Chayanne launched his solo career in Mexico back in the ‘80s, but somehow, it took until 2025 for him to try his first taco al pastor. While on tour, the singer made a stop in Los Cabos, Mexico, where he finally got a taste of the flavorful dish.
Fans couldn’t believe the 56-year-old had gone this long without trying one of Mexico's most iconic creations. Taking to his Instagram story, he shared his excitement: "This is spectacular!" Clearly, the sweet-and-savory combination had him hooked.
Tacos al pastor have an incredible history and are made with marinated pork cooked on a vertical spit (aka a trompo). You’ve probably seen them at taco trucks or stands, with a pineapple sitting on top—sliced off into the tacos, sometimes with an impressive knife trick. "And they throw in a pineapple, which I’ve never had like this. Just a little piece, but it changes everything. Your palate explodes," Chayanne said.
The "Torero" singer is currently on his Bailemos Otra Vez Tour, which runs through October. His most recent show was at Estadio Guaycura in La Paz, Baja California Sur, on February 18.
Now that he’s seen the internet’s reaction to his surprising first-time experience, maybe he’ll explore more of Mexico’s famous dishes while on tour.
The history of tacos al pastor
Chayanne has six more shows in Mexico City, the perfect place to indulge in more tacos al pastor. The dish originated in the central Mexican regions of Puebla and Mexico City, blending Mexican and Middle Eastern influences.
Its roots trace back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Lebanese immigrants brought their tradition of shawarma—spit-roasted, marinated meat served in pita bread—to Mexico.
The name pastor (meaning "shepherd") nods to the dish’s shawarma and gyro origins, traditionally made with lamb. Over time, this technique adapted to local tastes, swapping lamb for pork, pita for corn tortillas, and incorporating adobo marinade.
"During the 1960s, the Mexican-born children of these Lebanese migrants … started opening their own restaurants, creating a kind of hybrid cuisine," historian Jeffrey Pilcher, author of "Planet Taco," told The World.
"They take the technology they grew up with in these Lebanese restaurants—the vertical rotisserie—but instead of lamb, they use pork," Pilcher explained. "They marinate it in a red chili sauce, which gives it that distinctive color, and they cook it up, serve it, and call it tacos al pastor."