel good about the food they’re eating.
Striving for Something New
Migrating from Bolivia in 2004, Nora moved to Baltimore Maryland, and ended up in Chapel Hill soon after to earn her master’s degree in psychology. Following her Master’s Program, Nora worked at UNC as a social worker.
Ever since arriving in the United States, she noticed she never got used to American food, especially frozen, unhealthy meals. Working as a health coach and rehab manager, Nora knew that food impacts the body, mind, and soul, sparking the idea of the Ta Contento food truck.
The food truck opened in 2019, right before the start of the pandemic. Only a few months into her business, Nora needed to think on her feet. Suddenly, she made free deliveries, went to multiple neighborhoods a week, and worked until five in the morning prep food in order to keep running. Through the hard work and dedication of her and her team, they were able to stay open and fulfill the needs of their customers.
Nora worked hard to earn small business loans, find community kitchens to make their food after hours, and find a dedicated staff. Through persistence and dedication, Ta Contento was able to open their first Brick-and-Mortar in Chapel Hill in July of 2022, serving fresh Mexican food that looks good, tastes good, and feels good.
New Additions
Since opening, Ta Contento has opened a mini-bar, and created their own cocktail menu, along with a diverse food menu featuring classic Mexican dishes, and some with a Bolivian twist. They have even worked with a prominent chef from Mexico City to help shape and elevate their menu. Nora says that her favorite item on the menu is the Quesabirria Frita.
They are currently working on mocking up a Mexican authentic modern concept for a dine-in restaurant, and Nora wants to open another food truck in the future. As a business owner, Nora is always utilizing her creativity and is constantly thinking about how to elevate the business and come up with new ideas for the future.
Authenticity
Nora is passionate about her business. To her, she doesn’t see work and life as separate entities.
Her favorite part about owning a business is seeing herself overcoming limitations. She told us that “cultural and personal insecurities sometimes limit us, but everything is possible if we believe in ourselves.” That is also what she loves most about the Chapel Hill area. The people in Chapel Hill also have the freedom to be who they are and overcome limitations. She appreciates how welcoming they are to various communities and their commitment to the environment. In her free time in the area, you can find Nora meditating, learning, reading psychology and business, or working out.
“My business has been the best experience of my life.”
Ta Contento is still early in its life and is only seeking to grow further as a business. Nora knows that connection is important, and wants to build that connection with her customers. In her words “Food is fuel, and is connected to everything.”
She is currently working on transitioning to healthier items in her kitchen such as coconut and tallow oil as opposed to peanut or canola oil. She is passionate about focusing on the customers’ health.
The pillars that Nora and Ta Contento pride themselves on are love, freshness, happiness, gratefulness, and community.
