Otoniel was born in Parral, Chihuahua in Mexico. Dreaming of a better life, at the age of sixteen he decided to migrate to the United States. His story began with his uncle Mundo in 1976 in Santa Ana, where he worked alongside him in “Mundo’s Restaurant”. His upbringing in “Mundo’s” began with washing dishes, slowly working his way up to a chef at the restaurant, where he became capable of producing the finest Mexican dishes.

In due time, Otoniel carried these skills and decided to open his own restaurant after his uncle Mundo retired. He opened “Taqueria Los Grandes” (a name given on behalf of the family's tall stature) in 1989. His objective in the founding of this restaurant was to serve high quality meals using the freshest ingredients ranging from high quality meat to his unique picante ‘salsa de aceite.’ He found a passion for cooking and running a business, becoming an ideal location for cultural Mexican food in the heart of Santa Ana. He has served customers with loyalty and respect, which brings many coming back for more of the tasty meals that Taqueria Los Grandes has to offer.