The time has finally come for me to set out on my own. I have been cooking for more than 2 decades, working alongside some of the best cooks in the country. In my years of grinding in southern kitchens I have learned so much about food, but also about time management and how to squeeze every little penny of worth from every morsel of food. Making great food is a huge part of the food business, but the mesh of hospitality and business comes from experience, and learning from my own mistakes as well as those around me is a great advantage. I’ve been a part of opening a handful of restaurants- high end to casual, all the while learning the art of controlling expenditures. I have an innate love for southern flavors and culinary traditions but also have a grasp on progessive techniques and trends, and have always enjoyed getting gritty in the kitchen and pulling more than my own weight, but have always had to eventually answer to someone else. The opportunity to own a food truck will make my dreams of being my own boss/landlord a reality. If I feel a dish needs a little more umph? I can just alter it. If I want to bring the food to 2, maybe 3 corners of the city in one day? Boom.. on the move.
I was lucky enough to grow up in North Carolina and have spent a lot of time cooking here as well. The agriculture in this state is amazing, better than most; The farmers and artisans are uber passionate about their work, and rightfully so. With this food truck I want to create an opportunity for farmers to showcase what it is that they do from sun-up to sundown. I think helping to create a draw to these farms and emphasizing their importance is imperative to the present and more so for the future. This truck will hopefully become a catalyst for people to go out and meet local growers, or cattlemen, or cheese makers, or fishermen, or brewers and vintners. Hopefully we will spend most of our time on this truck doing pop-ups on farms and other events around the state. We will also be using North Carolina product everyday whenever possible, making people excited about the food grown around them. Having worked in many different styles of restaurants, I am capable of doing high-end dinners and catered banquets, as well as a faster, more casual (and more affordable) lunch, dinner, or late night snack in the street. The menu will rotate according to your likes and dislikes, as well as seasonal availability. You can rest assured that you will always see some soups, salads, sandwiches, and small bowls of awesome that will scratch that itch for something fun or clever or familiar and always delicious.
I am sure that money is tight for everyone, I know first hand how it seems there are always more dollars going out than coming in. Helping someone else financially can be tough.. it was tough for me to finally ask you for help, but I have to start somewhere. Even if you can’t help to fund this dream of mine, please just share this campaign and spread the word. I want to help bring deliciousness to your life and spread the good word about the farmers in our state! The money raised during this campaign will go towards the purchase of a completed food truck that was built last year. It was successfully utilized by a very talented chef who is now working in a brick and mortar restaurant. On top of purchasing the truck, the money will help pay for permits, rent at a commissary kitchen for a month, buy starting inventory, and pay employees’ salaries for a couple months as well. I’ve spent more than 2 decades honing my craft, now I just want to get a dream off the ground.