Austin, Texas story
The Road Trip Epiphany
How a road trip inspired Amelis Paz-Kerlin to merge Venezuelan cachitos and Texas barbecue into Kerlaches.
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Sometimes, a simple road trip can spark a brilliant culinary invention. That is exactly what happened to Amelis Paz-Kerlin. After moving to Central Texas, she went on a road trip and tried her very first kolache.
She immediately noticed how similar it was to Venezuelan cachitos, a traditional bread from her own heritage. Inspired by this connection, she and her husband Bill, who had previously owned the beloved Kerlin BBQ in East Austin for almost ten years, decided to launch a new concept. In April 2022, they started Kerlaches, a spin-off business dedicated entirely to savory kolache-style sandwiches.
They use oak-smoked Texas barbecue tucked inside a secret original dough recipe, adding fresh vegetables pickled right from their own garden. It is a wonderful blend of Texas tradition and Venezuelan inspiration, baked fresh daily.
Updated June 2026