Cocina DeLeon Brings Home Taste

Cook with care and love, Linda Mulholland’s mother says. It is that philosophy that customers taste in the enchiladas prepared at Cocina DeLeon in Galleria West in Brookfield. Mulholland has built a business making enchiladas just like her mother, which is why she named the business after her. 

There are no tables or dine-in service at Cocina DeLeon. The sun-filled space has glass-door freezers offering the menu selection for dinners or parties. Mulholland and her staff make 2,000 enchiladas a week in 11 varieties. The enchiladas come two, six or eight in a package, frozen and ready to heat, serve and enjoy. They come with cheese and Cocina DeLeon’s enchilada sauce made fresh daily.

“Ingredients are all natural from local sources when possible,” she said. “We also have free-range chicken and grass-fed beef enchiladas.”

Although her name belies her heritage, Mulholland grew up cooking in the Mexican tradition.

“We used to take summer trips to Mexico to visit my mother’s family. I spent time cooking with my mom, aunts and grandmother in Monterrey,” Mulholland remembered. Although her father was of German descent, it was Mexican food that was served in her childhood home, she said. “It’s not unusual for a mother to drive the cuisine in the home.”

Throughout the years, Mulholland’s friends told her that her enchiladas were so good they would pay for them. In November 2008, she decided to see if they would put their money where their mouth is, as she decided to start a business from her Brookfield kitchen. She sent out an email blast to everyone she knew — then waited.

“I got so many orders. I was cooking and running all over the place delivering them,” she said. By January her business had grown to the point that she could no longer cook in her kitchen and moved to a commercial site. 

In March 2010, Cocina DeLeon moved to its current site. Although enchiladas are her mainstay, Mulholland also makes quesadillas, fresh salads, homemade soups, beans and red and Verdes rices depending on the day and time of year.

“You never know what we’ll spin out of the kitchen,” she said. “We tell customers to call ahead to see what’s cooking.”

Of course there are cheese, chicken and beef enchiladas, but customers have come to love some of the more gourmet enchilada offerings, like enchiladas made with Barbacoa pulled-beef, shrimp and chorizo or spinach and black bean.

“My husband developed the Manchilada,” she said. “It’s rib eye meat with blue cheese. It’s very good.”

Cocina DeLeon also offers catering services.

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Cocina DeLeon

Address: 18900 W. Bluemound Road, Brookfield

Phone: 262-439-9557

Hours: Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

            Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Website: cocinadeleongourmet.com