Forty Under 40: Juan Bahena

Juan Bahena believes that every day he wakes in the morning is a day to celebrate, and he wants people throughout the region to get to celebrate, too.

That’s part of his motivation behind his restaurant Tula in Fayetteville. The authentic Mexican restaurant has only 12 menu items, with the latest two only recently added. His belief is that it is better to do 10 things incredibly well than to do more just OK.

But his desire is to bring a little bit of his culture’s celebration to all those who eat at his restaurant daily.

“I could cut corners … but it wouldn’t taste the same,” Bahena said. “I want to have the food we have on celebratory days every day.”

Since 2020, Bahena has opened two successful restaurants in Northwest Arkansas, one food truck, and started a nonprofit business fighting food insecurities in the Hispanic community. He has demonstrated his entrepreneurial prowess by establishing successful food-industry businesses. Through these ventures, he works to enrich the culinary landscape of Northwest Arkansas, provide employment opportunities and create gathering spaces for the community.

But his dream to make a mark on the community doesn’t stop there. In April, Bahena launched Casa Dos Alas. The nonprofit partners with Northwest Arkansas Food Bank to provide food that aligns with the Hispanic community’s traditions.

The organization had more than 500 people at its inaugural launch party in June in Bentonville.

“That was a cultural event that we wanted to bring awareness to the foundation and for people to know about the spirit of Mexico,” Bahena said. “People tend to help or get to understand you a lot more if they just know you, your background, your culture, your history.”