A restaurant needs three things — capable chefs, a strong concept and a heart.
Tall in stature, yet humble in nature, Axel Oliva never claimed he was the heart of Leche de Tigre. Yet he showed it to be true in his day-to-day work.
Oliva, who died Sunday at age 31, was a constant presence at Leche de Tigre, the well-reviewed Peruvian restaurant he co-founded with brothers Emil and Alec. As a frequent diner at the Southtown spot, I observed Axel Oliva juggle a variety of duties — front desk host, server, wine opener, drink carrier, busser, storyteller.
“‘No brother, I got you,’” wasn’t simply a phrase [to Axel], it was his way of showing friendship, hospitality, but most of all, love,” Rodrigo Bravo Jr., a freelance writer and producer for arts organization Nuestra Palabra, said of his late friend.
Another role for Oliva? Champagne pourer. As I dined in a packed house at Leche de Tigre last New Year’s Eve, he asked me if I planned to return at midnight for a champagne toast.
“Thank you for bringing in the New Year with us!” he told me. He never used the word, “I.” It was always a team effort.
San Antonio influencer Stephanie Guerra and her husband Eric began their story with Oliva over chicha morada in 2022.
“We first met Axel in 2022 outside of what would soon become Leche de Tigre, when he was running his bicycle coffee cart, La Bici. He shared his and his brothers’ vision for what they were building in Southtown and for San Antonio,” Guerra recounted. “From the start, you could feel how special it would be.”
Following Leche de Tigre’s February 2023 debut, the Guerras became regulars at the restaurant.
“The food and drinks were incredible, but what truly stood out was the warmth and hospitality so often led by Axel,” Guerra said. “He was the first face you saw walking in, always welcoming, always kind. He introduced us to the team, who quickly became our friends, and he took pride in sharing every detail of the experience.”
It’s a feeling echoed by others who knew and loved Oliva. Hundreds of comments popped up on the Instagram post announcing his passing. The GoFundMe started in his honor surpassed its$12,000 goal in less than a day.
“Leche de Tigre has operated as a family, and the brothers have always extended that belief to their team, and their patrons,” writer Bravo said. “Axel embodied that spirit by taking care of folks so they felt at home, en casa.”
Community was important to Oliva. He often participated in events with the Leche de Tigre team around the city. During a Fajita Lounge Throwdown last fall, he proudly introduced me to a woman standing diligently by the team’s side.
“This is my mother! Leche de Tigre would not exist without her. She is the reason for all of this,” he told me, grinning ear-to-ear.
A sudden downpour broke out during that day’s event. Several Fajita Lounge Throwdown competitors kept cooking, including Leche de Tigre. Oliva, almost too tall for the makeshift kitchen tent, flashed a peace sign, looking perfectly content as he cooked in the pouring rain alongside his family.
“He was part of our journey in those early days, and from the start you could feel it, his talent, his ambition, his energy. It was contagious,” Toro Kitchen + Bar founder and Gusto Group CEO Gerardo de Anda said of Oliva.
“He didn’t just work, he loved what he did, and that passion came straight from his soul,” de Anda added. “I’ll always remember the way he talked about his dreams with his brothers, how real it felt, how it pulled you in. You couldn’t help but get excited just hearing him. I’m grateful he got to live that dream.”
“Our casa es tu casa,” Axel wrote in his last email to me.
What I’ll cherish most is the fact that I returned to Leche de Tigre before midnight on New Year’s Eve, where Axel Oliva was in his element —- making everyone smile and cheer with champagne and his beautifully authentic spirit.
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