Published by American Palate

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.net

Copyright © 2016 by Tiffany Harelik and Renee Casteel Cook

All rights reserved

Front cover, top left: Ray Ray’s Hog Pit. Photo by James Anderson; top right: Porketta. Photo credit Tony Layne; middle left: Local tomatoes. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net; bottom left: Catie Randazzo of Challah! Food Truck. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net; bottom right: Beignets from Early Bird Food Truck. Photo by Libby Glover.

First published 2016

e-book edition 2016

ISBN 978.1.43965.622.8

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015959408

print edition ISBN 978.1.46713.580.1

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the authors or The History Press. The authors and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

A bird doesn’t doubt the wind. Along with the Trailer Food Diaries Series, this book is dedicated to anyone who has ever taken a leap of faith.

CONTENTS

Preface: Food Truck Cookbooks

Acknowledgements

Columbus Food Truck Culture

BREAKFASTS & BREADS

Apple Fritter

Buckeye Donuts

Churro French Toast

Native Eats

Early Bird Beignet

The Early Bird Food Truck

Beast Smoothie

Kinetic

Ask a Local: Bethia Woolf & Andy Dehus, Columbus Food Adventures

HANDHELDS

Apple Bacon Brie Burger

Street Thyme

Black Bean, Corn & Saffron Rice Tacos

LoveBug

Buffalo Chicken Pita (or Salad)

Pitabilities

Chicken Gyro

Buckeye Donuts

Fresh Hand-Rolled Spring Rolls with Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce

Mai Chau Truck

Max’s Smoked BBQ Meatloaf Sliders

Papaya BBQ

Savier Philly Cheesesteak

Savier Street

Sweet and Spicy Caramelized Cauliflower Bánh Mì

Mai Chau Truck

Tailwind Wrap

Kinetic

The Friend of the Devil

Short North Bagel Deli

The Good Ole Goodale

Short North Bagel Deli

The Red, White and BOOOOM!

Short North Bagel Deli

The Hot Italian

Bacon the Food Cart

The Turkey and Bacon

Bacon the Food Cart

Timmy’s Meltdown Blue Buffalo Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Timmy’s Meltdown

“Under the Influence” Bourbon-Glazed Brisket Tacos

Paddy Wagon

Ask a Local: Jim Ellison, Columbus Brew Adventures

MAIN DISHES

Chicken Chimichurri

Native Eats

En Place Salad

En Place

Garden-Fresh Tomato Soup

Alphabetical Soups & Salads

Chicken Salad

Challah!

Corned Beef

Challah!

Smokey BBQ Pulled Pork

Buckeye Snack Shack

Jerk Chicken

Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

MA the Meatloaf

My Place or Yours

“The Soph” Pork Rub

Sophie’s Gourmet Pierogi

Green Meanie Braised Pork Belly

Green Meanie

Ask a Local: Amy Tillinghast, Experience Columbus

SIDE DISHES

Smokey Chipotle Tortilla Chips

Native Eats

Sriracha Slaw

The Explorers Club

Sweet Slaw

Smok’N Cantina

D’duk ’n’ Cheese

Ajumama

White Cheddar Grits

Green Meanie

Ask a Local: Nick Dekker, Breakfast with Nick

SAUCES

Bulleit BBQ Sauce

Por’Ketta Food Truck

Chipotle Adobo Sauce

Tortilla

Ask a Local: Beth Stallings, Columbus Crave Magazine

DESSERTS

CinnaChips™

Pitabilities

Plantain and Coconut Upside-Down Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut

The Explorers Club

Power Bites

Kinetic

Vanilla Soda

The Flat Top Pizza Co.

Tips from the Food Trucks: Starting Your Own Food Truck Business

Contributing Truck List

About the Authors

Preface

FOOD TRUCK COOKBOOKS

My first foray into “cookbooking” began in 2007, when I began amassing a collection of heirloom recipes from my family that I wanted to be able to pass down. The project mushroomed into a large collection of stories and ingredients that I warehoused on my laptop for years before creating a Word document that served as our keepsake family cookbook. I didn’t care about publishing it; the idea was to preserve some family history, pictures and recipes to share with future generations. In the course of editing, though, I realized I had a decent formula for writing collaborative cookbooks, and I had a passion for the work, too.

The family cookbook hobby grew on me, and I began writing the Trailer Food Diaries cookbook series in 2009 as a blog. I had gone on a “food truck crawl” with some neighbors and friends to eat some of Austin’s newest culinary endeavors that were coming out of food trucks and Airstream food trailers. Some of the food trailers were paired up in parks peppered throughout the city, and some stood alone. We had a map, a plan and a Sunday afternoon off to gallivant through town. What we found was unexpected: several of the trailers were closed on Sunday, some were not where they said they were and others had run out of the very thing we wanted to try. A little discouraged, we ended up with a case of beer at the famous Gourdough’s doughnut trailer and split some doughnut holes (trailer parks in Austin are BYOB).

When I looked to the Internet for help in assessing the food trailer scene as a whole, I found a void. Since I had recently quit my job, I decided to dub myself as one of the first authorities on food trailers in my hometown and started the blog “Trailer Food Diaries.” I knew the chefs were creative, I knew they had amazing stories to tell and I wanted to help them market and share their recipes and histories so that others could enjoy them.

After a few months of blogging, I met Chef Shay Spence, who introduced me to his father, Roy Spence, founding partner at the illustrious GSD&M advertising agency. Roy soon became an integral figure in shaping the Trailer Food Diaries. “Working his way down the corporate ladder,” as he will tell you, Roy opened the Royito’s hot sauce trailer, fashioning his mission after three critical lessons learned from his father:

1. Be kind to everyone, for you never know what someone is going through.

2. Keep it simple.

3. Don’t do mild.

With these principles guiding his inspiring hot sauce trailer, Roy continues to spread the word about the importance of small businesses. “Our country was founded on mom-and-pop businesses,” he said as he explained why food trailers offer such a great outlet for entrepreneurs of any age to pursue their passions.

A few months later, I pitched a food truck festival concept to C3 Presents. Together, we created the Gypsy Picnic trailer food festival in 2010. With close to thirty food trailers and nearly twenty thousand attendees, the festival showed us just how much Austin loves its food trucks. We did it a second year in 2011 with over thirty thousand attendees, and the first Trailer Food Diaries cookbook was launched: Austin Edition, Volume 1.

Beyond the Gypsy Picnic, I began co-producing Trailer Food Tuesdays, an event every last Tuesday of the month at the Long Center in Austin, Texas. The event hosted an average of ten food trucks per month with live music ambience and the city skyline as the backdrop. Since it was right by the Auditorium Shores city park area, people enjoyed using the trail to walk or bike over to the heart of the city for dinner and dancing.

At the time of the writing of this volume, I have been all over the world researching outdoor cuisine, from food trucks to cowboy ranch cooking. The notion of street food is worldwide and has its roots in almost every culture. Toward this end, I have eaten street food in Peru, Honduras, Mexico, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and most of the states in the United States. From my experience interviewing for my cookbooks, I can tell you three key things these folks have in common:

1. They are entrepreneurs. They do not want to work for anyone else and will work an eighty-hour week for themselves and their family to avoid working a forty-hour week for someone else.

2. They have at least one good recipe that someone has complimented them on. It’s a recipe they are proud to share with you, and their favorite part of your day is when you take that first bite and your eyes light up. They are cooking to see you smile, not for a big payday.

3. They are community-oriented people. For the most part, the food truck owners report that one of the things they love most about owning and operating their cart is the opportunity to meet so many different people during the day. They are as intrigued about your story and what brought you to their food as you are about their menu.

To date, we have Trailer Food Diaries volumes in Austin, Portland, Dallas/ Fort Worth and Houston. I have partnered with fellow author Steven Shomler of Portland Food Cart Stories on food cart projects in Oregon, so when I got a call from Renee in Ohio, it was with great pleasure that we decided to add Columbus to the food truck cookbook portfolio.

Renee told me she had bought a copy of the Trailer Food Diaries when she first reached out with a “cold” e-mail in 2014, which resulted in a pen pal– like friendship. With her background in advertising and interest in getting started in food writing and my experience with authoring cookbooks, we decided to team up and learn more about the growing food truck culture in Columbus, Ohio, where she had recently relocated. A three-way call with our friend Steven Shomler of Portland Food Cart Stories had us inspired to continue the food truck cookbook legacy. Renee connected with and started interviewing several of the trucks in the Columbus scene. Given that there are over four hundred trucks, this was no small feat. With the mission of learning her new hometown via food, Renee explored neighborhoods from Clintonville to German Village and from the Short North to the campus of Ohio State University and everything in between.

I am continually inspired by the pursuit of passion in the service industry. The recipes in this title are every bit as interesting as the stories behind the food truck chefs who are making their way in Columbus.

Tiffany Harelik

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TIFFANY HARELIK

Thank you to all the chefs who have contributed your stories and recipes: you serve as an inspiration to others who want to be their own boss and work within the service industry. Thank you to Renee Casteel Cook for boldly reaching out to me and bringing the Ohio food truck scene under my radar and for her willingness to be the eyes on the ground as we researched this book.

Thank you also to friends, family and everyone who believed in telling the Trailer Food Diaries story from my first kickstarter book all the way to the support of my other titles. I’m thankful to be on the cookbook road trip of a lifetime with so many fun people.

RENEE CASTEEL COOK

I have to first start by thanking Tiffany for the opportunity and willingness to partner up for this project and for recognizing what the Columbus food truck scene has to offer. Secondly, but just as critical, I am indebted to the Columbus food community, including Crave magazine and Beth Stallings, who offered me a start on the scene as well as support for this title; Mike Gallicchio and the team at the Columbus Food Truck Festival for sharing the idea that Columbus deserves to be showcased in this way; Alicia Grantham and Jen Gable at the Food Fort; Kate Djupe at the Commissary; and each and every hardworking, incredibly talented, passionate owner and operator of the trucks mentioned in this book. Laying your passion on the line in a hot, small, mobile kitchen to bring our community treats that showcase your background and talents is no small feat, and celebrating all you do in this book is only a token’s worth of appreciation and admiration.

And for those who’ve known me the longest, for whom this book represents a lifelong interest and passion come to fruition, you all have served as support, inspiration and unfailing love in this pursuit and overall journey. Mom, you are now, have always been and will always be my rock—there is no thank-you significant enough to express what you have done for me in making “home is where your mom is” a true reality here in Columbus. Jimmy, you are my partner not only in everything this life has to offer but also— especially—in my culinary pursuits. You’ve honed my palate from ketchup on Thanksgiving turkey to curried Brussels sprouts (with or without bacon!). Thank you and your parents, Jim and Jane, for bringing me to Columbus and letting me explore and pursue this rare opportunity. To my dad, brother, extended family and dear friends, who always believed I could and would do anything I dreamed up and stood by my side whatever that may be, I wish I could send individual shout-outs to each and every one of you, but in true writer fashion, I’m handcuffed by the devil that is word count (I promise to fulfill this on my website, just give me some time). And to my dear daughter, still “baking” inside of me at the time of this writing, I already love you more than I ever knew I could. You have been the best sidekick I could’ve asked for in taste testing all of these crazy concoctions throughout the process. If nothing else, I hope I’ve given you a diverse palate and a big appetite for all life has to offer.

COLUMBUS FOOD TRUCK CULTURE

Renee Casteel Cook

It often surprises people to learn that Columbus—a midwestern city, state capital and college town at its heart—is not only home to great football but also boasts best-in-class medical facilities, over twenty Fortune 500 to 1,000 companies, the top-ranked zoo in the country and, for our purposes, an ever-growing, changing and inspiring food scene, evidenced in part by the growth in the food truck community in recent years.

Columbus’s diversity (over 109 languages are represented in the city’s schools) lends itself well to truck owners who are looking to bring their twist on a variety of cuisines to the eager and adventurous palates of the community. Over the last five years, Columbus has seen its food truck scene grow exponentially, from permanent side-of-the-road taco shacks to highly stylized trucks custom built to meet hungry customers closer to ground level. Whether a cart or an actual truck, each has its individual personality, shown through both the design and the dishes.

Taking notice of the growing scene, the team at Columbus Commons—a new downtown outdoor event venue—decided to bring the efforts of this diverse group together in the first annual Columbus Food Truck Festival (CFTF). Though the event was planned in less than a month and they had to corral all twenty-three trucks then in the city, lead organizer Mike Gallicchio, promoter Chaz Kaplan and the Commons team were pleasantly surprised by the turnout of ten thousand hungry consumers. They nearly shut down the neighboring area and caused sellouts at the festival, spilling over into nearby restaurants.

Columbus Skyline. Photo credit: OSP Images.

Columbus scene. Photo credit Topiary Garden.

The next few years saw improvements in organization and added trucks as they entered the market to help meet demand. By the fourth year, the group knew what to expect, as it had created the veritable “foodie event of the summer,” with over forty thousand attending the two-day event.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2015, the now three-day gathering has grown to highlight over seventy of the city’s best trucks. Held annually on the second weekend in August, the festival welcomes trucks from around the state, including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton and Athens, and attracts visitors from other markets while giving Columbus residents a chance to sample new offerings.

In the past five years, Gallicchio has seen firsthand the growth in not only number but also offerings and has a pulse on what Columbus wants from its food trucks. “We’ve always had taco trucks, but they weren’t as much [a] part of the community until food trucks became popular, and CFTF provided a linkage for those individual vendors,” he said. The stalwarts of the group, trucks like Pitabilities, Juniors Tacos and Paddy Wagon, have been in the market a long time. They understand the business and are constantly looking to up their game, become better businesses and put out a better product. Some have even grown to multiple-truck operations.

Gallicchio and team were somewhat outsiders until this year. They did not actually own a truck until the spring of 2015 launch of Bacon the Food Cart. Wanting to be part of the community and having insider access to events combined with a newfound perspective for what other trucks have gone through—and most importantly, an undying love of all things bacon—Gallicchio and team got in the game themselves, adding to the diverse landscape of Columbus’s mobile delicacies.

Columbus Food Truck Festival. Photo credit David Heasley.

Columbus Food Truck Festival. Photo credit David Heasley.

In this way, new trucks are continually popping up, influenced in part by the great work of both the Food Fort and the Commissary. The Food Fort, a subset of the Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI), was founded in 2011 as a dedicated resource for food-based small business development and has grown to include prep and storage space, cleanup facilities and a commercial kitchen and bakery that supports both new and existing food-based businesses. The Commissary was founded in 2014 through both private funding and a Kickstarter campaign that instantly involved the surrounding community. Through these efforts, they built out the large-scale space to house working areas for trucks, as well as event space to host pop-up dinners, cooking classes and competitions. The Commissary continues to expand, with plans to add a commercial coffee-roasting facility and brewery, all open to the public and in support of the goals and passions of the group of chefs and community members who make the space truly a communal kitchen and gathering place.

As the culture has expanded, so have the options and resources to help track down a truck. The Central Ohio Food Truck Association recently developed and launched the mobile app Street Food Finder, which uses a geo-locator function to provide a user with a list of nearby trucks based on his or her current location and also allows participating trucks to update their planned locations in the future. Columbus supports its food truck culture through citywide programs to identify designated truck parking areas—key during high-traffic times. The program allows truck operators to sign up in advance and communicate their locations to the hungry masses. Additionally, many food trucks have taken up semi-permanent locations, with weekly appearances at event venues, breweries and corporate partners (skip the brown bag lunch that day!). Private rental of favorite trucks for events, including weddings, has gained great popularity as well—definitely an upgrade from the typical banquet food or a great choice for a surprising farewell snack at the end of a great party.

Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey. Photo credit Nationwide Realty Investors;

Ohio Stadium. Photo credit The Ohio State University.

Photos by Catherine Murray, www.hotokitchen.net.

Photos by Catherine Murray, www.hotokitchen.net.

While this book aims to feature some of the best offerings in the Columbus market, it’s by no means exhaustive, and we encourage you to continue to explore via established, credible resources, including streeteatscolumbus.com and tacotruckscolumbus.com.

Photos by Catherine Murray, www.hotokitchen.net.

Columbus scene. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net.

Nick Dekker. Photo by Megan Leigh Barnard.

And if you prefer a guided resource, there’s none better than the crew at Columbus Food Adventures, which offers not only a Food Truck Tour but also a specific Taco Truck Tour, among many other options, found at columbusfoodadventures.com/tours.

Columbus offers much as an up-and-coming culinary scene, as well as a supported food truck market. Until next time, we hope you eat up, enjoy and, most importantly, come visit, as there’s nothing quite like trying these dishes and hearing the trucks’ stories firsthand. We can guarantee this outgoing group of owners, operators and chefs will kindly welcome you to “the heart of it all,” and you’ll never leave with an empty stomach.

BREAKFASTS & BREADS

Apple Fritter

Buckeye Donuts

Churro French Toast

Native Eats

Early Bird Beignet

The Early Bird Food Truck

Beast Smoothie

Kinetic

BREAKFASTS & BREADS

Apple Fritter

Courtesy of Jimmy Barouxis, Buckeye Donuts

These are especially good in the fall, when flavors of apples and cinnamon are most enjoyable.

Dough

1 packet dry yeast

3¼ cups all purpose flour

⅓ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1½ cup whole milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup chopped apple donut jelly oil, for frying

Glaze

1½ cups powdered sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the Dough

Whisk together the yeast, 3 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer.

With a dough hook and the mixer on low speed, mix in the milk, followed by the eggs.

Continue mixing until the dough gathers into a ball around dough hook, 2 to 4 minutes.

As the dough continues to knead, add in the butter 1 tablespoon at time. Allow each tablespoon of butter to combine into the dough before adding another. If the dough starts to fall away from the dough hook, add the remaining ¼ cup of flour 1 tablespoon at a time until dough comes back together before adding in the next butter piece.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Make the Glaze

Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in the milk and vanilla until smooth; set aside. Warm in the microwave in 10-second bursts if the glaze starts to harden.

Assemble the Fritters

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Pour the chopped apple jelly onto the dough and use a stainless steel dough scraper with wood handle to chop the apple jelly into the dough. Chop until combined.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is about 1½ inches thick.

Using a round donut cutter, cut the dough with the cutter and gently flatten the dough down with your fingers.

Spacing each fritter out, put them on a large platter, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit in a warm area for 30 minutes.

Using a small home fryer, set the fryer temperature to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place fritters into fryer. Be careful not to overcrowd because they will expand.

Fry each side of the fritter for about 90 seconds.

Using a heat-resistant slotted spoon, scoop out fritters onto a paper towel–lined platter. Let them cool for 1 minute.

Pour glaze over top. Allow them a few minutes to dry and enjoy!

BUCKEYE DONUTS MOBILE UNIT

Jimmy Barouxis

For forty-six years, the Buckeye Donuts shop has stood guard over Ohio State University. An icon on High Street, just south of Lane, it has been the cornerstone of campus life for students, faculty and visitors alike. The Barouxis family has seen changes throughout the decades and weathered the tests of time, consumer preferences and even food trends, maintaining classic Greek diner fare alongside the original donut offering, which Jimmy Barouxis’s grandfather and father created in 1969. Now the next generation, Jimmy and his brother George, look to not only expand the lineup but also take it to the streets, via the Buckeye Donuts Mobile Unit, launched in the summer of 2015.

“I’ve been wanting to be a part of the food truck scene since 2010, when my wife and I were at ComFest and I said, ‘Why aren’t we here? We should be part of this!’” said Barouxis. It took him three years to commit, finally hiring an electrician friend in late 2013 to build the truck, which took until March 2014 to complete and September to permit and inspect. Things were rough along the way—batteries and electric cords got stolen, a rough winter caused pipes to freeze and burst while the license expired and the process had to be restarted. Feeling defeated and also some familial heat, Jimmy took to Twitter, posting a picture of the work-in-progress truck, to see if consumers would even care. Not only did they care, but they also went nuts, retweeting and liking the post, giving Jimmy the boost he needed to keep going and get the show on the road.

That first chance finally came in June 2015, when a local retailer called one evening at 5:00 p.m. asking if the truck could be on site the following morning at 11:00 a.m. Barouxis drove back from an out-of-town trip overnight, headed straight to the restaurant to load up on donuts and hit the event without sleep or even a credit card payment system set up yet. But customers didn’t seem to mind; the truck was so well received that the store immediately booked four more dates, and the dream of bringing Buckeye Donuts out of the brick and mortar and to the people off campus was not only a reality but also an instant success. By August, the opportunity to be at the Columbus Food Truck Festival opened up, and Buckeye Donuts was unknowingly slotted into a tournament-style bracket for fan voting on Best Truck. Beating out long-established trucks like Mikey’s Late Night Slice, the Buckeye Crew made it to the final four, and Barouxis got the call to appear on stage at the event to accept a trophy, which he kissed.

“People here are great,” said Bariouxis. “They’ve voted us best donuts in Columbus two years in a row in all the [local] magazines, and there’s a lot of love. They’re not only supportive but come out of their way to see us.”

And Buckeye Donuts returns the love, experimenting with customer requests for new varieties, such as the S’mores, Samoa, Red Velvet Cake and Pumpkin Roll seasonal specials. Two of the bestsellers are recent additions: the Maple Bacon, added in 2011 (Bariouxis noted it’s now not the only but definitely the first in town), and the Buckeye Donut, added in 2010. The Buckeye is always available on the truck alongside classics like glazed, apple fritter and cake doughnuts, the latter made fresh inside using a doughnut robot. While donuts make up 50 to 75 percent of the truck business, those Greek diner staples have gone mobile, too, with gyros, French fries, tater tots and breakfast sandwiches rounding out the offering.

Barouxis is enthused by the initial reaction and excited about requests to cater weddings, as well as having a presence at the official Ohio State football tailgate party this fall. He views this as “another chapter of the Buckeye Donuts story,” noting, “we’ve seen a lot of changes and difficulties but we’re still here.” Now, here is wherever the mobile unit can take them, exposing the Barouxis family legacy to new people and new parts of Columbus.

Churro French Toast

Courtesy of Alyssa Block, Native Eats

This dish is quite possibly the tastiest use for stale bread. Native Eats prefers challah bread, but feel free to experiment with whatever you have available. Make sure you have some local maple syrup on hand for this breakfast go-to.

Set aside 1-inch slices of bread to use as the “churros.”

In a medium-sized bowl whisk together eggs, ¾ cup of whole milk, the orange juice, ¾ of the orange zest, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and vanilla extract until the eggs are incorporated fully—about 2 minutes of vigorous whisking to create a custard-like mixture.

1 loaf stale challah bread, sliced into 1-inch slices

6 eggs

1 cup whole milk

juice of 1 orange

zest of 1 orange

4 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon butter, for cooking

In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining orange zest, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and sugar.

Heat a cast-iron skillet to medium-low and melt the butter. Submerge the challah slices or pieces in the custard mixture for 10 seconds or until the custard is absorbed and place in the cast-iron skillet. Cook for 5 minutes on each side. The center should be cooked through and fluffy.

Right after the French toast comes out of the skillet (it needs to be very hot), place it into the cinnamon sugar mixture and sprinkle along the sides, top and bottom until the bread is coated fully. Enjoy with local maple syrup.

Early Bird Beignet

Courtesy of Libby Glover, The Early Bird Food Truck

“This is a variation of the beignet that we serve in our food truck.”

—Libby Glover

¾ cup warm water

¼ cup granulated sugar

1⅛ teaspoons yeast

1 egg

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup whole milk (the higher the fat content, the better)

3½ cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

oil, for cooking (peanut, canola or vegetable oil)

powdered sugar for presentation

Mix water, sugar and yeast together. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Beat egg, adding salt, milk and then sugar mixture. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, adding the butter halfway through. Knead for about 1 minute and allow to rise for 2 hours.

Roll out dough to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into circles. Fry at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, turning over consistently until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain and coat in powdered sugar.

THE EARLY BIRD FOOD TRUCK

Libby Glover

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Libby Glover moved to Columbus right after college in 2006. “A couple of years later, I moved to Chicago to attend school at Kendall College, where I studied baking and pastry,” Libby explained. “Once I completed school, I returned to Columbus to stay closer to my family.”

Libby credits her family with giving her a passion for baking. “Every time my grandmother would come to visit, she would bake cookies with my sisters and me,” Libby said. “My mother would also bake a lot in the kitchen, and it was something I loved doing with her. I grew up baking and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” As a child, Libby said she wanted to be anything and everything. “There was mention of being a lion tamer once. It wasn’t until later that I decided I wanted to be a chef, and then it took me a while to realize that my passion for baking could become a career.”

Before she opened the Early Bird Food Truck, Libby was running her own home-based bakery, doing wholesale, special orders and farmers’ markets, which she still does on the side. The bestseller at her food truck are the beignets. “Beignets are a French style of donut made popular stateside by New Orleans. Simple and delicious!” Libby said. “I love the beignet filled with our custard made in house and topped with our chocolate ganache. It’s kind of like a Boston cream donut but so much better.”

Libby Glover of Early Bird Bakery. Photo by Emily Roeser.

Like many food trailer owners, Libby took the remodel for her food trailer into her own hands. “I only had one thing, the exhaust hood, professionally installed,” she said. “Completing the remodel is a huge accomplishment for me.”

Since opening the food trailer in November 2014, she said weather has been her biggest challenge. “I did not realize how dependent we would be on the weather. I knew that people didn’t like to stand in the rain or the cold, but sales were affected way more than I was expecting,” she said. “Adjusting to that was definitely important.”

When we asked what some of her favorite meals at home were, she said Thanksgiving. “My mom cooks most of our Thanksgiving meal,” Libby said. “I bake the rolls, and my sisters make the casseroles and the stuffing. We end up with a huge meal that feeds us for days! It is by far my favorite family meal.” Many of the recipes Libby uses in her food truck are from her grandmother. “My grandma wrote me a letter with a handwritten recipe for pie. I’ve kept that pretty close to me.”

Beast Smoothie

Courtesy of Andrew Tuchow and Andy O’Brien, Kinetic

“The surge of antioxidants from this smoothie will have you channeling your spirit animal in no time. The Beast packs a mean punch. Release your inner beast.”

—Andrew Tuchow

½ cup blueberries (frozen)

½ cup raspberries (frozen)

½ cup blackberries (frozen)

2 cups Greek yogurt

1 cup pomegranate juice

Use frozen bagged berries or buy fresh and freeze your own overnight. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until incorporated.

A typical rule for proper smoothie blending is to add the most liquid items first (pomegranate juice, yogurt) and then add in the additional ingredients on top. This ensures a thorough mixture.

If the smoothie is too thick, add more pomegranate juice or some water. If the smoothie is too thin, add more berries or even a banana.

If you like protein powder, simply add a little extra juice to the mix when you add the powder.

ASK A LOCAL: BETHIA WOOLF & ANDY DEHUS, COLUMBUS FOOD ADVENTURES

Andy Dehus and Bethia Woolf are owners of Columbus Food Adventures and co-founders of the blogs Taco Trucks Columbus and Street Eats Columbus. They write about all facets of the local food community on both sites, as well as in local publications, including Columbus’s Crave magazine. Columbus Food Adventures, their food tour company, takes customers to learn about and taste the best food experiences the city has to offer.

How long have you been in Columbus, and when did you start following the food cart scene here?

We started off by chronicling the surprisingly large number of local taco trucks in 2009, which led to our website TacoTrucksColumbus.com. Shortly thereafter, as big supporters of the ideas behind mobile food in general, we started a more inclusive mobile food website called StreetEatsColumbus.com.

How are food trucks part of the Columbus culture?

They’ve helped change where and when people eat. One good example of this is the trucks that frequent office parks, providing food options that previously didn’t exist for the employees there. Another would be the symbiosis between food trucks and microbreweries—they’re two growing phenomena that hit the city at about the same time, and as a result, Columbusites can drink better beer while eating from a rotating selection of on-site food trucks.

If it’s someone’s first time visiting Columbus, how would you describe the food trailer scene, and where would you tell them to begin?

We’d describe the scene as vibrant but far-flung. Columbus is a spread-out city, and the trucks are all over. And this makes it less evident how many great trucks there are out there.

As to the question of telling someone where to begin, we couldn’t help but suggest that they take our food truck tour or our taco truck tour—we truly feel as though we’ve collected the best of the best for them.

Aside from that, though, it’s not that different from looking for food anywhere else—tastes and interests vary from person to person, so you’ll ultimately get better results when seeking out the things that interest you. Once you’ve narrowed yourself down to trucks of interest, it’s a good idea to check out their Facebook pages and/or Twitter feeds to see where they’ll be next.

Which trucks are most reflective of Columbus culture?

We tend to think the variety of trucks is more reflective of Columbus’s culture than any particular truck.

What are the trends in cuisine within the food truck world?

Initially, many of the trucks explored various facets of American cuisine, but increasingly, we’re seeing more food with international influences.

What is the future of food trailers in Columbus?

Our crystal ball is hazy, but we have seen some of the more entrepreneurial truck owners use their businesses as steppingstones to opening brick-and-mortar restaurants. We also continue to see the number of trucks on the road increase.

What’s the feeling of Columbus restaurants toward food trucks?

It varies. Most would prefer not to have a truck parked outside their dining room, of course, but many have expressed the sentiment that the trucks help to generate an excitement about food that is good for everyone.

Is there a high turnover in entrepreneurs who start food trucks or do they have longevity?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, really. There are veteran truck owners who are clearly in it for the long haul, there are owners who are looking to step up to a restaurant as soon as they can generate the backing and there are more than a few who come to realize that running a food truck amounts to more work and uncertainty than they’re willing to accept.

Who are the founding fathers of the food truck revolution in Columbus?

Without a doubt, the taco trucks, and the veterans among them include La Popular, Taco Nazo, Mr. Grill and Los Guachos. Outside the taco trucks, Ray Ray’s was a trailblazer, as was Jim Pasovich with his ever-expanding fleet of Pitabilities trucks. (If you look back through the archives on the Street Eats and Taco Trucks Columbus websites, you’ll see the early trucks.)

Are the Columbus trucks mobile or stationary?

Both. Columbus isn’t as dense as many other cities, which provides many opportunities for trucks and trailers—taco trucks in particular—to find set locations on private property. A majority of the whole, however, tend to move with great frequency.

What are some keys to success for food truck owners in Columbus?

It’s just about as easy as this: have good food. People who patronize food trucks are inherently far more open to trying new things than the average consumer, and if it’s good, you have a good shot of having a hit on your hands. Of course, there is an element of luck as well, and finding good locations is a factor, too.

Do you want to open your own cart? Why or why not?

We’re hard workers, but we don’t want to work that hard! We have so much respect for the time and effort involved in running a food truck.

Is it safe/healthy to eat from a food cart in Columbus?

To be honest, we find concerns about the safety of food trucks to be relatively absurd. They’re inspected to the same standards as any restaurant in the city (including having the color-coded health inspection stickers), and beyond that, we trust the kitchen we can see into over one we can’t. There was an article last year that said that food trucks were often safer than restaurants.

What food truck festivals are happening in the Columbus area?

This book probably doesn’t have space to include the incredible number of food truck events happening locally, but the annual Food Truck Festival is the marquis event for food trucks. Attendance is in the tens of thousands. There are many local food truck festivals and events, as well as many other festivals—such as Whitehall, Food Fort, Taste of Upper Arlington, Park Street Festival, et cetera—that, while not dedicated to food trucks, include large numbers of them.

HANDHELDS

Apple Bacon Brie Burger

Street Thyme

Black Bean, Corn & Saffron Rice Tacos

LoveBug

Buffalo Chicken Pita (or Salad)

Pitabilities

Chicken Gyro

Buckye Donuts

Fresh Hand-Rolled Spring Rolls with Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce

Mai Chau Truck

Max’s Smoked BBQ Meatloaf Sliders

Papaya BBQ

Savier Philly Cheesesteak

Savier Street

Sweet and Spicy Caramelized Cauliflower Bánh Mì

Mai Chau Truck

Tailwind Wrap

Kinetic

The Friend of the Devil

Short North Bagel Deli

The Good Ole Goodale

Short North Bagel Deli

The Red, White and BOOOOM!

Short North Bagel Deli

The Hot Italian

Bacon the Food Cart

The Turkey and Bacon

Bacon the Food Cart

Timmy’s Meltdown Blue Buffalo Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Timmy’s Meltdown

“Under the Influence” Bourbon-Glazed Brisket Tacos

Paddy Wagon

HANDHELDS

Apple Bacon Brie Burger

Courtesy of Alex Emrich, Street Thyme

A new-school patty melt that’s sure to surprise and delight your taste buds with each crunchy, salty, cheesy bite.

Aioli

8 ounces olive oil–based mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped fine tarragon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives splash lime juice

Place mayo, tarragon, chives and lime juice in a mixing bowl. Mix until consistent and even.

Burger

1 sweet and 1 white onion

2 granny smith apples

6 strips medium bacon fresh sourdough bread salted butter, for cooking

⅔ pound ground beef, split into 4 thin patties

4 ounces Brie cheese, split in 2 strips salt and pepper to taste

Prep for Two

Start by slicing the onions into small strips following the lines of the onion. Place in small bowl.

Core each apple and then turn it upside down with the newly cut side down on the cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, cut very thin slices of apple parallel to the cutting board.

Form ⅔ pound beef into 4 equal balls (large meatballs), then set in the fridge.

Turn your burner to medium high. Wait 60 seconds and place bacon on the skillet for home grilling or on your flat top if you are cooking in a truck. Let them cook for about 3 minutes and then flip. Once flipped, nestle your sliced apples and onions around the bacon to caramelize them in bacon grease.

Once the bacon is 80 percent cooked, either toast your bread in a toaster or on the skillet or flat top and put burgers on to cook on the skillet. Once meat is dropped on the skillet, season and wait 20 seconds. Then flip them and add Brie cheese. Cover in onions, bacon and apple any way you’d like (split toppings evenly). Before placing burgers on the bread, use your newly made aioli and spread evenly on both sides of toast. Now stack the burgers and caramelized mixture to make double burgers. They shouldn’t stack evenly and should slide over—this is why we use large sourdough bread. Wait 1 minute to let everything set. Enjoy.

STREET THYME

Alex Emrich

A Columbus native, Alex Emrich graduated from New Albany High School in 2007 with 175 students in his class. “My mom grew up on a one-thousand-acre farm [with] all types of livestock and crops. My dad’s dad was a top butcher at United Provisions Company. So I grew up with farm to table and a respectingyour-animal mentality,” Alex shared. “My mom always cooked dinners and my dad grilled out. My mom makes an absolutely amazing meatloaf that is so soft but still stays together. It’s the best meatloaf I’ve ever had, hands down. My dad was the king of the grill growing up, smoking meats. It would make the entire neighborhood walk down the block after the smoke signals were sent around.”

Although he moved away for a few years of college, Alex returned to living in the city he loves. He remembered:

I always wanted to be a professional soccer player in England. I took a college scholarship to play football [kicker] even though I wanted to go to another school that had a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurialism. That always weighed heavy on my mind because ever since [I was] a second grader mowing my neighbors grass, I was an entrepreneur. I found my way working in a restaurant as a busboy after returning from school and then eventually cooking on a food truck for two years before I was able to get my own. My most proud accomplishment thus far is taking first place in the Columbus Underground “Best Food Truck” Poll in 2014.

The Apple Bacon Brie sticks are Alex’s bestseller and his personal favorite. “They are delicious, light and easy to eat,” he said. His goal is to expand Street Thyme to Cleveland and Cincinnati and grow from there.

Columbus is full of friendly, hip-to-new-ideas, cultured, likes-to-party, responsible, willing-to-give-you-the-shirt-off-our-back type of people. Our food scene is amazing as we don’t have mountains or oceans to take our attention. We love good conversations about interesting things. Concerts are a big deal here, and there are many evolving and going parts of Columbus. It’s a fun and exciting place to live where you feel safe and can truly feel the love and see the growth all around you. Everyone who comes to Columbus has to go to Katzingers Deli in German Village for the true experience—sandwiches the size of your head. Then for a nicer sushi experience, one has to check out Haiku in the Short North. Late-night pizza at Hound Dogs has been [something] I take anyone who’s ever visited me to. But there really is just amazing food everywhere, everywhere—it’s our thing.

Black Bean, Corn & Saffron Rice Tacos

Courtesy of Bryan Hartley, LoveBug

The most important thing in food is the ability to feed everyone—there are all kinds of dietary needs. This dish is simple with loads of flavorand is an instant hit with vegans everywhere.

—Bryan Hartley

2 cups black beans, cooked

2 cups corn (smoking a few ears of corn with the husk on works best)

1 cup medium-diced onion

½ cup medium-diced green bell pepper

½ cup medium-diced red bell pepper

1 jalapeño, diced fine

¼ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons Taco Magic seasoning

4 cups Saffron Rice

10 to 15 corn tortillas, toasted

Mix black beans, corn, onion, green and red bell peppers, jalapeño, lemon juice and seasoning. This mixture can be made a day in advance.

Taco Magic Seasoning

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix items well.

Saffron Rice

1 tablespoon Taco Magic seasoning

4 cups water

2 cups long-grain rice

3 to 4 threads of saffron

1 teaspoon turmeric

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Bring water to a boil, add seasoning and stir. Then add rice (one soft stir), cover and cook on medium for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off and leave covered for 5 minutes, tilting the pan afterward to ensure the water has been cooked off; if not, cover until it is absorbed. Do not stir. Once the water has cooked off, chill and then toss with the black bean mix.

Building the Tacos

Toast one side of the tortilla on medium heat on a preheated flat pan. Flip over and add 3 ounces of heated black bean corn & saffron mix. Cook 2 minutes and top with salsa, sour cream or guacamole if you like. Serve immediately.

LOVEBUG

Bryan Hartley

Bryan Hartley makes a mean gumbo. It includes a “from scratch,” two-hour dark roux, the holy trinity (also the LoveBug logo), tomato, chicken, sausage, okra and seasoning. There’s no spin, just straight, traditional, simple food that all can enjoy. It takes time, knowledge and, most importantly, passion.

It is one of those dishes that you crave every bite of. He says it’s because he loves you, and he loves gumbo, real gumbo.

Like all of the food at LoveBug, the gumbo is an example of what Bryan wants to make and sell and wants you to love as much as he does. It might have all started with his impromptu 1998 Mardi Gras excursion, arriving alone at midnight on Monday and heading straight to Café du Monde for both beignets and crawfish étouffée. This led him to open LoveBug for the first time on Fat Tuesday 2012 at Dick’s Den just north of Ohio State’s campus. While he was making red beans and rice from scratch on High Street, along with a Carolina pork sandwich, veggie kabobs and homemade pralines, something felt right, and the last three years at Lovebug have seen continued growth and event-specific menu customization with hits ranging from pork tacos to Italian grilled cheese, smoked chicken wings and even filet of Oscar on rye.

Bryan credits his work ethic to his dad, who was a short-order cook in the late ’70s and opened his first place in Caldwell, Ohio, in the late ’80s. That work ethic was evident when they moved the restaurant thirty miles away to Cambridge. The move was on a Sunday and the reopening the next Monday at 6:00 a.m. Bryan also fondly recalls family culinary history from his great-grandma’s Thanksgiving feast, where she and a team of family members would make everything from scratch. He remembers her system of drying fresh noodles that involved “a clothes line going from cabinet hook to cabinet hook beginning at Easter and every gathering following until July 4, when the time together was spent making dough for rolls and pies.”

Resourcefulness certainly passed down through the generations as Bryan built LoveBug out of a 1972 two-horse trailer he found in Delaware, Ohio, for $450 during the winter of 2011. With his savings from ten years of working in the craft beer world and a Forschner knife (still in use on LoveBug today) that was a gift from his first chef, Thomas Dillon at Hoggy’s in 1995, he took Damon’s training, coupled with his opening of ten restaurants and two breweries (one as head brewer), and hit the streets.

Bryan says Columbus is a “small town built into a city in which food, family and fun just happen,” though he does look to take LoveBug on the road for an East Coast/Mid-Texas run—just him, his forty-year-old horse trailer and Black Betty, his 1991 Chevy G20—hopefully twice.

Buffalo Chicken Pita (or Salad)

Courtesy of Jim Pashovich, Pitabilities

“This is one of my all-time favorite pita sandwiches. This recipe makes 4 servings.”

—Jim Pashovich

Marinade

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh-cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1½ teaspoons granulated garlic

2 teaspoons paprika

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

Sandwich

marinade, recipe above

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 head romaine lettuce

2 roma tomatoes

1 onion, julienne cut

1 bottle Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, or your favorite brand

½ pound shredded mozzarella cheese

1 pita bread

1 bottle Bella Sauce™ (from Pitabilities) or blue cheese dressing

1 jar banana peppers

Rub marinade on chicken breast. It is best if you refrigerate overnight.

Use a cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat and grill chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Then dice chicken breast.

While the chicken is cooking, wash and finely shred the lettuce and dice the tomatoes. Place onions in the skillet you used to grill the chicken and sauté until they are golden brown. Return chicken to skillet and quickly toss with buffalo sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and let the cheese melt.

Warm the pita bread in another skillet. Take the buffalo chicken and cheese and place on the warmed pita bread. Top with Bella Sauce or blue cheese dressing, shredded lettuce, tomatoes and banana peppers.

PITABILITIES

Jim Pashovich

A first-generation American, Jim Pashovich came with his family to Columbus from Macedonia after his grandfather’s World War II marine service. Setting down roots to build a better life, all the while maintaining a sense of culture and heritage through the ethnic foods of the Mediterranean, Jim now pays homage to his ancestors by bringing Columbus residents a wide variety of Pitabilities.

While Jim has been in the business since opening Skyward Grille, the first gyro cart in Columbus, circa 1986, he saw an opportunity for a full-scale truck operation and launched one of the originals on the scene in September 2011. The Original Gyro, a classic menu offering since 1986, is still a bestseller among his fanatically loyal customer base; Jim attributes this to the Bella Sauce, his original version of tzatziki, a secret family recipe that only a few people know how to make.

Among those few people are Jim’s wife of twenty-eight years, also his strongest supporter throughout his entrepreneurial lifestyle, as well as his daughter and three sons, the youngest of whom has joined his dad on the truck as grill master and looks to continue the business long into the future, potentially growing across the state and nation.

While Jim’s favorite menu item changes all the time, currently it’s the New Delhi Chicken Pita, which contains grilled chicken sautéed in Tikki Masala sauce. Off the truck, he maintains a connection to his roots through favorite foods his mom and grandmothers made, including moussaka and homemade breads, roasted red peppers, feta cheese and black olives—all staples of their culture.

If you are touring Columbus for a day, Jim highly recommends breakfast at Virginia’s Port Side Café or Creole Kitchen (fair warning that it’s “so filling you won’t want to go to work afterward!”), also famous for po’ boys and shrimp étouffée. Dirty Franks is a must visit for some of the best hotdogs around. Jim has been on the scene for a while, so you can trust him when he says Columbus has “exploded into an eclectic culinary experience!”

In furthering this experience, Jim and his staff set up shop each Thursday at the Food Truck Food Court, not knowing until 2015 that Jim’s grandfather owned a restaurant, Alex’s Grill, in the very Rich Street location now occupied by Columbus Commons. This not only brings the family legacy full circle but also furthers Jim’s dedication to serving good food and cements the Pashovich family legacy in the culinary growth of the city.

Chicken Gyro

Buckeye Donuts

Although Buckeye Donuts is known for its doughnuts, it offers a pretty mean chicken gyro as well.

4 ounces raw chicken tenders

Italian dressing

1 pita

Spice Mix

Tzatziki Sauce

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes diced onions

banana peppers, optional

feta, optional

Spice Mix

2 parts oregano

1 part red pepper flakes

Tzatziki Sauce

Greek yogurt

1 whole cucumber, shredded

2 ounces garlic powder

1 ounce white pepper

Marinate raw chicken tenders in Italian dressing for 24 hours.

Grill the chicken on a hot grill for about 1½ minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through.

Once the chicken is cooked, place it in a freshly grilled pita.

Apply a couple of shakes of our Spice Mix onto the chicken. Drizzle the Tzatziki Sauce over the chicken, to taste. Add toppings, such as lettuce, tomatoes and onions. Banana peppers and feta are additional optional toppings.

Fresh Hand-Rolled Spring Rolls with Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce

Courtesy of Scott Wilkins, Mai Chau Truck

“These hand-rolled spring rolls sell out every single time we bring them out on the truck. They are fresh, healthy and addicting. This recipe serves 6 to 8.”

—Scott Wilkins

small package vermicelli rice

noodles (one-pound package

would be ample) 1 package rice paper wrappers 1 head green leaf lettuce 1 cucumber, halved and cut into

about 12 spears 1 small package shredded carrot

(about 12 ounces) small bunch fresh mint small bunch cilantro small bunch Thai basil (if available) 10 medium-sized cooked shrimp,

peeled, deveined and tails off,

sliced in half

Cook vermicelli rice noodles as directed on the package. Drain and set aside. Have all of your ingredients prepared and set aside for an easy assembly. Fill a shallow dish or container (large enough to fit the rice paper wrapper) with warm water. Using one wrapper at a time, submerge rice paper wrapper in warm water for about 10 seconds or until it becomes pliable. Remove and place wrapper on a plastic cutting board to avoid the rice paper from sticking.

To begin assembling, place one piece of green leaf lettuce on the bottom third of the wrapper. Using the leaf as a holder, stack one cucumber spear, a sprinkle of shredded carrot and a handful (about ¼ cup) of the vermicelli noodles inside. Then begin adding about 3 mint leaves and a few sprigs of cilantro and Thai basil on top. Adjust according to taste.

Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce

1 clove garlic

1 Thai chili

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce (we use Red Boat brand fish sauce)

water

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

shredded carrot, for garnish

Finely mince garlic and Thai chile together. In a separate bowl combine 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 10 tablespoons water. Add the minced garlic, Thai chili and lime juice. Add shredded carrot to sauce as garnish.

Dip spring rolls in Nuoc Mam and enjoy!

Note: We usually buy the red Thai “birds-eye” chili from the produce section in the Asian market. If they don’t have fresh, they usually have frozen packs, which work fine.

To begin rolling, fold the bottom third of the wrapper overtop of your fillings. Then fold both the left and right sides of the wrapper into the middle to resemble an envelope. Begin tightly rolling the wrapper. Once you get to the top third of the wrapper, place 3 of the shrimp halves in a horizontal line and roll one final time to secure in place. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and ingredients.

Note: For rice paper wrappers, we use Three Sisters brand. There are usually around 30 wrappers. The package typically costs $1.50 or so in most Asian markets

MAI CHAU TRUCK

Scott Wilkins

Born in Cooperstown, New York, Scott Wilkins grew up in Granville, about thirty-five minutes east of Columbus. Scott said:

I went to Granville High School and graduated in 1996 with 110 classmates. I played baseball, basketball and golf. After college, I moved to rural Jamaica to teach second grade. [Since I come] from a small midwestern town, my time in Jamaica opened my eyes to the world. I developed a curiosity for the world, which led me to travel to sixteen countries and live in Florence, Italy; rural Thailand (Chaiyaphum); and Hanoi, Vietnam. I met my wife, Ashley, when I moved back to Ohio from Thailand. We fell in love, saved our money for a year and bought one-way tickets to Hong Kong. We planned on traveling for a few months before returning back home to Ohio. The third country we arrived in was Vietnam. While traveling from Ho Chi Minh City north to Hanoi, something in us changed. We fell in love with the country. The people, the culture and, most importantly, the food had us hooked. We took teaching jobs in the capital city of Hanoi and spent every waking moment exploring one of the most unique food cultures in the world. When we decided to move back to Ohio, we knew we wanted to make Vietnam a part of our lives forever. We found a tiny, partially outfitted food truck in Indiana, and Mai Chau Truck was born.

For those wondering, Mai Chau is a region in northern Vietnam.

Prior to opening their food truck, Scott spent fifteen years in the restaurant/craft beer business, with several breaks for traveling and teaching abroad. Scott and Ashley were married in 2013, and their son, Oliver, was born in 2014. They opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Mai Chau on Prospect, in the fall of 2015 back in Granville.

Their Sriracha pulled-pork bánh mì and spring rolls with truck-

made peanut sauce is the bestseller on the truck. But the sweet-and-spicy caramelized cauliflower noodle bowl is Scott’s personal favorite. “It is fresh, healthy and full of flavor,” he told us.

Although his taste buds lean toward Vietnamese, Scott told us about some of his favorite meals growing up as well. “The holidays are a special time in my family,” he said, “specifically Christmas. My mother’s side of the family is French Canadian, and each Christmas Eve, we eat a French Canadian meat pie, with scalloped potatoes, peas and pearl onions and homemade cranberry sauce. It is a recipe handed down from generation to generation that has never been written down.”

When we asked Scott to describe Columbus to someone who has never been, he said:

Columbus has a fantastic food and craft beer scene. I believe, for the size of the city, Columbus offers some of the best dining experiences in the Midwest. The food truck community is outstanding. When we first started in 2012, I was blown away at how supportive other food truck owners were in helping us learn the ins and outs of the industry. Right now, some of my favorite foods in the city are being served through food truck windows. Aromaku serves authentic Indonesian food that I find myself craving weekly. Challah! food truck serves beautifully crafted Jewish comfort foods. Dos Hermanos brings authentic Mexican flavors to the streets of Columbus, including amazing tamales. One of the great trends in Columbus is the pairing of some of the city’s best food trucks with local breweries. Several breweries offer a rotating schedule of food trucks at their tasting rooms. Some of the best are Seventh Son, Four Strings, Actual, Land Grant and Buckeye Lake Brewery (forty minutes east of Columbus).

Max’s Smoked BBQ Meatloaf Sliders

Courtesy of Max McGarity, Papaya BBQ

“We mix ground beef with spices [and] herbs and top with your favorite sweet barbecue sauce. Serve it on a toasted slider bun. They’re juicy and flavorful…Eating one just won’t do the trick! Recipe portion serves 12.”

—Max McGarity

½ white onion, chopped fine

1 green bell pepper, chopped fine

3 pounds of 80/20 ground chuck

2 eggs

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup your favorite sweet barbecue sauce, divided

1 sprig of cilantro

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 dozen slider buns

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine the onion and green bell pepper with the ground chuck in a medium-sized bowl. Add the eggs, brown sugar, pepper, celery seed, salt and 2⁄₃ of the barbecue sauce together with the ground chuck, onion and green pepper. Mix all ingredients in the bowl with your hands. They are still the best utensils!

Baste a half-sized steam table pan (4-inch half-sized table pan) with vegetable oil to prevent meatloaf from sticking to the pan. Form the mixed ingredients into a traditional meat loaf log and place into the pan. Use the remaining 1⁄₃ cup of barbecue sauce to baste the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until meat is fully cooked. Once done, let the meatloaf rest (cool) for 30 minutes. Toast slider buns while the meat is resting. (Shhhh, quiet, the meat is a loaf, and it’s resting.) Slice cooled loaf into 12 equal servings and top with cilantro.

Max’s Meatball Sliders. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net.

PAPAYA BBQ

Max McGarity

Max McGarity couldn’t even celebrate the June 2012 opening of his food truck business with an adult beverage, as he was only twenty years old at the time, but ambition and experience working in all aspects of the restaurant business throughout his time at Bishop Watterson High School set him up for success from day one, back when the truck started as Buckeye Back Ribs.

Paying homage to his training at Columbus favorite City Barbeque, Max and his previous business partner, also his college roommate, had the idea for an Asian-Hispanic-fusion barbecue truck. They were tuned in to food and cultural trends in Korean barbecue and Hispanic cuisines around the country and saw an opportunity as the Columbus scene was just getting started. A week and a half after first discussing the idea, they pooled the funds to buy an old camper, completely gutted the interior and, thanks to his roommate’s engineering major, rebuilt the truck from scratch in three months, actually securing a first gig at Ohio Health in Dublin before the truck was totally completed. This first “payday Friday” event was a sellout, serving seventy-five people for lunch, and it grew to a biweekly event with nearby office buildings joining in, creating a nonstop line from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The following summer, they were invited back twice a week, and business didn’t slow down.

Max McGarity. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net.

Just three and a half months into operation, Max and his team won first place at a rib competition in nearby Canal Winchester, which secured them an invitation to the 2013 Columbus Jazz & Rib Festival and included a feature on Good Day Columbus. Things really took off from there, including the catering side of the business becoming even more in demand for everything from corporate events to graduations, weddings and even the annual Memorial Golf Tournament hosted by hometown legend Jack Nicklaus.

Max has been running the business solo since 2013, when his roommate took an engineering job after graduation. This was also when the name changed to Papaya BBQ, though the truk is now known to many as just “Papaya.” Though the truck menu did originally feature a papaya slaw, it wasn’t in as high demand on the catering side, and Max is actually exploring another potential rebranding within the year, one that will hopefully incorporate a brick-and-mortar location, a “hole in the wall, Texas-style, outdoor communal seating” type of spot, all under the new banner of Smoked BBQ Company.

No matter what Max calls it, loyal locals know him for his “Home Style with More Style!” cuisine, with things like his signature BBQ Meatloaf Sliders, built from his grandma’s recipe, incorporating his own barbecue sauce and smoke, always a truck sellout. On the catering side, the classics prevail, with traditional pulled pork with a salt-and-pepper rub and slow cooked for twelve to fifteen hours. The pork is highlighted by house-made Sweet Whiskey BBQ Sauce, a purée of garlic cloves, onion, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup and whiskey. Max offers this sauce by the gallon as well, as he himself “puts it on salad”—it’s that deliciously addictive. Max also prides his distinctive offerings by the woods he uses to smoke various meats, choosing for poultry fruitwoods, such as cherry or peach, which are lighter and more delicate, and for pork and red meats, hickory or oak.

Though still young, Max has honed his craft and gained valuable experience in the wild ride that he’s been on for the last three years, and his natural tendency to prefer being on his feet, lifting heavy things and doing the hard work has suited him well for long-term success, which fans of his barbecue are very happy about.

Savier Philly Cheesesteak

Courtesy of Mike Zerby, Savier Street

This recipe makes about 6 sandwiches.

1 4- to 5-pound Black Angus top-round roast

1 teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper

1½ cup Madeira wine

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

2 tablespoons butter, separated

1 cup veal stock

1 cup beef stock

1 pound provolone cheese, sliced half dozen 6-inch Italian rolls

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed

1 cup your favorite hollandaise

Season the roast with salt and pepper on both sides, sear on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side. Roast in the same pan at 250 degrees until the internal temperature is 140. When the roast is finished, wrap in foil and refrigerate—it makes slicing much easier.

Deglaze the pan drippings with 1 cup of the Madeira wine and reduce to about 2 tablespoons. Strain the pan drippings out and set the reduction aside. When the meat has cooled, shave or slice to approximately 1/16-inch thick with a meat slicer, if available.

While meat is roasting, slice and sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon of butter until translucent. Set aside.

Prepare Madeira Reduction

Combine the reduction with the rest of the Madeira wine (½ cup), the veal and beef stocks and 1 tablespoon of butter and reduce to about 1 cup. Split the reduction in half in two different containers.

Mix the horseradish, one half of the reduction, the crushed black peppercorn and the hollandaise and refrigerate. This will be the topping for the sandwich.

For the Sandwich

Place 6 ounces of the sliced top round with two tablespoons of the reduction on the meat, along with 2 slices of sautéed onion and 2 slices of provolone on top of the meat, on a flattop grill or cast-iron pan on medium heat. Cover to steam for about 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted.

Slice a roll lengthwise and butter both sides, placing butter side down on the grill or pan until lightly toasted. Place top round, onion and cheese on the roll and spoon 2 tablespoons of the peppercorn-horseradish sauce over the top. Add salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Savier Street truck. Photo by Mike Zerby.

SAVIER STREET

Mike Zerby

“My grandfather was a butcher, as [was] my dad, who also worked for a meatpacking company. So we always had great steaks, burgers, ribs and every other meat imaginable,” said Mike Zerby of Savier Street. “We always had steaks on the grill of which I could never get enough, which, in fact, has not changed to this day. Also we would have prime rib on the holidays; my mom made amazing prime rib.”

The bestseller at Savier Street was a Reuben sandwich named for Mike’s father-in-law, who passed away in 2012. “But when we introduced our Savier Philly Cheesesteak, that took over immediately,” Mike said. The Philly cheesesteak happens to be Mike’s personal favorite item on the menu. “It’s a great sandwich with an amazing sauce,” he said.

Mike went to high school in Louisville and moved to Columbus in 1972 to attend Ohio State, graduating in 1976. He has two partners at Savier Street. “I met one of them at the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio, and I met my wife, Michelle, at work [when] we worked for a property management company,” shared Mike. They opened their Savier Street food truck on June 13, 2014.

“Pronounced Sahv-yay, this was one of the original spellings of our family’s last name many years ago, so it just kind of made sense at the time. And we thought it was unique enough to stand out,” Mike said.

Having many years of experience in the food industry has been a huge help, but at the same time, the food truck business is a whole different world. Our first year was definitely a learning experience and very challenging to say the least. However, the feedback and reviews we received about our food were even more positive than we expected. In the fall last year, with the help of my youngest daughter, Amanda, we revamped some of our original menu, adding a signature burger, a fresh house-made veggie burger and poutine served with Madeira wine gravy. All of our sandwiches, sauces and sides are made fresh from scratch daily with our poutine being called some of the best in Columbus. We are now at the beginning of our second year, and all of us are very optimistic about the possibilities ahead.

Most proud of his four daughters, Mike also considers graduating from Ohio State and twenty years of cooking and volunteering at powwows and native events as some of his major life accomplishments. He has served on the board of trustees at the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio (NAICCO) and has co-owned a restaurant that was very successful.

“Columbus, it seems, has a huge food truck scene all of a sudden that the public supports very well,” Mike stated. “Five years ago, this was nonexistent, but it just seems to keep growing. Columbus also has a huge diversity of ethnic restaurants, everything imaginable.”

Sweet and Spicy Caramelized Cauliflower Bánh Mì

Courtesy of Scott Wilkins, Mai Chau Truck

This veggie-friendly Vietnamese baguette sandwich is inspired by the fresh veggie markets found on the streets of Hanoi but has a Mai Chau Truck spin. This recipe serves 6 to 8.

For the Cauliflower

1 cup soy sauce (we use gluten-free La Choy Soy Sauce)

½ cup brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ sweet Thai chili sauce (Mae Ploy is the best!)

¾ cup water

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 small head white cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

1 small head purple cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chili sauce, water and sesame oil to create a marinade. Put all of the cauliflower florets in a large freezer bag and pour marinade over the cauliflower. Make sure the cauliflower is covered with the marinade. Let the cauliflower marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours.

Easy Ginger Slaw

1 12-ounce package slaw mix from your local grocery store, 50/50 red and green

¾ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons light agave nectar

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated

juice from ½ a lime

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients and pour over slaw mix. Let marinate overnight or for at least 2 hours.

For the Bánh Mì

6 to 8 6-inch baguettes (If you have a Vietnamese market, sometimes the baguettes are available there. Otherwise, try to find a baguette that is not too rustic. They should be slightly crunchy on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside.)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sriracha, to taste

1 cup spicy mayo (add Sriracha to mayo, to taste)

2 fresh jalapeños, sliced (with seeds)

1 to 2 cucumbers, cut in half and sliced lengthwise with a mandolin

Easy Ginger Slaw

1 bunch fresh cilantro

Assembling the Bánh Mì

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put baguettes into the oven to toast for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the outside of the baguette is crunchy, and then remove from heat.

Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a hot wok or skillet. Heat the oil in the wok or sauté pan on high for about 30 seconds. The way that I determine if the pan is ready is by running some water over my finger and thumb and flicking it into the pan. If it sizzles, it’s ready!

In batches, add the drained cauliflower into the hot wok or skillet. Add Sriracha to the cooking cauliflower liberally, tossing the cauliflower in the wok or skillet for approximately 3 minutes, until caramelized. Spread spicy mayo on toasted baguette. Add sliced jalapeño and cucumber. Top with sweet and spicy caramelized cauliflower. Cover the cauliflower liberally with the ginger slaw. Garnish with cilantro.

Tailwind Wrap

Courtesy of Andrew Tuchow and Andy O’Brien, Kinetic

“Feel light as a feather while this healthy yet powerful concoction fuels you forward. Delicious yet simple, the Tailwind delivers on nutrition without sacrificing taste.”

—Andrew Tuchow

For the Creamy Kale Pesto

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup toasted pine nuts, chopped

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup tightly packed basil

1½ cups tightly packed kale

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper, to taste

To make the pesto, begin by adding the garlic and pine nuts to a food processor and blend until mixed. Next, add the olive oil in a thin stream while on medium speed until fully incorporated. Add the kale and basil in 1-cup increments until fully chopped. Finally add the cheese, salt and pepper and blend until mixed.

Store the pesto in the fridge in a squeeze bottle for ease of use.

For the Wrap

12-inch tortilla

handful of your favorite greens blend (we use our “fit four,” which consists of kale, baby kale, baby spinach, chard and carrot)

2 ounces Creamy Kale Pesto

6 slices cucumber, cut into half moons

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

½ avocado, diced

1½ ounces turkey bacon, crumbled pinch seasonal sprouts (we like onion, clover and broccoli!)

To begin assembly on the wrap, lightly warm a tortilla in a dry skillet over medium heat. Once warmed through, transfer tortilla to a cutting board. Add the greens blend of your choosing and squeeze or spoon on the creamy kale pesto.

Tailwind Wrap from Kinectic. Photo by Andrew Tuchow.

Top the wrap with the cucumbers, and sprouts. Wrap up the Tailwind tomatoes, avocado, turkey bacon like a burrito and enjoy!

KINETIC

Andy O’Brien and Andrew Tuchow

Kinetic business partners Andrew Tuchow and Andy O’Brien met in Hilliard, Ohio, in elementary school. Andy shared:

One of the first memories I have of him [Andrew] was actually a school project aimed at teaching entrepreneurial skills. We were tasked with creating a product or service, marketing it, producing it and “selling” it to our classmates, who had monopoly money to use. So naturally, we decided to come up with a little “bakery,” where we sold Andrew’s mom’s delicious chocolate cake to our classmates. We were one of the most successful companies during the selling period. It was such a great experience and could, in fact, be a contributing factor to the drive to start [a bakery] for real: Kinetic.

Before opening Kinetic, both of the guys had full-time jobs after graduating college. Andrew worked for OhioHealth at Riverside Methodist Hospital as a PCA, and Andy worked at Wendy’s International Headquarters in the R&D Lab. “I also worked in several professional kitchens, including a local taco truck,” said Andy. Their first event was April 6, 2014, “ironically enough at the Oxford Kinetics Festival at Miami University,” shared Andy.

Kinectic Truck. Photo by David Heasley.

So naturally, we had to be there! It was truly a humbling experience as we pulled an all-nighter to do the necessary prep. We also sold so many smoothies that day that we had to send my brother to the store to pick up more ingredients. One of our first customers was a girl named Kendra. She ordered a banana smoothie, so in honor of her, we named our truck Kendra. We still even have the order ticket posted in the truck to remind us of how far we have come.

From construction, to golf clubs, to real estate development, to churches, to a candy factory, to a yoga studio, to a counseling service, to a cake shop, to several others: seeing my family go out and achieve their dreams of owning their own businesses has undoubtedly contributed to the passion and dedication that was needed to create Kinetic. Coming from parents who were college athletes, my two brothers and I grew up playing a ton of sports. From hockey, to football, to golf, we pretty much did them all. It seems as if my family has always led an active lifestyle, and we love to be outside, as well as compete.

Andy continued:

I have always wanted to be two things: a professional hockey player (I retired from competitive play after high school) and a chef. My parents [gave] me a small plastic kitchen set, complete with a refrigerator, oven, stove, microwave, pots and pans, and of course plastic food. As a kid, I played with that kitchen set for hours on end. As I grew a little older, I began to really watch Food Network (specifically Emeril Lagasse) and the original Japanese Iron Chef and became fascinated with food and cooking. These experiences helped lead me to The Ohio State University to study food science and business, and my degree and work experience have been directly impactful to the creation of Kinetic.

Where Andy may have found his passion early on, Andrew explored multiple interests.

Tennis was my sport in high school, but I surrendered my racket when I discovered a new love for music and singing. I was a member of the Boys in Blue, an elite a cappella singing octet. We would sing classic hits like “For the Longest Time” by Billy Joel and more modern tunes like “Starlight” by Muse, as well as Christmas songs like “Oh Holy Night.”

I was never considered a “normal” child. I knew how to work a VCR before I could talk, my hair stood straight out from my head like Albert Einstein—the mark of a true genius—and my interests changed with every new shoe size. [With] interests like fixing the hurt and broken as a medical doctor or solving the mysteries of the human brain through cognitive neuroscience, my passion for helping others and solving problems has always remained a constant. With Kinetic, I have the opportunity to prevent future medical ailments by making healthy food options more accessible and affordable to the public, thereby providing a potential solution to a well-established problem. Working as a part of a larger team to create something beautiful and enjoyed by others has always been something that I have loved and continue to do today with my work at Kinetic.

Andy told us about his favorite meals:

Growing up, my mom often made one of my favorites…breaded pork chops with mac and cheese and applesauce. Also, growing up, Andrew and I had a lot of sleepovers, and each morning, we would be woken up with Dutch Babies (imagine a light pancake with sugars, jellies and fruits on top!). They were always delicious. For Thanksgiving, we always have a turkey cooked on a charcoal grill. The flavor from the charcoal is amazing with the tender turkey, and I’m always reminded of my family whenever I taste it.

For Andrew, his mother is a true inspiration:

She is one of the greatest cooks I know. As [she was] the eldest of seven, I assume that she was the first to be able to help her mother out in the kitchen cooking for the family. Her uninhibited passion for the delicious creations that she concocts have always inspired me to take a more active role in what I eat and what I make for others. She continues to call it a “labor of love” and when you watch her work, you can see that firsthand, as I have.

Andrew continued with more on his family’s food traditions:

My family is what I call “culturally religious.” What I mean is that we don’t really perform any religious activities like going to church regularly or praying actively, but we do celebrate the holidays and eat and drink accordingly. We practice some of the culture but not the religion itself. Since my dad is technically Jewish, we celebrate Hanukkah. Not only do I get eight little presents on top of my Christmas gifts—spoiled!—but I also get to devour potato pancakes, aka latkes, and other traditional Jewish goodness each year.

Andy described Columbus:

[It’s an] up-and-coming progressive Midwest city. Unlike many other cities that have “peaked,” Columbus still has room to grow and is quickly becoming noticed across the nation. We pride ourselves on our revitalized downtown, amazing suburbs and the Buckeyes. Columbus is becoming quite the foodie town and has countless great local breweries. There is always something to do here, and there is a true sense of community. You will find honest, hardworking people here who are not afraid to have a little fun!

“Columbus is amazing and completely underrated,” Andrew added.

This is something that I would not have said just a year ago, the reason being that I just didn’t know all that Columbus has to offer and all of the things that make Columbus so special. Columbus is a city where you can achieve your ambitions. It’s not [so] large that the amount of red tape prevents you from moving anywhere, and it’s not [so] small that it doesn’t have any resources at your disposal. It’s a Goldilocks city where the environment is just right for you to make things happen. You want to put on an event to raise awareness for climate change? There are organizations doing this or things like it already so go ahead and pitch in—they will welcome your helping hand. You want to make a good impression on your first date? There are so many cute coffee lounges and romantic restaurants, such as Fox in the Snow Café or Basi Italia, respectively, that you both are bound to adore. Whether it’s club sports, professional sports, live music, outdoor concerts, fine arts, fine dining, microbreweries, micro-distilleries, rooftop bars, fancy patios, high fashion, late-night dancing, performance theater, stand-up comedy, coffeehouses, street food or [whatever you’re looking for], Columbus has it, and we’re doing it well.

The West Coast is their bestseller on the truck. “It is built on a foundation of perfectly steamed golden quinoa, grilled chicken, black beans and fire-roasted corn and topped with a cilantro lime vinaigrette, avocado and cheese,” said Andy, whose favorite item on the truck is actually the Kineticookie. “Over the past few years, I have had the privilege to ride in Pelotonia, a cycling fundraiser for cancer research at the James at The Ohio State University,” he shared. “I originally developed the Kineticookie recipe to give me clean, portable energy on long training rides. When my friends found out that I created a healthy cookie that also tastes good, they all wanted some, too, and eventually, the cookie became a staple on our truck.” For Andrew, the Mighty Medi is his favorite. “With its Mediterranean inspiration, I can’t get enough of the hummus and our lemon-garlic crema on top of artichoke hearts, tomatoes and grilled chicken. Dee-lish!” he said.

Their goals with Kinetic are to make healthy eating simpler, more accessible and more affordable and to educate people about making better choices regarding the foods they eat, the lifestyle they live and the things that they do. “We see Kinetic as a much-needed solution to the problem of a lack of healthy eating places and plan to expand beyond a truck to help extend our reach and ability to share the Kinetic lifestyle with as many people as we can,” said Andy.

Andrew shares his business partner’s sentiments with regards to their business goals:

I was working in a hospital as a nurse assistant, also known as a patient support assistant. I saw patients with neurological trauma specifically, and I realized just how many could be outside the hospital living healthy and happy lives if they had made different (healthier) decisions earlier on. This is why it is so important to me to make healthier food options more available, affordable and approachable—so that we might have fewer cases like these. I want healthy food options to be available to the masses, and I want business to be used for good. With Kinetic, I see the customer’s healthy eating habits being incentivized by different rewards programs or maybe even connecting with other organizations to offer unique perks so that it becomes silly to not live a healthier (and happier) lifestyle.

The Friend of the Devil

Courtesy of Jeremy Fox, Short North Bagel Deli

“This sandwich is our most popular breakfast sandwich and is named after the Grateful Dead song ‘A Friend of the Devil (Is a Friend of Mine),’ and I’m sure if Jerry was still around, he’d take thissandwich on tour with him.”

—Jeremy Fox

Block’s Bagel

thick slice honey-baked ham scrambled eggs

1 slice American cheese

2 to 3 pieces crispy bacon thick, hand-sliced piece Swiss cheese

This double-meat, double-cheese monster starts with a freshly baked Blocks Bagel (shocker). The first layer is a thick slice of honey-baked ham. Then we add two handfuls of steamy scrambled eggs and throw a piece of American cheese on there to keep the eggs in check. On top of the American cheese goes two or three pieces of crispy bacon— once that gets steamed, it will melt in your mouth! Lastly, to act as a blanket for the entire sandwich, we drop a thick, hand-sliced piece of Swiss cheese that completes this work of art.

The Good Ole Goodale

Courtesy of Jeremy Fox, Short North Bagel Deli

“Named after the iconic Goodale Park in the heart of the Short North, the Good Ole Goodale is the most popular sandwich we have at Short North Bagel Deli.”

—Jeremy Fox

Block’s Bagel

Block’s homemade cream cheese thinly sliced Brickman’s Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast

thick, hand-sliced piece Colby Jack cheese

1 Hass avocado, freshly mashed honey mustard dressing, to taste iceberg lettuce, chopped

Like all our sandwiches, the Goodale starts with a freshly baked Block’s Bagel—plain, whole wheat or everything. Then we add a generous schmear of Block’s homemade cream cheese, followed by a pile of thinly sliced Brickman’s Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast and a thick, hand-sliced piece of Colby Jack cheese. We put all that in the steamer and let it work its magic. Once the bagel is super soft, the meat is nice and hot and the cheese is ooey gooey, we take the top half of the bagel out of the steamer and add a hearty layer of freshly mashed Hass avocado, drench it with some tangy honey mustard dressing and throw a handful of chopped iceberg lettuce, and there you go, the Good Ole Goodale!

The Red, White and BOOOOM!

Courtesy of Jeremy Fox, Short North Bagel Deli

“This sandwich is named after one of the best firework displays in the Midwest. Every year hundreds of thousands of people invade downtown Columbus to catch a glimpse, and if they are lucky they can get one of these bad boys!”

—Jeremy Fox

Block’s Bagel

Block’s homemade cream cheese

red onion, diced

thinly sliced pot roast

spicy banana peppers

thick, hand-sliced piece of Pepper Jack cheese

The Red, White and BOOOOM! again starts with a freshly baked Block’s Bagel. We then add a heavy-handed schmear of Block’s homemade cream cheese, sprinkle some diced red onion, stack on some thinly sliced pot roast that is rare and juicy and just delicious. On top of the meat goes a handful of spicy banana peppers, and holding it all together is a thick, hand-sliced piece of Pepper Jack cheese. Since there are no water-based veggies on this one, we pop the whole thing in the steamer, and 2 to 3 minutes later, it is ready to be devoured!

SHORT NORTH BAGEL DELI

Jeremy Fox

It was a busy Fourth of July weekend in Clintonville, and Jeremy Fox was ready and waiting to serve his first delicious steamed bagel sandwich from his brand-new food cart, stationed outside what is today a local yogurt shop, sure to attract young families from the surrounding neighborhood. As he took that first fateful order and finished off that first glorious offering, his knife slid deftly through not only the hot, softened bagel but also into his own hand, the first war wound officially marking him as part of the food service business. After quickly bandaging up and saving that first tip dollar to staple to a bloodstained original menu, Jeremy learned and grew quickly, expanded to a full-scale truck in 2014 and now looks toward the end goal of a brick-and-mortar location to complete the trifecta.

Originally inspired by a favorite deli in the Broad Ripple section of Indianapolis, where he attended Butler University, Jeremy also found steamed bagel sandwiches at nearby campuses in Ohio at places like Bagel & Deli in Miami and Bagel Street Deli in Athens. Loving the steamed bagel concept and hoping to bring it to the Short North, a popular area near the Ohio State University’s campus, he left his original post-college career path in Internet marketing and built a business plan for the Short North Bagel Deli.

Short North Bagel Deli Truck. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net.

Starting out with a menu fit more for a brick-and-mortar store, SNBD offered nearly sixty variations, which became difficult to keep up with in the cart format, prompting the transition to a daily “best of ” list, featuring six staples, as well as a build-your-own option. How’s this? A bestseller since day one, the Good Ole Goodale is a combination of turkey, avocado, lettuce, Colby jack cheese, honey mustard and cream cheese. The cream cheese is something Jeremy puts on almost every sandwich, insisting he could brush his teeth with it.

Jeremy from Short North Bagel Deli. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net.

All sandwiches also feature Block’s Bagels. Jeremy’s relationship with this family-owned business goes beyond local sourcing; he grew up with the Blocks, often joining his dad at 4:00 a.m. on Christmas morning to give the company’s employees the day off, a fun tradition for a Jewish kid celebrating separate holidays. Jeremy is able to use kitchen and storage space and even has his own key, noting that there’s “no way I could be where I am today without Block’s, [the owner] treats me better than his own kids.” The secret to their success is boiling and then baking the bagels, which gets rave reviews from even the toughest New York City transplant critics, who applaud both Block’s and SNBD’s offerings.

In addition to the cart and truck, SNBD recently partnered to do concession stands at Ohio State University’s Horseshoe, Schottenstien Center and Nationwide Arena, serving at sports, concerts and other entertainment events. While Jeremy’s personal favorite is the Rueben, highlighting top-of-the-line corned beef and, of course, cream cheese, he often makes up his own creation based on ingredients that aren’t prone to running out—he and the staff are prohibited from eating the turkey, as they can’t let down any go-to orders for the No. 1.

The Hot Italian

Courtesy of Mike Gallicchio and Chas Kaplan, Bacon the Food Cart

You haven’t seen bacon on an Italian sub sandwich before? Well that’s no reason to not try it now—trust us.

provolone ciabatta roll roasted pork belly salami mortadella arugula

House Tapenade (while our tapenade is a secret recipe, you can purchase an olive tapenade from most grocery stores or create your own from scratch with a diced blend of olives)

Melt provolone on one half of ciabatta roll either over the grill or broiled in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted to your desired liking. Build the sandwich with the remaining ingredients.

The Turkey and Bacon

Courtesy of Mike Gallicchio and Chas Kaplan, Bacon the Food Cart

Taking your classic turkey sandwich to the next level, pile the bacon high for lots of crispy crunch in every juicy bite.

free-range turkey

provolone

cole slaw

avocado, sliced

French roll

Build sandwich using all ingredients, with amounts according to personal taste.

BACON THE FOOD CART

Mike Gallicchio and Chas Kaplan

After running the Columbus Food Truck Festival for five years, business partners Mike Gallicchio and Chas Kaplan realized they wanted to be part of the community, to truly understand and connect with the group they’d been promoting and helped to grow exponentially since 2010.

With a penchant for adding bacon to just about anything, the guys recognized a missing necessity on the scene and opened Bacon the Food Cart in April 2015.

Menu highlights include the Grilled Cheese, on Texas toast with cheddar, apple wood–smoked bacon and, by request, cheese sprinkled on the outside for an even cheesier, crispier crust. Bacon also finds its home on a stick, a bestselling double cheeseburger, a turkey sandwich with goat cheese and an Italian sub featuring pork belly.

Columbus-born and raised, Mike looks to support the local community by sourcing as much as possible from Columbus purveyors, including breads, buns and the critical bacon grilled cheese delivery vehicle of choice, Texas toast.

Based on Mike and Chas’s intimate relationship with many of the city’s festivals, Bacon maintains a full summer schedule popping up at Park Street Fest, ComFest, Pearl Alley and Moonlight Markets and, of course, Mike & Chas’s Annual Columbus Food Truck Festival. Look out also for a permanent lunch spot, as well as private catering, so you can literally “bring home the bacon.”

Timmy’s Meltdown Blue Buffalo Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Courtesy of Tim Cullenen and John Whittington, Timmy’s Meltdown

“Inspiration came from deep within the twisted depths of Johnny Saucepan’s creative madness.”

—Tim Cullenen

Blue Cheese Mayo

Timmy’s secret Blue Cheese Mayo combines blue cheese crumble, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper to taste.

Pickled Celery

Timmy’s secret Pickled Celery brine combines water, vinegar, salt, sugar, peppercorns, tarragon and red chilies.

2 slices good-quality sourdough bread, buttered on one side of each slice

3 tablespoons Blue Cheese Mayo

3 ounces roast chicken breast, cubed small

2 tablespoons clarified butter

2 tablespoons Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce

1 ounce Pickled Celery

1-ounce slice mozzarella cheese

Warm 2 skillets over medium heat. In one skillet, lay out the 2 slices of bread, buttered side down, with blue cheese mayo on the unbuttered side of each.

In the other skillet, sauté the roast chicken in butter and buffalo sauce until thoroughly heated. Then spoon over one piece of bread.

Put the pickled celery over the chicken and the sliced mozzarella over the pickled celery. Put the second slice of bread on top, press down lightly and continue to griddle until the mozzarella is melted.

TIMMY’S MELTDOWN

Tim Cullenen and John Whittington

Prior to opening Timmy’s Meltdown, Tim Cullenen and John Whittington both started out as short-order cooks while in high school, but John remained in the food service industry and has many years experience as a chef in numerous restaurants in the Columbus area. “Most of our recipes originated with our resident ‘foodie,’ Johnnie ‘Saucepan’ Whittington,” Tim said.

Both of the guys have moved in and out of Columbus, but they have always returned. They both have degrees from The Ohio State University. “I recently returned to Columbus in 2013 after having lived in New England for a number of years,” Tim shared. “John has a residence in Clintonville, and I sleep in the van down by the river,” he joked.

“John and I have known each other since attending grade school together,” said Tim. “We spent many years hanging out and listening to rock-and-roll together. While we followed different paths many times, the road has always brought us back together again. John has been happily married for many years while I continue to look for the next ‘Ms. Right’ or, at least, the next ‘Ms. Right Now.’”

John and Tim opened their food truck in September 2014 during the Marion Popcorn Festival. “It was 96 degrees outside, burning hell inside the trailer,” Tim remembered. Because their sales vary from location to location, it’s hard to pinpoint their bestseller. “Some days it is the Blue Buffalo and some days the Empire Builder,” Tim said. “And somewhat surprisingly, the basic grilled cheese continues to be a big seller.” John is responsible for most of the menu items, like the Blue Buffalo and the Caprese. But Tim came up with the Mush-Cluck. The guys describe their sandwiches as great combinations of simple flavors and textures. “John also has a half dozen other sandwiches that will knock you out that we hope to roll out as specials,” Tim shared. In addition to opening the food truck, Tim said that for both of the guys, their biggest accomplishments are attaining their college degrees and their sons. They hope to expand the business into more vehicles and perhaps a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

“Under the Influence” Bourbon-Glazed Brisket Tacos

Courtesy of Zach James, Paddy Wagon

Slow-roasted Angus beef brisket, sauced in a bourbon glaze, topped with red cabbage S’law Enforcement, handmade pico de gallo and Sriracha sour cream.

Slow-Roasted Brisket

Remove excess fat from brisket. “Take off the nose.” Dry rub in kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper.

Place in slow cooker on medium temperature. Submerge beef in water.

On a low-medium temperature, allow 12 to 15 hours of cooking time, or until beef will pull apart easily.

S’Law Enforcement

1 head red cabbage

1 head white cabbage

Slaw Dressing

Shred one head of red and one head of white cabbage. Mix together with slaw dressing.

Pico de Gallo

roma tomatoes, diced

red onion, diced

fresh cilantro, chopped fine

garlic, minced

lime juice

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

Combine two parts diced roma tomatoes with one part diced red onion. Liberally add chopped cilantro, minced garlic and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sriracha Sour Cream

1 part Sriracha

2 parts sour cream

Mix two parts sour cream with one part Sriracha. Whip thoroughly.

Bourbon Glaze

750-milliliter bottle Kentucky straight bourbon

2 liters cola

½ gallon sweet barbecue sauce

2 cups orange juice

Starting on medium-high heat, let the bourbon come to a rolling boil and then reduce heat to medium-low to simmer. Simmer bourbon an additional 10 minutes or more to allow it to reduce. Add sweet barbecue sauce and cola to the simmering bourbon. Allow to simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool. Add 2 cups orange juice. Stir to combine.

To Make the Tacos

Top flour tortillas with pulled beef, bourbon glaze, slaw, pico and sour cream.

Note: 5 pounds of beef makes around 20 tacos.

PADDY WAGON

Zach “the Sheriff” James

While attending college at Ohio State during 2009’s economic downturn, Zach James saw an alternative to his liberal arts coursework conveniently parked right outside his favorite campus watering hole, Dick’s Den. Though no longer in business, Fusion Café and its owner opened Zach’s eyes to what seemed like untapped potential. “At this point, I hadn’t seen anything like this before; food trucks weren’t on TV yet, and this was branded, mobile, truly a self-contained system,” he said. Though Zach never actually shadowed the truck’s owner, the owner did serve as a mentor, guiding Zach through both operations and licensing to start the first iteration of Paddy Wagon in August 2010.

Inspired by actual campus “paddy wagons,” Zach saw an opportunity in late-night cuisine “to serve culinary justice.” His original menu reflected a true “rookie mistake” by having too many items, but the slow-roasted brisket stood out and became a continual sellout. This gave him the rationale he needed to do a complete menu revamp. In addition to the signature “15 to Life Angus Brisket Sandwich,” Zach introduced bourbon-glazed brisket tacos, now another go-to favorite. Rounding out the menu are an unexpected but perfected portabella-and-pineapple sandwich and a two-time award-winning grilled cheese. While burgers themselves aren’t a menu staple these days, Paddy Wagon can still throw down a mean offering, as it did weekly for 2014’s “Common Law Burger” at the Columbus Commons Food Truck Food Court.

In addition to serving as Paddy Wagon sheriff, Zach is the president of the Central Ohio Food Truck Association, which began in 2012 as he and fellow owners recognized a need to organize and help foster efforts related to city legislation, including the 2015 launch of the citywide location registration program, which allows trucks to stake out spots in advance and better communicate them to consumers. Also to further communications, the group, which has grown to over fifty truck owner/operators, helped build and introduce the Street Food Finder App, giving Columbus residents and visitors alike a quick way to find trucks nearest to them at any moment.

Zach’s background in video production stemming from a childhood dream of being a director manifests itself daily at Paddy Wagon, where the schtick is almost as good as the food and the team has a fun time interacting with customers, from newbies to regulars. You can get in on the action weekly at the Commons Food Truck Food Court (Thursdays) and Pearl Alley Market (Wednesdays/Fridays) or check out its permanent location—featuring an extended menu—the “Jailhouse” at Little Rock Bar.

ASK A LOCAL: JIM ELLISON, COLUMBUS BREW ADVENTURES

Jim Ellison is a freelance writer whose focus has been food and beverage since 1998. He started his CMH Gourmand blog in 2006 and co-created Taco Trucks Columbus in 2009, Street Eats Columbus in 2010 and the Columbus Foodcast radio show, which ran from 2011 to 2014. He served as the coordinator of the Food Fort from 2011 to 2013. Currently, Ellison is co-owner and lead guide for Columbus Brew Adventures, a board member of the Columbus Mobile Food Advisory Board and serves as a social media and marketing advisor for businesses and food trucks.

How long have you been in Columbus, and when did you start following the food cart scene here?

Lifelong resident. Started following seriously in 2009.

How are food trucks part of the Columbus culture?

Columbus is the most progressive city in the country for mobile food and [has] a long history [with food carts] dating back to the 1980s. They showcase the entrepreneurial spirit of the city and the diversity of what we have to offer culturally and in food.

If it’s someone’s first time visiting Columbus, how would you describe the food trailer scene, and where would you tell them to begin?

Columbus has over 150 active mobile food vendors, so it is the largest and most diverse mobile food community in the Midwest and probably east of the Mississippi. Start at a brewery that features food trucks. Then go on a Taco Truck Tour or Food Truck Tour with Columbus Food Adventures.

Do you have some pro tips for people visiting food trucks for the first time?

You can learn a lot from Taco Trucks Columbus and Street Eats Columbus about the vendors…the culture, what to expect, et cetera. So read up [and] then eat up.

Which trucks are most reflective of the Columbus culture?

The diversity of the trucks is most reflective of our city. This is not street meat; we offer a mobile food court of choices.

What are the main differences in the food trucks in Columbus versus other cities?

The main differences are the number of mobile vendors and that our city government works with the vendors proactively. We also have a lot of proactive fans who support the industry. And there is a fella we call Mike Guyver who is like the Batman of mobile food, filling in for labor emergencies on many trucks.

What are the trends in cuisine within the food truck world?

Trends represent what we see in Columbus and the major cities, a focus on local ingredients, regional cuisines and ethnic cuisine.

What is the future of food trailers in Columbus?

The future looks so bright you need to wear shades. The first year of the mobile food program, which allows trucks to sell from designated parking spots, is growing great and drawing in more new customers everyday. Established vendors are adding more trucks to their operators and moving into brick-and-mortar operations (Late Night Slice, Paddy Wagon [and] Mojo Togo, among others).

What’s the feeling of Columbus restaurants toward food trucks?

Many restaurants are working on adding their own food trucks and have been supportive to this type of business for the most part.

Is there a high turnover in entrepreneurs who start food trucks or do they have longevity?

It is a mix. If a vendor can survive the first year, they have a good chance for longevity. Many think a passion for food will get them customers, but there is so much more than that. You have to have a keen business sense, watch food costs, recruit and retain excellent staff and nail customer service. You can’t just tweet a couple times per day. You have to understand and actively engage in marketing your business and developing your brand.

Who are the founding fathers of the food truck revolution in Columbus?

Mikey Sorboro, Late Night Slice; Paul Humphries, Leslie’s Crêperie; Brian Reed, Mojo Togo; Dan McCarthy, Tatoheads; Jamie “Ray Ray” Anderson. And we have to tip a hat to the Taco Truck Community, which started in 2010. Quicho from Taco Nazo and the owners of Los Guachos are the best known.

Are the Columbus trucks mobile or stationary?

Both. Taco Trucks and Ray Rays stay in one place. Most others are mobile.

What are the “food trailer parks,” how many are there and can you share a little about each of the main pods in Columbus?

This did not really sustain here. The main connection is food trucks and breweries. Both have grown up together in the last two years [2014–15].

Do you want to open your own cart? Why or why not?

I went to Hot Dog University in Chicago to learn about the business, and I have worked shifts on a few trucks to understand the operations of the business, and I have worked hand in hand with over forty vendors to help them launch. It is incredibly hard work. When I “retire,” I will probably open a Hot Dog Truck called Jimbos.

Is it safe/healthy to eat from a food cart in Columbus?

Yes. You can see your food being prepared—that is better odds than a restaurant—and we have our green tag inspection program with the Department of Health.

Anything else you’d like to add about your involvement in the food truck scene?

One of my greatest honors was receiving the Vendy Community Award at the 2013 Food Truck Festival. There are so many people who have helped grow this community, so to be chosen and showcased was a true honor. I was getting ready to leave my job at Food Fort, and the boss I had then was incredibly unsupportive and undermining in the work I did with vendors. So to get that award was a great validation that I knew what I was doing and had done it well.

MAIN DISHES

Chicken Chimichurri

Native Eats

En Place Salad

En Place

Garden-Fresh Tomato Soup

Alphabetical Soups & Salads

Chicken Salad

Challah!

Corned Beef

Challah!

Smokey BBQ Pulled Pork

Buckey Snack Shack

Jerk Chicken

Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

MA the Meatloaf

My Place or Yours

“The Soph” Pork Rub

Sophie’s Gourmet Pierogi

Green Meanie Braised Pork Belly

Green Meanie

MAIN DISHES

Chicken Chimichurri

Courtesy of Alyssa Block, Native Eats

A rub made for chicken but suitable for steak, fish and even vegetables, chimmichurri will spice up any dish with just the right amount of spice and heat.

—Alyssa Block

Chimichurri Marinade

2 jalapeños roasted in a 400-degree oven until tender and slightly browned

3 tablespoons lime juice

1½ teaspoons lime zest

2 cups cilantro

1 cup parsley

½ tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper

¼ tablespoon cumin

¼ tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

3 cloves garlic, peeled

½ cup olive oil

Add the above ingredients to the blender and pulse until finely chopped/diced. Add oil as needed to loosen the marinade.

Chicken Chimichurri

1 pound chicken breast

Chimichurri Marinade

Pound chicken breast to ½-inch thickness to tenderize and ensure even cook time. Rub ¾ of the chimichurri mixture on chicken breast.

Heat grill to medium-high heat and cook the chicken breast 5 minutes on each side. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Pour the remaining chimichurri sauce on top of cooked chicken breast and serve

NATIVE EATS

Alyssa Block

Born in Long Island, Alyssa comes from a strong Italian background. “I started eating quality food [when] I was in a highchair,” she said, “where my mom would feed me blue cheese and olives as a one-year-old. My mom always cooked meals for us growing up. As a child, I often watched the Food Network instead of cartoons. My friends hated this,” she laughed as she shared. “I suppose this is where my obsession came from. I always wanted to help in the kitchen and learn how to make these meals on my own so I would never have to go without it.”

When Alyssa was four, her mother’s job transferred the family to Columbus. “I have lived here ever since,” Alyssa said. “I love this city and all that it brings! So much diversity and such a large population of hardworking millennials like myself.” At Worthington Kilbourne High School, Alyssa played lacrosse and was a cheerleader. Art was her focus, and she put a lot of effort toward getting into art school.

As a child, Alyssa shared, she always wanted to be a Food Network chef.

Since I can remember, I have always loved pleasing people with food. As a child, I used to whip up creative meals from whatever I found in my mom’s fridge, and I used to serve all my friends! I also grew up dancing and performing. I took acting classes, modeling classes, dancing classes and cheer classes. I always loved being on stage. My personality was passed down from my mother. She is an entrepreneurial woman with a strong personality. She showed me that if you work hard enough, listen, have consistency and persistence, success will come.

I am proud of myself for following this dream. When my father passed away when I was nine, I told myself I wanted to do something special with the money he left me. I knew I wanted to grow as a person with it. I knew before starting college that the thing I would want to buy with this money was a mobile food stand. I am just happy that I decided to go through with it and saved enough of this money to do so! The story behind my cart is what drives me.

The doors of Native Eats were opened officially in March 2015. The truck’s signature item, the Barbacoa Breakfast Torta, is also its bestseller: local grass-fed braised beef topped with jack cheese, local cilantro, a local fried egg and smoked tomatillo salsa, all on top of a local ciabatta roll. The Crazy Cuban is Alyssa’s personal favorite. “This is the Native Eats spin of the classic cubano,” she explained. “This item is full of flavor, and everyone who tries it comes back for more.” It contains local black forest ham; local grass-fed, braised mojo pork; jack cheese; creamy mojo sauce; cilantro; and homemade apple cider vinegar pickles, all stacked together and grilled to order.

While Alyssa is the sole owner of her truck, she gives a lot of credit to her boyfriend, who is her manager. “I do not have a business partner financially, but he is my support,” she shared. “He helps me by acting as a manager in the kitchen, and he helps me by working shifts on the cart with me and picking up food orders for me! I met him two years ago through some friends, and I am so glad he showed up in my life. I do not know what I would do without him.”

Before opening Native Eats, Alyssa was working at the Limited and still does to this day. “I work in production there,” she said. “This has taught me how to build strong working relationships, how to cost negotiate with vendors, how to build strong relationships with vendors, how to source food and how to juggle priorities and schedules.”

When asked to describe the Columbus food scene, Alyssa said: “We are a diverse, liberal city, with one of the largest populations of the millennial age group in the country. We have a strong sense of community. We love our Buckeye Football, and we love our craft beer and craft food even more. Live music is something that is very abundant here. Once you come visit, you will never want to leave. We kind of have that effect on people.”

Alyssa’s goal with Native Eats is to own multiple food stands with the same concept. “My concept is a very sustainable and eco-friendly one,” she said. “I hope to make a difference in the world…while serving the most amazingly delicious food. We are a food cart that unites community by sourcing all of our main ingredients locally. Our food is classic American with a southwestern spin. We are dedicated to serving quality product you can feel good about eating.” In closing, Alyssa said, “We are Ohio’s biggest fans!”

En Place Salad

Courtesy of Nic and Kristie Piccin, En Place

Yields 4 dinner-sized salads.

2 cups napa cabbage, shredded

2 cups bok choy, shredded

4 cups organic field greens

1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned

½ red onion, julienned

1 carrot, julienned

15 snap peas, julienned

udon noodles, cooked and chilled (as many as you like)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

The Dressing:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon garlic chili paste

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons honey-roasted peanuts, chopped

3 tablespoons scallions (about one bunch), cut on a thin bias

¾ cup olive oil

Combine ingredients in a blender and mix well. Slowly add olive oil while running the blender, only until it is emulsified. Add dressing to salad, using as much or as little as you prefer.

Place salad on plates or in bowls and garnish with peanuts and scallions

EN PLACE

Nic and Kristie Piccin

“I can remember always having great family meals growing up, especially around holidays and birthdays,” said Nic Piccin. “My great-aunt was a really great cook. My mother was also a great cook when she had time. She gave me the confidence I needed when I was interviewing for my first real cook job.”

En Place food truck. Photo by Nic Piccin.

During high school at Whetstone, Nic played baseball and football. As a kid, Nic always thought he would play major-league baseball, but three major surgeries on his right knee prevented that from becoming a reality. Upon moving to Tampa, Florida, in 2005, he helped open a restaurant. “It was a bad time to try to live there,” said Nic. “The housing market was really bad; it just did not work out.”

“My business partner is my wife,” shared Nic. “We met ten years ago at a restaurant we both worked at. I was a chef; she was a server/hostess.” The Pork Belly Sliders are their bestseller, and also Nic’s personal favorite. He says the corn and jalapeño jam is delicious.

June 2014 was their first official sale. “Permits and licensing requirements were overwhelming the first year,” shared Nic. “It’s also a challenge to project sales and plan for the amount of people at each event. Over ordering is a huge drain on profit, so we try to set realistic expectations.”

This wasn’t his first dip in sales projections, as prior to En Place, Nic was the executive chef at the Columbus Fish Market. “We want to create a large following here in Columbus and open other trucks under the En Place name,” he said. “We also have our sights set on one day opening a full-fledged catering business with a fancy banquet hall.”

Garden-Fresh Tomato Soup

Courtesy of Jordan Lamatrice, Alphabetical Soups & Salads

“At one point I thought a good tomato soup started with the word Campbell’s, but I have been working on this one for a bit…enjoy!”

—Jordan Lamatrice

4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 white onion, diced

4 whole cloves

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt

In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, cloves and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all the flavors. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food mill (or immersion blender) into a large bowl or pan. Discard any food remnants left in the food mill.

In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. If it’s your first time making a roux, the slower you cook it, the less likely you will be to burn it. The important thing is to cook the roux to the desired color. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt and adjust to taste.

ALPHABETICAL SOUPS & SALADS

Jordan Lamatrice

“I come from a long line of big appetites, and food just always brought everyone together,” said Jordan Lamatrice of Alphabetical Soups & Salads. “My mother is the best cook, ever. I think in life I’ve always wanted to do the same.”

Jordan was born in Steubenville and graduated from Indian Creek High School in 2005. “I was a member of the choir and did some musicals,” he shared. “I wasn’t bad at sports; it just seemed like a lot of running.” He moved to Columbus in 2008 for college. “I think I wanted to be a comedian,” he said. “I remember doing impersonations and memorizing stand-up bits I saw on late night talk shows…come to think of it, not much has changed.”

When we asked Jordan about food in Columbus, he had some insights to share. “I remember when I moved to Columbus, my brother took me down to Betty’s in the Short North for the first time,” he said. “I ordered the macaroni and cheese with blackened chicken, and it was then and there I knew that anyone who came to Columbus needed to eat there…it’s a bummer they closed. Columbus is a hidden gem for creativity. It has big-city potential but very much a support-local/DIY attitude toward life. For a small business owner, I have firsthand received so much support from the city, as well as other food truck owners.”

Jordan has some pretty great foundations on food at home, too. “For a solid six years, I was addicted to baked barbecue chicken that my mom made,” he told us. “In my house, Italian wedding soup was always on a special occasion…I have a great recipe for it; I am looking forward to making it on the truck.”

The Chicken Tortilla Soup is his bestseller on the truck, but the Tuscan Roll is his personal favorite. “It’s a homemade sausage sandwich that is a Frankenstein creation of goodness,” Jordan said. “I’m confident that soon this item will be our most popular.”

Before he opened Alphabetical Soups & Salads, Jordan was a salesman for several years. “At one point, I was one of the best reps in the company, but I was also trapped in the retail bubble and needed out,” he said. Getting the business up and going was a major accomplishment in his eyes. “We are far from sitting pretty, but I feel that taking the initial step and taking a chance is the hardest part,” Jordan said. Some of his biggest challenges have been being able to prepare for the crowds.

This gig can be hit or miss, and it’s hard to make sure you have enough food but not too much that you’ll be throwing away. This Christmas, I was given a sterling silver soup spoon with the name of my truck hand-engraved on it…I immediately mounted [it] inside my truck. It was a sign of support from my older brother, which means a lot. I want my business to be a driving factor in others being able to accomplish their dreams and follow their passions, as I have with this truck.

Chicken Salad

Courtesy of Catie Randazzo, Challah! Food Truck

“If using one whole chicken, this recipe will make approximately 6 to 8 portions, depending on [the chicken’s] size.”

—Catie Randazzo

1 whole rotisserie chicken

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh celery

3 tablespoons mayonnaise (add more if desired)

1 lemon, juice and zest

salt to taste

bread, to build sandwiches

1 red onion, sliced

pickles, to taste

Pull the chicken off of the bone in chunky rustic pieces, using both the dark meat and the white meat. Place meat into a bowl.

Add dill, parsley and tarragon to the chicken. Add zest and juice of one lemon and mayonnaise and mix. Salt to taste. Serve on desired bread, with sliced red onion and pickles.

Corned Beef

Courtesy of Catie Randazzo, Challah! Food Truck

“You could also use the corned beef for hash or a number of other dishes, but you can also make approximately 20 sandwiches from this recipe if using 4-ounce portions.”

—Catie Randazzo

For Curing the Beef:

20 cups water

2¼ cups kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons pink curing salt

10 allspice berries

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

4 whole cloves

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 cinnamon stick

2 stalks celery

½ carrot

½ yellow onion

2 sprigs thyme

3 bay leaves

1 5-pound brisket

Making the Curing Solution

Combine all the curing ingredients, except the brisket, in a large nonreactive pot and bring to a boil; adjust the heat and simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer the curing liquid to the refrigerator and let sit until chilled. Then add the brisket to the pot, weighing it down with a plate or other heavy object so that the meat remains fully submerged. Refrigerate, covered, for 5 days.

For Cooking the Beef

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

10 allspice berries

2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

1 cinnamon sick

2 stalks celery

½ carrot

½ yellow onion

2 sprigs thyme

3 bay leaves

Fill a large pot with enough water to fully cover the meat by an inch or so. Then add all of the cooking ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat and cook at a low simmer until fork-tender, 3 to 4 hours.

Note: A reactive pan is one that contains metals that might interact with certain foods. Aluminum, cast iron, and unlined copper are all examples of reactive metals. Pans made of these materials conduct heat very well and are ideal for cooking rice, melting sugar and pan-browning meat. But you should avoid cooking acidic foods such as tomato sauce in pans like these, as the metal can alter the color and flavor of the dish.

Stainless steel and tin (including tin-lined copper) are examples of nonreactive metals. You can use these pans for all kinds of foods, though you may not get the heat conductivity of copper or cast iron.

There is really no single metal that is perfect for all foods, so it’s best to buy different pieces to suit different needs (cast iron for skillets, copper for sauté pans, etc.) rather than a cookware set if you can avoid it. If you do buy a cookware set, your best all-around option is stainless steel–lined aluminum.

CHALLAH! FOOD TRUCK

Catie Randazzo

“There is a long history of strong women who farmed their own food and cooked from scratch in my family,” Catie Randazzo informed us. “Cooking in this fashion is just something I grew up with. As my passion for food grew, it just seemed natural to implement it into my current style of cooking.”

“My dad always made the best spaghetti sauce, and he still does,” Catie shared. “It’s a big deal. He spends all day making it—the whole house smells like you are in Sicily. Watching him work with that much love and passion for just that one thing is incredibly…inspiring. His pancakes are pretty banging, too.”

Before Catie opened her Challah! Food Truck in June 2013, she was working in New York City as a line cook. “I went to Liberty Christian Academy for most of my school career until I intentionally had myself removed,” she said. “It was incredibly restricting to my creativity and unique outlook on life. I graduated from Pickerington, which meant going from a class of twenty-two students to [one of] six hundred. I played soccer and was in mock trial. I remember in elementary school and junior high, it was impossible to trade any lunch items. While most kids had fruit snacks, Little Debbie’s, bags of chips and bologna sandwiches on white bread, I had fruit leather, multigrain-bread sandwiches, homemade cookies, ants on a log and carrot sticks. I appreciate it as an adult, but as a kid I was like, come on, Mom!”

Catie grew up in Columbus and moved to Portland, Oregon, when she was twenty-eight to pursue a culinary internship:

I worked at a restaurant called Nostrana, under Chef Cathy Whims, studying northern Italian cuisine with farm-to-table sensibility. I stayed there for a year [and] then moved back home. I worked in a few local kitchens but became bored and felt that I still needed to learn and grow as a cook, so I decided to move to New York. New York is where I feel I became a chef. I had an incredible mentor: Nate Smith, formerly of the Spotted Pig. He was hard, but he pushed me and taught me to have respect and integrity for food and what we were doing at Allswell. I moved home in the spring of 2013 with a newfound love for food. I saw the food scene in Columbus starting to take off, and I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to show people that food can be interesting, unique and flavorful, all while staying simple. In terms of my family, I think just growing up making food from scratch is the greatest thing anyone could have passed down to me—and work ethic.

Her bestseller on the food truck is the Crispy Chicken Sandwich. “My favorite item is the Chicken Salad. It is so simple and fresh I never get tired of eating it,” she said.

Catie told us more about her childhood:

As a child, ha, I wanted to be retired. Or Indiana Jones. I was a confused kid for a long time. I had a hard time finding my way. Growing up in a strict Christian school and home and being gay was very difficult for me. I submersed myself in drugs and alcohol while I was running from who I was. The thing I am most currently proud of is accepting who I am, being myself, dragging myself out of the hopeless pit of drugs, finding my passion, making something of myself and helping kids who have found themselves in similar situations as myself. Opening the truck was a huge event for me. It has changed everything and brought me together with the love of my life.

When we asked Catie to describe the Columbus culture to someone who had never been, she said:

Columbus isn’t just cornfields and rednecks. It is a vibrant, growing city with great music, art and food scenes. We are friendly and welcoming. We like to show out-of-towners one hell of a time. We have one of the best zoos and science centers in the country, professional soccer, the Buckeyes and an incredible baseball farm-league team. We are the biggest little city in the Midwest and are proud of who we are.

Growing up, going to The Spot was always a treat for me. It was the first time I ever had mussels, even though my dad had to pay me one dollar for each one I ate—I loved them! As an adult, my favorite restaurant in town is the Rossi. If I was to give someone a food tour of Columbus, I would start at the DK Diner for biscuits and gravy greasy-spoon style. I love the neighborhood vibe in there—it is so chill and laid-back. Then we would take a walk up to Staufs for a cup of coffee and head over to the North Market. We would split a Destination Doughnut, Hot Chicken Takeover and The Beet and Avocado Sandwich from Little Eater. Next we would have to walk off some of that delicious goodness, so we would stroll around Goodale Park [and] then walk over to The Short North Tavern and Mikes for some day beers and maybe a shot or two. Pop into Phil Co. for some crispy duck wings [and] then The Press Grill. The Rossi for happy hour and a pizza because they have the best pizza in town. Basi for another drink and an appetizer [and] then finish the night off at The Sycamore for dinner.

Catie’s goals with her business are to ultimately be in a restaurant and then work toward opening a food and education youth center.

Smokey BBQ Pulled Pork

Courtesy of Lyle Bigelow, Josh Chapman and Stephen Concilla,

Buckeye Snack Shack

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons hot paprika

1 teaspoon mustard powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 3- to 4-pound boneless pork shoulder

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

½ cup apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste

3 tablespoons tomato paste

12 Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Combine 1 tablespoon brown sugar, the paprika, mustard powder, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet; add the pork and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 5 minutes. Remove the pork and transfer to a plate; whisk ¾ cup water into the drippings in the skillet. Transfer the liquid to a half-hotel foil pan and place inside smoker or grill.

Add the vinegar, tomato paste, the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 cups water to a secondary pan and whisk to combine. Then place inside of smoker or grill. Add the pork, directly to a grill rack and cook on low, 8 hours.

Remove the pork and transfer to a cutting board. Strain the vinegar and tomato liquid. In a saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Roughly chop the pork and mix in a bowl with 1 cup of the reduced cooking liquid and salt and vinegar to taste. Serve on Hawaiian rolls.

BUCKEYE SNACK SHACK

Lyle Bigelow, Josh Chapman and Stephen Concilla

The Buckeye Snack Shack is a combination of three experienced food service industry veterans, all bringing their individual talents together to offer Columbus a new take on concession-type foods while promoting the local economy by creating job opportunities and making connections between small business owners and Ohio State University.

Lyle Bigelow, Josh Chapman and Stephen Concilla took the once popular Swoop food truck that Lyle was a partner in and rebranded to meet the needs of their new venture, C2 Concessions, which handles roughly 15 percent of all concessions for Ohio State University athletics—from fifteen food carts at the Horseshoe (Ohio Stadium), three permanent spots at the Schottenstein Center and 100 percent of the concessions at baseball and track and field events. The team’s goal is to take local food and incorporate it into concessions, and with 100,000 loyal Ohioans and visitors packing in to see OSU football on fall Saturdays, they have a captive audience to get Columbus food like OH! Chips into the hands and mouths of hungry fans.

With the motto “eat with one hand, high five with the other,” Buckeye Snack Shack offers up highlights like the BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos, starting with Steve’s five-hundred-pound competition smoker, slow cooking locally sourced pork butt to pile high on top of tortilla chips with cheese, sour cream and more barbecue sauce. A real “eyecatcher” the team says—as soon as one sells, everyone nearby has to have their own.

When asked his personal favorite menu item, Lyle mentioned the sliders, which they take great care to prep. Buckeye offers many versions, including cheeseburgers, pulled pork and meatball, all on what Lyle considers the best bun for the job: Hawaiian sweet rolls.

From creating sixty-five jobs just last year to helping fellow food truck Dos Hermanos secure placement with Ohio State, Buckeye Snack Shack and C2 Concessions are proud to be a part of the city and continue to help it grow and improve. The “coolest thing about the Columbus food truck scene is its untapped potential. We haven’t even come close to some other cities like Portland, LA, et cetera. Those guys have figured out how to be visible, accessible and consistent; food truck pods have developed with trucks leasing space for multiple months to build an audience—that’s missing here still.” But there’s a good chance it will happen, as the “reason it’s been successful is because there are so many people here that want to find the next best meal, fans of trucks that really want to be the one to know hidden gems of the city, places to eat that people want to come write about/film.” And Buckeye Snack Shack is definitely among those delicious offerings.

Jerk Chicken

Courtesy of James Ray Ray Anderson, Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

Serve with white basmati rice or on a bun, adding thinly sliced habanero peppers—if you dare.

Suggested serving: ½ pound per person.

—James “Ray Ray” Anderson

Jerk Dry Rub

1 cup paprika

¼ cup granulated garlic

¼ cup granulated onion

½ cup granulated white sugar

1 cup salt

¼ cup black pepper

¼ cup cayenne pepper

⅛ cup ground clove or cinnamon

¼ cup ground thyme

Mix all the dry seasonings in a bowl and set aside. If there is any left over, put in a jar and save for a rainy day; it can be used for any meats or vegetables in the future.

Marinade

2 cups Jerk Dry Rub

1 cup water

½ cup olive oil

1 cup cayenne hot sauce

Whisk ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Jerk Chicken

3 pounds boneless chicken thighs (breast or bone-in chicken can easily be substituted if preferred.)

2 scallions

Marinate the chicken thighs for 12 hours or so. Spray a grill with nonstick spray before lighting. Then grill chicken on medium heat, flipping about every 3 minutes, for 12 minutes total or until done. The internal temperature of the meat should be 165 degrees.

RAY RAY’S HOG PIT

James Ray Anderson

Though born in Wurzburg, Germany, James Ray Ray Anderson made his way to Granville, Ohio, at the age of three and considers himself a native.

“My dad was a barbecue man, and I am inspired by him,” said James. “Although I was never able to cook with him, he inspired me to cook outdoors, over fire, in the elements. My brother and mom are both great cooks, and they inspire me to cook really good food.” Perhaps that is why, as a child, James always wanted to be a cook and barbecue man.

“Chicken and biscuits was my favorite that my mom made,” James said, “along with things like pot roast with mashed potatoes, Brussels [sprouts] and roasted beets, sauerbraten with egg noodle, pork and kraut. My mom always made good food. Then she and my brother started the gluten free thing, and all the good food stopped. So now I’m making the good food at my house,” he said with a smile.

The spare ribs are James’s bestseller, but it’s the grass-fed brisket that is his personal favorite item on his menu. “It’s the best beef I have ever had. I love the flavor that grass-fed cattle produces. It’s a little bit tangy and strong in the real beef flavor. I love it with fat and meat in each bite.” James built his first food truck around 2005 but opened Ray Ray’s in 2010.

“I’ve been a part of Clintonville since 1993,” he said. “I’ve always loved the area, the organizations and businesses and, most of all, the people. I don’t live in Clintonville, although I spend a lot of my time there, and I am definitely a part of the community.”

Ray Ray of Ray Ray’s Hot Pit. Photo by James Anderson.

Chipotle Adobo Sauce from Tortilla. Photo credit Heather A. Marlin (see page 123).

Beignets from the Early Bird Food Truck. Photo credit Libby Glover (see page 33).

Beast Smoothie from Kinetic. Photo credit Andrew Tuchow (see page 35).

Power Bites from Kinetic. Photo credit Andrew Tuchow (see page 135).

D’duk ’n’ Cheese from Ajumama. Photo credit by Laura Lee (see pages 112–13).

Garden-Fresh Tomato Soup from Alphabetical Soups & Salads. Photo credit Megan Leigh Barnard (see page 86).

Braised Pork Belly from Green Meanie. Photo credit Janka Smith (see pages 102–3).

Native Eats. Photo credit Shannon Block (see pages 82–83).

Por’Ketta. Photo credit Tony Layne (see page 122).

Columbus Skyline. Photo credit OSP Images..

Mai Chau. Photo credit Austin Miller (see pages 50–51).

Challah! Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen (see pages 90–92).

Buffalo Blue Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Timmy’s Meltdown. Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen (see pages 72–73).

Max’s Smoked BBQ Meatloaf Sliders from Papaya BBQ. Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen (see pages 53–54).

“Under the Influence” Bourbon-Glazed Brisket Tacos from Paddy Wagon. Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen (see pages 74–75).

Tacos from Paddy Wagon. Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Short North Bagel Deli. Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen (see pages 68–69).

MA, the Meatloaf from My Place or Yours. Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen (see pages 98–99).

Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Photo credit Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Photo credits Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Photo credits Catherine Murray Photo Kitchen.

Paddy Wagon. Photo credit David Heasley (see pages 74–75).

Columbus Food Truck Festival. Photo credit David Heasley (see pages 17–19).

Tortilla. Photo credit David Heasley (see pages 123–24).

Buckeye Snack Shack. Photo credit David Heasley (see pages 93–94).

Columbus Food Truck Festival trophy. Photo credit David Heasley (see pages 17–19).

Columbus Food Truck Festival. Photo credit David Heasley (see pages 17–19).

James attended an alternative high school and participated in arts and photography. “I played sports when I was a wee little lad,” James shared. “But as I grew into my teens, my creative side took over, and I focused on art, photography and cooking. I’ve always been described as the creative type. I think that helps as a business owner and a cook. I typically make business decisions that are outside the box. I like to be extreme with my decision-making, typically.”

“My other half, Jessica, is a part of a little co-op school in Licking County,” he continued. “She is an herbalist, gardener, farmer, beekeeper and book worm. I run a pig farm, build and rebuild food trucks and I own and operate Ray Rays food truck.”

He considers being first on Google worldwide for searching for “barbeque food truck” for a period of time one of his greatest accomplishments. “I’m so proud to see a crowd of fifty people at my food truck every day before we open—that never gets old,” James says. “I’m very lucky to have such a loyal following, and I try to be very consistent with my food and feed the regulars with the best food I can prepare.”

Additional life accomplishments include “graduating college and singlehandedly grabbing all the awards at graduation, opening and closing a few restaurants, having kids, traveling overseas, being nationally recognized for my ribs, selling barbecue at the Columbus Jazz and RibFest and getting a whole lot of tattoos.”

Given the opportunity to give someone a food tour in his area, James described some of his favorite spots: “First, I stop at Fiesta Jalisco Taco Truck, my favorite tacos. I do love Lavash Café, Greek, very consistent, solid eating, too. Another favorite is Moy’s down on campus, hands down the best Chinese mom-and-pop shop, and the chef, Mr. Moy, is super talented. I also love the Hilton downtown restaurant called Gallerie. Chef Bill Glover is probably my favorite chef, period.”

In terms of his own business, James’s goals are to “stay small and be sure to not grow too fast, keep quality very high, perfect my craft, maintain long lines and smiles and stay in Clintonville.” He says he might do a second truck if he feels it happening naturally.

MA the Meatloaf

Courtesy of Nathan Holmes, My Place or Yours

“We probably should have called it ‘not your mom’s meatloaf’ because it’s nontraditional, but Ma, the Meatloaf is a reference from the movie Old School, where Will Ferrell’s character is yelling for his mom to bring meatloaf.”

—Nathan Holmes.

2 pounds 80/20-blend ground beef

2 eggs

½ cup bread crumbs

1½ cup Cattleman’s Carolina Tangy Gold BBQ Sauce

¼ cup garlic powder

¼ cup parsley

⅛ cup sage

⅛ cup garlic salt

⅛ cup pepper

4 slices white American cheese

Mix all ingredients together by hand until well blended. Put into a loaf pan and make sure you have at least 1 inch from the top of the pan so there is no spillage. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes. The top of the meatloaf should start to crisp slightly. Then layer the white American cheese on top and return to the oven for another 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy.

MY PLACE OR YOURS

Nathan Holmes

Nathan Holmes has had ambitious goals since his high school days, when his mom kept notes he would write about things he wanted to accomplish. One such desire was to run his own company by the time he was thirty-five. Hitting that milestone two years early, he opened the My Place or Yours food truck in 2011 after seven months of building the truck from scratch himself with the help of crucial family and friends, including plumbers and electricians.

Designed to be customized for events, the truck is outfitted with two ovens, six burners and a flat top that bring his “comfort food with a twist.” Bestsellers include the breakfast sandwich, featuring the requisite fried egg, cheese and ham that is slow-cooked on the bone for sixteen hours before being pulled, all on Texas toast; the Carolina Gold Meatloaf sandwich; and Nathan’s personal go-to, the Hangover, a late night– inspired cure-all that starts with garlic hash browns, is topped with house-made bean-less bacon chili and cheese and finished with a fried eggs and a side of delicious Texas toast.

Nathan credits his family for having a big influence on his cooking—early days of making “weird casseroles” as experiments for his little brother, his stepfather’s background as a bedand-breakfast owner and, above all, his mom. Her work ethic while raising two boys on her own and encouragement of Nathan’s exploration of cuisines she was unfamiliar with, such as Mexican and Asian, led to his killer ginger shrimp eggroll, a must try when offered as a special.

Nathan Holmes of My Place or Yours. Photo by Catherine Murray, www.photokitchen.net.

Originally from California, Nathan traded in beaches for barns when moving to the Coshocton, Ohio area during childhood, but he now lives in Gahanna, where he also owns the Turtle Creek Tavern, opened after the My Place or Yours food truck and now a testing ground for menu development. He has embraced Columbus because of the feeling that it’s made up of “a bunch of small towns butted up together” and calls it the “biggest small town you can be in.” He has built a following in various areas, from Hilliard to Dublin and obviously home in Gahanna. He is grateful to Columbus, saying he would have never made it without the public and city’s support and “wouldn’t still be going without everyone who helped us down to everyone who just comes up and orders a sandwich.”

“The Soph” Pork Rub

Courtesy of Stephen Redzinak, Sophie’s Gourmet Pierogi

“This rub is what we use on our famous pork belly sandwich and also ‘The Soph’ entrée, voted one of the topfive dishes you must try at the Central Ohio Food Truck Festival. Bet you thought we were going to give you our Pierogi dough and filling recipe! Sorry—no can do. I want you to come to us over and over for those perfect dumplings that only a chosen few know how to make. But this recipe is outstanding and will impress your friends.”

—Stephen Redzinak

¼ cup Sazon Goya (coriander and Annatto)

¼ cup granulated onion

¼ cup granulated garlic 1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup black pepper

¼ cup dry marjoram

¼ cup smoked paprika

¼ cup kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until all ingredients are combined well. This seasoning can be used on any type of pork, maybe even beef or chicken, too—let us know what you create with it!

For Sophie’s signature Beer-Braised Pork Belly, cut a whole side of pork belly into ⅓-inch pieces and place in a full-size disposable aluminum pan with a lid. Generously rub the pork belly all over with the rub and let it sit overnight or up to 3 days in a refrigerator to cure. Once the pork is cured, preheat an oven to 275 degrees. Pour 1 to 2 cans of any beer (your preference) over the pork belly. Seal the pan with the lid and cook for about 5 hours, or until the pork begins to pull apart easily.

Let it cool completely, slice the pork belly into triple-thick slabs of bacon and crisp back up in a nonstick pan when ready to eat. Serve with the reduced braising liquid on artisan bread or alongside any accompaniment.

Hints

1. Cool the braising liquid and separate the fat from the top before you reduce it down. Save that fat and cook with it: it’s liquid pleasure

2. Be sure to crisp the finished product in a very hot nonstick skillet or pan to ensure crispiness. Be patient and make sure it’s nice and brown before you serve it. It’s well worth the time.

SOPHIE’S GOURMET PIEROGI

Stephen Redzinak

“The story starts a very, very, very long time ago at the kitchen counter of my grandmother, the original Sophie, back in Jersey,” Stephen Redzinak told us.

Some of my first and best memories are of her making pierogi dough, homemade soups and desserts to fatten me up. Made from scratch wasn’t a special label for her food; it was simply how things were done. My time there always stuck with me, so as I joined the navy and worked in “the mess,” something clicked inside…I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Everyone that knows me is aware that I’m very proud of my Polish, Italian and Puerto Rican roots, and as I set off into my career, I sought to expand on those family traditions by working in the finest and most diverse restaurant kitchens I could find. This led me on quite a journey through a big chunk of this great country in fine dining and corporate environments, even spending quite some time as a private kosher chef. So, just like my family history, my menu has a strong Polish foundation enhanced by a diversity of ethnic culinary spinoffs!

Sandwich from Sophie’s Gastrogi. Photo by Stephen Redzinak.

As a child, Stephen said he wanted to be a Navy Seal. “When I realized the physical fitness requirements just to get accepted into the program, I quickly realized I wouldn’t make it past the first day,” he said, laughing. “Once I reported to my ship in San Diego, I found out there was a demand for cooks, and I went after it. This is where my technical skills were first set it motion.”

“The Soph” is his bestseller. “This dish is basically a de-constructed galopki, or stuffed cabbage roll,” Stephen said. It contains pierogi, beer-braised pork belly, braised cabbage and grain mustard compound butter.

Before opening his food cart, Stephen was an executive chef in the corporate world for seventeen years. “Thank God for the Cbus Trailer food scene,” he said. “It saved my life! Our first truck was very old, and I had to sell it. We now operate out of a food cart. The challenges we face now are simply storage space. Another challenge would be the fact that we dare to make pierogi from scratch in a mobile food service. We seriously have a hard time keeping up with demand! But the low overhead of a cart is really a positive.”

His goal with the business is

to build a pierogi legacy in Columbus while growing a business that provides whatever my family needs and friends would enjoy [and] keeping with the same theme of my diverse family background and twenty-three years of culinary travels. We like to refer to our style as “Gastrogi,” combining two words: gastronomy, defined as the art and science of good eating, and pierogi, defined as a filled dumpling!

Columbus tends to be thought of as a cow town. But when you come here, you quickly realize how diverse and welcoming it is. Columbus has been steadily building and growing its food, art and music culture.

Green Meanie Braised Pork Belly

Courtesy of Keith Allen Smith, Green Meanie

“Having grown up on a pig farm, I couldn’t leave out the star of the show. This dish plays up Lowcountry ingredients to feature a more refined, fine dining–quality dish. We wanted to show that delicious food can come from small kitchens on wheels.”

—Keith Allen Smith

Pork Belly

1½ pounds pork belly

3 tablespoons allspice

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons pepper

Rub pork belly with allspice, salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours.

For the Braising Liquid

1 medium onion, quartered

2 tomatoes, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1750-milliliter bottle dry white wine

1 cinnamon stick

1 quart chicken stock

Optional: top with a fried egg

Sauté onion, tomatoes, carrots, celery and garlic in EVOO. Add wine and cinnamon stick and simmer for 3 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the pork belly from the refrigerator and unwrap, placing it in a large roasting pan. Pour braising liquid over pork belly and braise for 3½ hours. Then remove from liquid and refrigerate, preferably overnight.

Strain braising liquid and reduce over low heat until thickened (to about ½ cup).

Slice chilled pork belly into ¼-inch slices and brown in a cast-iron skillet until crispy. Top with fried egg, if desired (we always do!)

GREEN MEANIE

Keith Allen Smith

Keith Smith came from a long line of cooks and bakers. “My biggest source of knowledge for the basics of cooking comes from my mother and her flawless country cooking,” Keith shared. “She gave me the solid foundation for cooking technique upon which I was able to build from my extensive travels and exposure to various cultures and cuisine, as well as my work in various restaurant kitchens.”

Keith has been fortunate to collect antique serving plates, bowls and utensils from his grandmother, which he uses for special occasions. “My mother’s fried chicken and chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes has always been a favorite. Curing a whole ham is a special holiday treat,” he said.

“I came to Columbus for college in 1988,” Keith said. “I traveled extensively and was able to experience a variety of cultures and cooking styles. I am married to my business partner, Janka, who is a food scientist, and I am a chef.”

Keith Allen Smith and Green Meanie Truck. Photo by Janka Smith.

Before he opened the Green Meanie, he was cooking and touring the country in a rock band. The food truck opened in May 2012. “Our pork belly with deep-fried cheddar polenta is my favorite,” Keith said. “It has a great flavor and allows a stretching of culinary technique and creativity.” The truck’s namesake, the Green Meanie, is its bestseller. His goals with the business are to “continue to make food that people enjoy and to evolve with new menu ideas and to reach as many people as possible.”

Keith said that Columbus has a lot of culture. “It’s a great food town,” he noted. “Explore some of the restaurants on your own; don’t go by what local food writers are saying—it doesn’t mean it’s the best. That said, The Top has wonderful steak and scalloped potatoes, the Rossi excellent lamb lollipops and great tapas at Barcelona.

ASK A LOCAL: AMY TILLINGHAST, EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS

Amy Tillinghast, vice-president of marketing for Experience Columbus since 2010, has seen firsthand the growth of the food truck scene, as she works to promote the many facets of the city through the convention and visitors’ bureau for the Greater Columbus area.

Tell us about your involvement in the food community in Columbus.

Well, I love to eat. But my real involvement, as the vice-president of marketing at Experience Columbus, is to get the word out beyond Central Ohio about the amazing chefs, restaurants and culinary entrepreneurs we have here.

How long have you been in Columbus, and when did you start following the food cart scene here?

I’ve been in Columbus nearly twenty years. I started following the food truck scene pretty early on. It was clear that this was something Experience Columbus could use to build our culinary story and attract new visitors.

How are food trucks part of the Columbus culture?

They reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of our community and also the amazing agricultural resources that surround us. Food trucks also are often very creative and fun, like Columbus, and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to experiment and start new businesses. On the consumer side, the accessibility and relative affordability of food trucks make it possible for a larger, broader segment of our population to sample and enjoy a wide variety of different products.

If it’s someone’s first time visiting Columbus, how would you describe the food trailer scene, and where would you tell them to begin?

I’d tell them that they can find just about anything they might want to eat and that it will be delicious. I think a great place to begin is to visit the annual Food Truck Festival or go to the Food Truck Food Court at Columbus Commons on Thursday afternoons in the summer.

Do you have some pro tips for people visiting the food trucks for the first time?

Be patient. This isn’t fast food. Deliciousness can take time, but it will be worth it. Also, try something you’ve never had before.

Which trucks are most reflective of the Columbus culture?

I think they all are. Many people outside Columbus don’t realize how diverse our population is, and the food trucks embody this diversity. Also, food trucks are cool, creative and fun, just like Columbus.

You know I have to ask—what are your favorite meals from food trailers in Columbus?

I absolutely love pizza, so any truck serving pizza will catch my attention.

What is the future of food trailers in Columbus?

I think they’re here to stay. I hope so, anyway.

SIDE DISHES

Smokey Chipotle Tortilla Chips

Native Eats

Sriracha Slaw

The Explorers Club

Sweet Slaw

Smok’N Cantina

D’duk ’n’ Cheese

Ajumama

White Cheddar Grits

Green Meanie

SIDE DISHES

Smokey Chipotle Tortilla Chips

Courtesy of Alyssa Block, Native Eats

“After these, you will never want to eat pre-made chips again.”

—Alyssa Block

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

½ tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 liter canola oil

1 package corn tortillas

Mix paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt and cardamom in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat up the oil to 350 degrees.

While the oil is heating, cut each tortilla into eighths.

Divide the package in half and cook each half for about 4 minutes, carefully stirring constantly, for even cooking.

Place the cooked chips onto a paper towel–lined plate and immediately sprinkle the spice mixture on top.

Sriracha Slaw

Courtesy of Tracy Studer and Orlando Martinez, The Explorers Club

This slaw can be used to top any sandwich or as a side dish.

2 heads cabbage

1 bundle cilantro

4 jalapeños

1 cup cheap olive oil

2 cups sweet chili sauce

2 ounces Sriracha sauce

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

Chop cabbage, cilantro and jalapeños. Then mix everything with chili sauce and Sriracha sauce plus salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Slaw

Courtesy of Noah and Heather Yates, Smok’N Cantina

“This sweet slaw goes great on pulled pork sandwiches [and] pulled pork tacos or as a side dish for any potluck! Serve cold.”

—Noah Yates

1 cup mayo

⅓ cup brown sugar

¼ cup red wine vinegar

6 cups finely shredded green and red cabbage

½ cup small-diced onion

1 cup peeled and diced apples (the sweeter, the better)

salt and pepper, to taste

Mix mayo, brown sugar and the red wine vinegar in a medium mixing bowl.

To the liquid mixture, add cabbage, onions and diced apples. Continue mixing. Once all have been mixed together, add salt and pepper to your liking.

Sweet Slaw from Smok’N Cantina. Photo by Heather Yates.

SMOK’N CANTINA

Noah and Heather Yates

“My family has a history of eating any and everything that entails southern-style comfort food,” noted Noah Yates of Smok’N Cantina. “[When I was] growing up, my mother’s and grandmother’s specialties were homemade chicken and noodles, chicken enchiladas and chili. There is also a lot of restaurant/bakery ownership in my bloodline.”

Noah and Heather opened Smok’N Cantina in May 2014. “We always push our barbecue tacos, but for some reason, everyone always goes for the quesadillas,” he said. “You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. The pulled pork taco is my favorite because it has a great mix of southern barbecue, and when I get the pork just right, it falls to pieces as you eat it. It’s different, unique and delicious.” His goals with the business are to “build the brand, expand the catering company and open a restaurant in the future.”

Noah moved to Columbus in 2006 to pursue his culinary career and has been here ever since. He met his wife, Heather, at Dempsey’s Food & Spirits, where he began his executive chef role. “She was bartending and fell into the management position,” Noah said. “The long hours turned into a relationship between us, and what do you know, she married me! We both own the food truck and work it throughout the week. I hold the executive chef position at the Makoy Center in Hilliard, Ohio, and she is still the manager at Dempsey’s.”

“Marrying my wife, building the food truck with my dad and finally opening up for business” are Noah’s proudest accomplishments.

Noah describes Columbus as a “continuously growing community full of diverse groups of individuals and constant opportunity. It’s a great place to work, live and play. We live in German Village, which has wonderful food options. I would probably take a guest to the Sycamore for food and to Marcellas for both food and décor.”

D’duk ’n’ Cheese

Courtesy of Laura Lee, Ajumama

This unique recipe serves 4.

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup minced yellow onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 bags (1.1-pounds each) small Korean rice cakes

1½ cups heavy cream

1 cup water

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

Over medium-low heat melt the butter and begin sautéing the minced onions. Once they begin to lightly brown, add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Add the rice cakes and mix everything together, coating the rice cakes with the butter and letting everything brown lightly, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, water, salt and black pepper; increase the heat; and carefully bring everything to a boil. When the mixture comes up to a boil, turn the heat off, add the shredded cheese immediately and stir to combine. Add more salt or pepper to taste and serve.

AJUMAMA

Laura Lee

Laura Lee’s upbringing in Akron, Ohio, was perhaps a little less traditionally midwestern than some, with meals often representing both Korean and American foods. She remembered, “We had kimchi and rice on the table with the turkey at Thanksgiving, so blending the two together is something I’ve grown up with.”

A college internship originally brought Laura to Columbus for a seven-year stint before she took a job in San Diego working for an executive chef she’d met. After a year, surprised at how much more progressive the food scene was back in Columbus, the city drew her back to open her own venture.

Since April 2012, Ajumama, which means “ma’am” in Korean, has been wowing Columbus with unexpected mash-ups, including specialsturned-staples like the bestselling Bulgogi Cheezesteak and The Nelson, a BLT inspired by Korean pork. Laura’s personal favorite is The Hodduk, a traditional Korean sweet made with a yeast dough stuffed with brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts.

Laura credits a successful three years on the scene to Columbus’s “ability to be Midwest and urban all in the same breath.” She further noted, “People here like their meat and potatoes, but they want both to be local.”

Ajumama has been fulfilling all of the city’s wants, and with talk of opening a brick-and-mortar operation, fans are buzzing with heightened excitement. At a storefront restaurant, Laura would look to expand the menu to items better suited for that environment. Until then, regulars and newcomers alike can follow daily lunch stops and line up on Sundays at Seventh Son Brewing to sample innovative brunch cuisine and get their weekly kimchi fix.

White Cheddar Grits

Courtesy of Keith Allen Smith, Green Meanie

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup half-and-half

1 cup grits

1½ tablespoons butter

salt and pepper, to taste

Bring chicken stock and half-andhalf to a slow boil. Add grits and stir continuously for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and cover, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter and cheese and then add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve white cheddar grits with crispy pork belly (see recipe on pages 102–3) and drizzle with braising liquid reduction. Garnish with kale micro greens, if desired.

ASK A LOCAL: NICK DEKKER, BREAKFAST WITH NICK

Nick Dekker. Photo by Megan Leigh Barnard.

As unassuming as a local food celebrity can be, Nick Dekker, aka Mr. Breakfast with Nick, is an author, tour guide and local go-to guy for all the treats that make mornings in Columbus just a bit tastier.

Tell us about your involvement in the food community in Columbus.

I’ve been blogging about breakfast and general Columbus eats since 2007. It started casually but has grown into a nearly full-time job. I write about breakfast, coffee, beer and other food on the blog; I also pen articles for Columbus Crave, Columbus Alive, the Dispatch and Columbus Monthly. I write for Experience Columbus and do some stints on local TV as well, and I lead breakfast and brunch culinary tours for Columbus Food Adventures and the occasional brewery tour for Columbus Brew Adventures. In 2011, I published Breakfast with Nick: Columbus, a comprehensive guide to local breakfast, brunch, coffee and doughnut spots. I like to think of myself as an advocate for the local restaurant scene, hopefully leading readers to discover new spots around town.

How long have you been in Columbus, and when did you start following the food cart scene here?

My wife and I have lived in Columbus since the fall of 2002, and while we were generally aware of the food scene back then, it took a couple years before we really started appreciating it. We were already finding a lot of places to love early on, but it wasn’t until I started blogging that we began exploring it in earnest. So we were there in the “early days” of the current food truck scene with Foodie Cart, the Rad Dog cart and others—mainly carts back then. Since that time, we’ve been pretty avid followers of all things food related, including carts and trucks.

How are food trucks part of the Columbus culture?

I think food trucks are a great example of Columbus’s entrepreneurial spirit. It’s a (relatively) low-cost way to start a food business, and we see a new round of trucks every spring because of our many enterprising folks who want to share great food with people.

Food trucks also show off Columbus’s love of a good festival. There’s at least one festival for every weekend in the spring, summer and fall, and you can bet there will be good food trucks there.

The trucks also demonstrate Columbus residents’ willingness to seek out good food. On many occasions, I’ve seen big lines of people eager to explore a new cuisine.

If it’s someone’s first time visiting Columbus, how would you describe the food trailer scene, and where would you tell them to begin?

Our scene is very active, and it’s spread all over the city.

Look up some local breweries first. Many of them—Seventh Son, Zauber, Four String, Zafti—host food trucks on a regular basis. That way, you know the food truck is stationary, and it’s a great chance to try Columbus beers at the same time.

Do you have some pro tips for people visiting the food trucks for the first time?

Be flexible—some menu items may change or run out—and never hesitate to ask questions. More often than not, it’s the truck’s owner serving you, and they’re more than happy to share their story and tell you about the food.

Which trucks are most reflective of Columbus culture?

There are many good ones. Ray Ray’s, Mya’s and Kenny’s Meat Wagon all show how well Columbus does simple comfort food like barbecue or fried chicken. Ajumama and Challah! show off how creative we can be, taking a cuisine like Korean or Jewish and finding interesting ways to play with the flavors. Many of our ethnic trucks like Los Guachos or Aromaku showcase the diverse population of the city.

You know I have to ask—what are your favorite meals from food trailers in Columbus?

Fried chicken from Mya’s, the pulled pork from Ray Ray’s, bibimballs from Ajumama, al pastor tacos and gringas from Los Guachos, anything with corned beef from Challah!, the kimchi ramen from Mashita, slice of mushroom pizza from Mikey’s, hot chicken sandwich from Hot Chicken Takeover, custard-filled beignets from Early Bird, pierogi from Sophie’s Pierogi—too many favorites.

What are the trends in cuisine within the food truck world?

I think we’re seeing trucks trying to produce high-quality versions of classic items (burgers, grilled cheese, pizza). And we’re seeing trucks trying to make a specific cuisine (Mexican, Panamanian, Brazilian, Cuban, Indonesian, Korean) accessible to more people.

What is the future of food trailers in Columbus?

I think we’ll keep seeing more of them. Some will last for just a season, but some will find their niche.

What are some local food trucks that have turned into brick-and mortar restaurants?

Los Guachos started (and continues) as a truck and now has two brick-andmortar locations. Easily the best tacos in Columbus. Teodora’s Kitchen started as a truck, but its owners sold it to open a storefront in Clintonville. Tatoheads was first a truck and then took over Hal & Al’s and renamed it Tatoheads Public House. Paddy Wagon is still a truck, but it has taken over the kitchen at a couple bars, too.

Some have gone the opposite direction. Explorers Club started as a restaurant, added a truck and then closed the restaurant to focus on the truck.

Other spots have supplemented themselves with trucks. Hot Chicken Takeover, Mikey’s Late Night Slice and DareDevil Dogs added trucks as a way to extend their reach.

Is there a high turnover in entrepreneurs who start food trucks or do they have longevity?

[There] seems to be a decent amount of turnover. We always hear about at least four to five new trucks in the spring, and by the end of summer, one or two have dropped off the map.

Who are the founding fathers of the food truck revolution in Columbus?

Aside from the basic hot dog carts that have been around for a long time, the two earliest carts that made an impression were Foodie Cart and the Rad Dog cart—both gone now.

When I think of the first big wave of trucks, I think of Matt from the (now closed) Swoop! Food Group or James from Ray Ray’s. Laura from Ajumama, Dan from That Food Truck and Mark from Mya’s have been around for a while, as [have] Tatoheads, Street Thyme, Paddy Wagon [and] Mikey’s.

Are the Columbus trucks mobile or stationary?

It’s a mix. A few rarely move, like Mya’s Fried Chicken or Ray Ray’s Hog Pit in Clintonville. But most trucks move between lunch and dinner locations, festivals, breweries and the like.

What are some keys to success for food truck owners in Columbus?

Great food, obviously. People will seek you out for that. But being consistent and communicating clearly. As a consumer, I’ve been frustrated more than once at trucks not posting their schedules or not updating when something changes.

Do you want to open your own cart? Why or why not?

Nope! I don’t have a background in the restaurant business, so that’s not where my interest or ability lies.

Is it safe/healthy to eat from a food cart in Columbus?

Absolutely. All trucks and carts are inspected just like brick-and-mortar restaurants and probably undergo more scrutiny because of the (misplaced) bad rap they’ve gotten.

What food truck festivals are happening in the Columbus area?

More than I can keep up with. The biggest is the Columbus Food Truck Festival at Columbus Commons every August. But many smaller groups, like Food Fort, will host them, too.

Anything else you’d like to add about your involvement in the food truck scene?

I know it’s tough as a food truck and probably tougher as a breakfast food truck, but I’d love to see more breakfast-themed trucks. Doughnuts, coffee, breakfast sandwiches—I think there’s potential for a truck to do well if it’s in the right spot.

SAUCES

Bulleit BBQ Sauce

Por’Ketta Food Truck

Chipotle Adobo Sauce

Courtesy of Walter Eguez, Tortilla

SAUCES

Bulleit BBQ Sauce

Courtesy of Tony Layne, Por’Ketta Food Truck

“This sauce can utilize any high-quality bourbon. I prefer Bulleit, but any one that you would actually drink is good. It goes great with chicken, turkey or pork. I love to barbecue, and I love to drink whiskey…this was the next evolution. Yields 1½ quarts.”

—Tony Layne

1 quart prepared barbecue sauce, such as Sweet Baby Ray’s

¾ cup high-quality bourbon

¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (could also try fresh lemon or lime juice)

½ tablespoon table-ground black pepper

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

5 drops Tabasco (or hot sauce of your choice)

½ tablespoon curry powder

½ tablespoon kosher salt (or sea salt)

This is the easy part: in a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and, using a whisk, mix until all ingredients are incorporated in a uniform fashion. You can use right away, but it is much better the next day. Transfer to a plastic container, cover and refrigerate. Sauce will last refrigerated for about a month, although I highly doubt once you have tasted it, that it will last more than a few days

POR’KETTA

Tony Layne

After thirty-plus years in restaurant kitchens, most recently as an executive chef with Marriott hotel properties, Tony Layne decided it was time to strike out on his own and build something from scratch that he could share with his wife and five kids.

Cashing in his 401K just before Thanksgiving 2014, Tony bought an old truck from Ray Ray’s BBQ and rebuilt the inside to outfit it with a rotisserie for chicken and his star meat: pork.

His love for pork runs deep, evidenced by the pig tattoo emblazoned on his arm, and stems from his feeling that it “tastes different all over the animal.” From the loin to the belly, Tony uses herbs and a slow-roasting technique to showcase these distinct profiles.

Sourcing pork from Sandusky, Ohio, and breads—such as ciabatta and a specially made Italian Stirato—from Columbus baker Matija, Tony rounds out the menu with healthier offerings, including a no-mayo Peruvian potato and cannellini bean salad with roasted red peppers and kale.

Launched on March 15, 2015, Pork’etta is a true family endeavor with one of Tony’s sons working alongside him daily and his wife and a daughter joining the team for weekends. They’ve paired with local breweries and taprooms, such as Ohio Tap Room, Four String Brewing and the Daily Growler, and also support the Hilliard Farmers’ Market in the community where the family resides.

Pork’etta takes its porcine delicacies on the road to multiple regional summer festivals, including Rhythm & Food in Urbana, Ohio, and the Ohioana Music & Food Festival. The unique look of the truck makes it hard to miss, with a rustic design that includes cedar lettering done by a local artist and a chalkboard menu sourced from a one-hundred-year-old Cincinnati school. A corrugated tin roof completes the roadside-shack look Tony was going for in wanting to stand out and be different, but most importantly, the truck was built to be lower, eye level with the customer, to truly encourage personal interaction and give Tony a “front of the house perspective” for this new chapter of his culinary career.

Chipotle Adobo Sauce

Courtesy of Walter Eguez, Tortilla

“At Tortilla we like to take classic Mexican flavors and incorporate them into contemporary dishes that are sure to please any palate. Our chipotle adobo sauce is a great marinade or finishing sauce for any meat. It is so versatile it can be used in authentic Mexican dishes, such as shrimp tacos or pork tamales, or even classic American meals like meatloaf and hamburgers. We hope you enjoy and use this recipe for years to come!”

—Walter Eguez

1 cup chopped white onion

6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon butter or oil

½ cup canned chipotle peppers

½ cup ketchup

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup vinegar

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup water

1 cup fresh orange juice

Start with a medium-large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic in butter or oil. Add all ingredients to the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer hot liquid to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

TORTILLA

Walter Eguez

As a twenty-one-year-old Bolivian native, Walter Eguez left family and friends in Santa Cruz and took a chance on the American dream in Columbus, Ohio. Starting off by securing his first restaurant job and then putting himself through college while working to become an entrepreneur, Walter recalled, “Moving to a new country was intimidating and stressful, but it caused me to push myself in ways I never thought possible.”

Paying homage to his upbringing, he knew he wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps by graduating college and owning his own business. The restaurant aspect ran through his blood, too, with his grandmother owning her own restaurant back home and being a fantastic cook of many classic Bolivian dishes, including Walter’s favorite: grilled steak. He fondly recalled, “When you went to grandma’s house, you never left hungry!”

Opening Tortilla in August 2013, Walter and business partner Gustavo Salazar looked to serve some of his favorites, including the gigantic nachos, piled high with all of the toppings that can possibly fit and topped off with homemade queso sauce, by far his favorite of all his sauces. Burritos with flavored tortillas are also bestsellers, both on the truck and at the new permanent Columbus Commons stand, another step toward the goal of being known as a local brand and then expanding the concept into other markets.

Constantly amazed by the dishes that can be created in a truck/trailer, most of Walter’s favorite restaurants in the city are fellow food trucks. He cites Por’Ketta, Mixing Bowl, Pitabilities and The Cheesy Truck as friends, favorites and major players in the business and trucks that can be found at almost every festival and food truck event in the city.

Grateful for the opportunities he’s been afforded by his adopted hometown, Walter says that “while Columbus might not be the biggest dot on the map, it has a lot to offer. Many outsiders would assume that we are just a farm town but that’s not the case.” Calling Columbus the “City of Opportunity,” he feels “this place is full of driven, innovative people who have created local companies that truly represent Columbus. All you have to do is walk down High Street and you will get a feel for the city. Cbus is constantly growing and evolving, and I am proud to call this place home.”

ASK A LOCAL: BETH STALLINGS, COLUMBUS CRAVE MAGAZINE

Beth Stallings has been the dining editor of Columbus Monthly and editor of Crave: The Columbus Dining Magazine since June 2013. She has also been a reporter and copy editor in various other professional publications.

Tell us about your involvement in the food community in Columbus.

Since 2013, I have been the dining editor at Columbus Monthly and editor of Crave, the city’s dining magazine. In these posts, I’ve been able to immerse myself in the local food scene and have been lucky to share stories of our growing restaurant landscape.

How long have you been in Columbus, and when did you start following the food cart scene here?

I’ve been in Columbus since July 2011 and started following the food truck scene from the moment I arrived in town. I moved here from Cleveland, where food trucks were becoming a part of everyday dining culture. Food truck meet-ups were a regular thing. So I sought out the same here and found our chef-driven truck scene was just getting off the ground.

If it’s someone’s first time visiting Columbus, how would you describe the food trailer scene, and where would you tell them to begin?

It can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Our scene is divided into two main groups—authentic taco/ethnic trailers and flashier, concept-driven trucks that make the rounds at festivals and meet-ups. Start with the taco trucks on the West Side of town. Here, you’ll find authentic Mexican fare that’s tough to beat. I’d consult Alt Eats Cbus for a recommended list of what’s open and worth a stop.

Do you have some pro tips for people visiting the food trucks for the first time?

Ask questions. I always ask the chef/person taking my order what they love on the menu. Don’t go with what they tell you is the most popular (that doesn’t mean it’s the best order)—go with what they say they eat all the time. That will help ensure you get the best meal from every truck.

You know I have to ask—what are your favorite meals from food trailers in Columbus?

There are so many to name. Here are a few: tacos (hand-rolled tortillas!) from San Angel Taqueria on the West Side and fried chicken with a honey-drizzle finish and buttermilk biscuits from Mya’s Fried Chicken, a food truck parked in Clintonville on the weekends. I love chef Laura Lee’s riff on Korean street food, especially her Bulgogi Cheezesteak sandwich. And I regularly crave the smoked salmon BLT made with lamb bacon from chef Catie Randazzo of Jew-ish deli truck Challah! I also love the authentic Polish pierogi from Sophie’s Gourmet Pierogi.

What is the future of food trailers in Columbus?

I think the scene will only continue to grow. There are hundreds on the street now, and that number will only go up, especially because it’s such an economical way to get your food to customers. What I am starting to see now, which is exciting, is that chefs who have built a name for themselves in the food truck world are setting out to open brick-and-mortar restaurants.

What are some local food trucks that have turned into brick-and mortar restaurants?

West Side taco truck Los Guachos is the most notable, with two brick-andmortar spots in town. Paddy Wagon has permanent pop-up kitchens at Little Rock Bar and Rambling House Soda. Explorers Club food truck has also worked out a deal with Zauber Brewing, so the Latin-leaning truck serves food at the Grandview beer hall. Tatoheads has a bar-food spot in Merion Village. Dos Hermanos is opening in the North Market. And the owner of That Food Truck is working on opening an Old North spot called Baba’s Kitchen.

Is there a high turnover in entrepreneurs who start food trucks, or do they have longevity?

It’s a mix, and it would be tough to quantify. There are so many on the scene it’s tough to say how many come and go.

How many food carts are there in Columbus?

I’d go with hundreds.

Are the Columbus trucks mobile or stationary?

Mostly mobile. Stationary trucks are the ones on the West Side (taco trucks).

What are some keys to success for food truck owners in Columbus?

To stand out, you really have to have a strong focus. Know who you are and who your target audience is. So many trucks get lost in the crowd because their trucks lack voice and, excuse the pun, curb appeal. You have five seconds to make an impression, so be sure what you offer is easy to understand. And then deliver. If you’re going to make grilled cheese sandwiches, make the best grilled cheese sandwiches you can. That will keep people coming back.

DESSERTS

CinnaChips™

Pitabilities

Plantain and Coconut Upside-Down Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut

The Explorers Club

Power Bites

Kinetic

Vanilla Soda

The Flat Top Pizza Co

DESSERTS

CinnaChips™

Courtesy of Jim Pashovich, Pitabilities

A wonderful and simple dessert.”

—Jim Pashovich

1 quart canola oil, for frying

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon 4 pitas (I recommend Grecian Delight pita bread)

chocolate drizzle or other flavor

Using a heavy saucepan, heat oil to 350 degrees.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.

Cut pita bread into 8 equal triangles. Carefully deep-fry pita chips in hot oil for 50 seconds. Remove pita chips from oil and place immediately into sugar cinnamon mixture. Toss until all chips are coated evenly. Place chips on a plate, drizzle with your favorite topping and enjoy!

CinnaChips™. Photo by Jim Pashovich.

Plantain and Coconut Upside-Down Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut

Courtesy of Tracy Studer and Orlando Martinez, The Explorers Club

This recipe makes 1 9-inch cake.

½ pound (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature and divided

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 ripe plantains

¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup reduced fat milk, room temperature

whipped cream, lightly sweetened, optional

2 or 3 tablespoons toasted sweetened shredded coconut, optional

In an 8- or 9-inch cast-iron skillet, begin melting ¼ pound of butter and the brown sugar over medium heat. You may need to whisk gently to incorporate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, peel and slice the plantains into ¼- to ½-inch rounds or on the bias. Carefully place the plantain rounds in the sugar and butter mixture. Remember that it’s an upside down cake so be thoughtful in the placement. The easiest way to make it look pretty is to start in the middle and work your way out. If you’re using it, evenly scatter the shredded coconut over the plantains. Allow the plantains to cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, until they are mostly cooked through. Remove from heat and reserve until your batter is ready.

Prepare your batter: sift or whisk together the salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and flour. Whisking will help to aerate and mix together the dry ingredients. Reserve.

In a standard mixer, cream the remaining butter and white sugar on medium.

Reduce to low and beat in one egg at a time until fully incorporated. Then add in the vanilla and milk.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients on low speed until just fully mixed.

Plantain and Coconut Upside-Down Cake with Cocount Whipped Cream and Toasted Coconut from Explorers Club. Photo by Tracy Studer.

Evenly spread the batter over the plantains and coconut.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean. Allow to cool slightly before flipping the cake over onto a serving platter, plate or cake plate. Enjoy warm with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream and toasted sweetened coconut.

THE EXPLORERS CLUB

Tracy Studer and Orlando Martinez, Explorers Club

For Tracy Studer, the restaurant business almost found him more than he found it. Starting at the age of six, Tracy spent his summers helping his mom set the tables before her waitressing shift started. During college, he waited tables himself, as well as bartended and managed various establishments. In “middle age,” he jokes, the stereotypical midlife crisis caused him to ante up and buy his own business.

As a Merion Village resident, he had had his eye on a neighborhood restaurant that his landlord’s mom had run for nearly twenty years. One day, while working as the food and beverage director of a Dublin golf club, he received an out-of-the-blue call from a friend who saw the property had been listed for rent. Within twenty-four hours, Tracy and partner Orlando Martinez had a handshake deal. The revamped restaurant opened a mere four months later. Within the year, the team looked to open a food truck under the same name, originally as a second revenue stream and advertising tool; however, it has become more well known than the restaurant itself, building a loyal following of customers from across the city.

Explorers Club truck. Photo by Tracy Studer.

Tracy’s biggest menu inspiration was the chefs and restaurants he worked with over the years: Galaxy Café (located in Powell in the 1990s), Starliner Diner and Nacho Mamas (which closed after a fire). Focusing on vegetable dishes first, he introduced plantains with yogurt sauce and pan-seared vegetables charred in a cast-iron skillet with gorgonzola cream sauce, baked with cornbread crumbles. He then brought in a head chef to focus on proteins. Centered on Latin American comfort food, the Explorers Club also has specials that throw in something different to “explore,” such as Hungarian, Indian, French and Caribbean cuisines. Overall, the Explorers Club aims to help you “travel the world through food.”

The truck does carry a restaurant signature: the mofongo, which makes up a signature sandwich of pork shoulder smoked for twelve hours, plantains, garlic and a jalapeño slaw, all on a house-made bun.

Another truck favorite is the now legendary gorilla tots: tender ropa vieja covering tater tots, both smothered in chipotle sauce, onions and sour cream. Salads and tacos are also big truck stars, with the hybrid taco bowl a new favorite in 2015 and customizable for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free preferences.

Tracy highlights the sense of community in Columbus as part of what has helped grow the food truck scene. Key relationships, such as the one formed with Sophie’s Pierogi’s, helped bring to life a special ravioli dish for the Italian month at Explorers Club.

The next exploration for Tracy and team might be another food truck. They have their sights set on a gourmet pizza truck offering slightly more upscale pizzas than the ubiquitous bar and “hangover” pizza. The truck’s pizza would feature homemade dough and unique ingredients. The inspiration comes from many of the cultures and cuisines the Explorers Club has introduced to Columbus residents.

Power Bites

Courtesy of Andrew Tuchow and Andy O’Brien, Kinetic

“Also known as ‘Vegan Buckeyes,’ these tasty treats deliver on the salty and the sweet, resulting in some of the most mouth-watering morsels you may find on our truck.”

—Andrew Tuchow

4 cups oats

2 cups peanut butter

1 cup dark chocolate chips

⅛ cup chia seeds

1 cup almond milk

½ cup honey

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined (don’t be afraid to get in there with your hands, just use gloves!).

If the mixture does not come together well, add a tablespoon of almond milk at a time until it does. If the mixture is too wet, add some more oats.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once chilled, use your hands to roll the dough into approximately 1-inch balls (you can use a disher or ice cream scoop for this to ensure uniform sizes).

Once rolled, place the bites on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and chill for at least 30 more minutes. Store in the fridge in an airtight container and enjoy!

Vanilla Soda

Courtesy of Michael Cryan, The Flat Top Pizza Company

“Vanilla soda was the first soda I ever attempted and became the framework for the understanding of everything I made after. Described below is the version that was on our menu the first day the truck opened. I would strongly encourage you to use this recipe as a starting point for your own research into soda making. Add fresh fruit, muddle herbs, ice cream or alcohol; infuse spices; or try other sugars and other citrus flavors. Make something that has nothing to do with vanilla syrup. These are the barebones techniques you need to get started. You can do anything with them. You’ll either make something great and enjoy it, or you’ll make something terrible and learn from it.”

—Michael Cryan

12 ounces water

3 vanilla beans (Madagascar or Tahitian)

1 lemon

12 ounces turbinado sugar

soda water

To Make Vanilla Syrup

In a saucepan, cover water and bring to a boil.

Split vanilla seed pods in half with a knife. Scrape seeds from the vanilla beans into the water and then add the seed pods.

Use a fine grater or zester to zest the lemon into a small bowl. Take a couple of pinches of sugar and work the sugar and lemon zest between your fingers to help extract oil from the zest. Add the zest and small amount of sugar to the boiling water.

Add the juice from the zested lemon to the boiling water.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add remaining sugar and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Once it’s had enough time to cool, strain the syrup. If you use a coarse strainer, the small black vanilla seeds will remain in the syrup and may slightly intensify the vanilla flavor over time. If you would like the seeds removed, strain through a coffee filter. For a steadily intensified flavor, add the seed pods back to the syrup if it’s being stored.

Keep refrigerated.

To Make Soda

Pour 1 to 3 ounces of cooled syrup over ice in a glass.

Fill glass with soda water and stir gently.

The amount of syrup used can be varied based on your desired sweetness.

THE FLAT TOP PIZZA COMPANY

Michael Cryan

Michael Cryan thought he wanted to build buildings, not pizzas, but found the two weren’t as far apart as some might imagine. Stumbling into the food service industry in July 2012 with a sidewalk pizza cart just two weeks after first developing the idea in a conversation with a friend, Mike took two years to hone his craft, opening a full truck in May 2014.

Taking the main element that distinguishes street food in Mike’s mind—the flat-top griddle—and instituting Rule No. 1, it would be the only piece of cooking equipment allowed on the truck, and combining it with Rule No. 2, the menu would be built around food not typically made on said flat-top griddle, these “unnecessary self-imposed restriction[s] became [the] catalyst for invention—it forces you to do everything the wrong way and results in things you would have never produced otherwise.”

Choosing pizza as a core menu item to push this challenge further, Mike was able to combine hand-tossed dough with the texture of pizza cooked in a cast-iron pan. Cheese is caramelized directly on the flattop before being flipped onto the finished pizza. A bestseller among the pizza offerings is the bacon and pesto. An event that demanded quicker-than-normal service time prompted Mike to rethink carefully arranging leaves of spinach on a pizza after it was baked and instead add a basil pesto directly to the pie, keeping the normal red sauce as well. Mike now fears he may not be allowed to take it off the menu.

Muggy Ohio summers drove the addition of ice cream, rooted in the always-loved Italian combination of pizzerias and gelaterias. Again forced to adhere to his own rules, Mike developed recipes that use a custard base cooked in pans on the flattop before being frozen. He’s pleasantly surprised that the top-selling ice cream on the truck is vanilla and notes, “How vanilla came to be synonymous with ‘plain’ kind of baffles me. It’s a fruit harvested from orchids, and it’s an amazing flavor.”

With everything else on the menu being made from scratch, buying and reselling big crates of brand-name soda felt out of place, so Mike started making his own and stopped selling anything else. Craft soda made with cane sugar turned out to be a surprise hit, especially the sarsaparilla. Spending time looking into the history of root beer, Mike found the perfect blend of burdock and sarsaparilla roots and the right spices to highlight them. It’s been so well received, he perhaps “unknowingly wandered into an area where people are ready for a revolution.”

House-made soda communicates Flat Top Pizza Company’s DIY mentality, something Mike tries to apply to everything he does. “If it’s a lost art, there’s no reason for it to be. Like almost everything related to cooking, you can learn the basics of soda making in five minutes and spend the rest of your life figuring out the nuances.”

TIPS FROM THE FOOD TRUCKS

Starting Your Own Food Truck Business

Want to start your own food truck? To begin, you’ll need a unique product, a healthy dose of perseverance and plenty of time dedicated to marketing. Whatever you think your starting budget is, go ahead and double that, and if you’re not handy, get handy—that will save you in the long run when parts of your trailer kitchen malfunction. If this cookbook or a food truck experience of your own has piqued your interest in starting your own truck, we have some words of wisdom for you before you get started on that journey.

MENU

One of the first things you’ll want to determine is the type of food you are serving and your menu selection. Keep your menu simple. Limited options with only a handful of menu items to choose from will reduce patrons’ time in line and reduce the overall workload in the kitchen. Remember that starting out, you are the one doing all the grocery shopping, food orders, cooking and cleaning. Starting out with a minimal menu will allow you to get food out quicker and save you time before and after your prep work.

WASTE WATER AND GREASE

Operating out of a food truck, food trailer or old RV, you will be dealing with removing waste water from washing hands and dishes, as well as any grease from cooking. Map a plan for a sanitary, environmentally friendly and legal way to dispose of these items on a regular basis that is close to your location.

UNDERSTAND YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS

Make sure the spot you rent for your trailer food business is equipped with enough electricity to power your business. You don’t want to leave any product in your trailer overnight in case there is an electrical blowout that would turn the refrigerator off and ruin everything inside. Instead, store food products in your commissary.

FORM GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR SUPPLIERS

They might not always be able to show up on time, so make sure not to get too low in your product before you call in an order. Don’t make your emergency their problem and pay your bills on time; you might need a favor from them in a pinch, and you want to be in good standing when you have to call them for backup support.

MARKETING

Don’t leave this part out of your business plan, especially if you don’t have a business plan. Do not expect to get everything ready and receive business just because you turned on the open sign. Make sure your set up your Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram and website or blog to include pertinent information: business phone, e-mail, location and hours.

GET TO KNOW LOCAL FOOD BLOGGERS AND WRITERS

Invite them out to any special tasting events you might be having. Write a decent press release and let the media know about your opening and why you are unique. Introduce yourself to neighboring businesses and be an active member in your community and the trailer community at large.

SET YOUR HOURS AND STICK TO THEM

Patrons find it particularly frustrating when they try to find you for lunch and you’re closed. It often is the last time they try to find you. That said, people understand when things prohibit you from opening your business on time as planned. Just be sure to let people know if you are closed on all your social media accounts and with a sign up at the trailer when possible.

GET ALL YOUR PERMITS

Call the health and fire departments for the most current information on how to be registered and permitted correctly. Although the process may be lengthy, remember they are there to help you get your business set up correctly.

We asked the contributors of this cookbook to pitch in with some advice and tips they wished someone had told them before they got started in the food truck industry. Here is the guidance they offered.

ALPHABETICAL SOUPS & SALADS

Jordan Lamatrice

Know your cost. It seems like everyone tells you that, but coming from one irresponsible twenty-something with a credit card to another—this is incredibly important.

Never say die. This is a hard gig filled with unforeseen issues and curveballs. The only thing you can do is breathe deep and go!

AJUMAMA

Laura Lee

My biggest piece of advice is if you’ve never worked in the kitchen before, get a job in a restaurant and see if you like/can handle it before investing in a food truck.

Even if you have a very simple menu planned, if you have never worked in food service before, it can be a crushing experience that not everyone is ready for.

BACON THE FOOD CART

Mike Gallicchio and Chas Kaplan

Love what you do or don’t do it. Find good help.

BUCKEYE DONUTS

Jimmy Barouxis

Plan the best you can but expect the worst (and be ready for a lot of roadblocks and setbacks). Be patient. Hang in there (see it through—don’t quit until it’s done)

BUCKEYE SNACK SHACK

Lyle Bigelow, Josh Chapman and Stephen Concilla

We really try to pass on learnings to other trucks all the time. Tape the refrigerator door shut. The number one thing is learn through trial and error, but you have to plan to do big things.

People assume that their favorite recipe is going to automatically be a hit on the streets. Even though it’s good food, it’s not necessarily visually accessible; it takes people awhile to warm up to a truck. Ensure you have something on the menu that is familiar and has wide appeal. Once they get to know you, they’ll take a chance and try your favorite.

CHALLAH! FOOD TRUCK

Catie Randazzo

Owning a food truck is a lot of hard work. You aren’t just cooking food; you aren’t just a chef. You are a mechanic, an electrician, a social media guru, a manager, a dishwasher and so much more. Be prepared to be exhausted, put in long hours and not see your friends or family. It is also one of the most rewarding jobs I have ever had. To be able to have a career in what I am passionate about isn’t really a job at all.

EARLY BIRD FOOD TRUCK

Libby Glover

Listen to only one or two trusted people. Everyone will give you their opinion, and most will try to talk you out of embarking on the business. It helps to completely ignore them.

Be persistent! Call the health department everyday! Ask way too many questions! Also, take their advice. It is always a good idea to do what the health department says.

EN PLACE

Nic and Kristie Piccin

Don’t set your expectations too high in the first year. Enjoy the process and go with the flow. Always plan for the unexpected. Have extras on hand.

Having connections with other people in the industry is key. People who have been in the industry longer have a wealth of knowledge and have been instrumental in helping me find my way.

THE EXPLORERS CLUB

Tracy Studer and Orlando Martinez

Know your laws and regulations: they change frequently.

TV has made everything look glamorous. It’s a lot of work. Expect a lot of hours, hot/cold conditions and stress. The truck is harder than the kitchen.

GREEN MEANIE

Keith Allen Smith

Be original. Define your target market. Do a lot of research so you can understand every aspect of the business as much as possible.

KINETIC

Andy O’Brien and Andrew Tuchow

Andy: Everything takes longer than you think it will and will cost much more then you thought. Be a problem solver and be the best at getting better. Compete against your yesterday self and beat it. Success isn’t owned; it’s leased. And rent is due every day.

Andrew: Take on a partner. I see others running their trucks solo, and I see how hard it is to handle every problem by themselves and paying for the extra labor and managing their personnel and so on. With partners, you can tackle much more, and you can bounce ideas off each other due to your different perspectives and background, making your team much more resilient and innovative

Test out the idea before committing completely. We teach a class on starting food trucks and making them successful through a city program. One of the things that we have seen so far is that people have great ideas but are concerned with how the market will respond to their idea. So what our students have done is test their product in their market before making the investment on a food truck; one such example is a student gave out samples of his product and collected survey responses in exchange for the free sample. This information could be used to change the recipe, identify the market and demographics, establish a potential brand, et cetera.

Have fun with what you do—this is almost said every time with tips like these, but there is obviously a reason for that. If you aren’t remembering to have fun with it, then that will be conveyed to the customer, to your associates and to yourself. It is much harder to work for something that you don’t believe in than something that you do, something that you enjoy doing each and every day. The biggest question I ask myself is: “Would I still do this even if I wasn’t getting paid?” I think that puts it into a different frame that I think can provide a unique perspective. My answer continues to be a resounding Yes.

LOVEBUG

Bryan Hartley

Don’t like sleep, hanging with friends or enjoy seeing shows because you won’t have time. Keep cooking. Not every weekend will work out. It’s OK, don’t stop.

Have a shit ton of cash/credit—shit happens daily.

Challenges I have seen include being an independent, having only two hands, a need for sleep, running out of cash, repairs/upgrades and fees.

MAI CHAU

Scott Wilkins

It is a GRIND! It may look like food truck life is all fun and games, but it is a tremendous amount of work. The lunch and dinner services are the easy part. The rest of our life is consumed with prepping, dishes, recipe development, picking up product, truck and equipment repair, managing staff, getting rained out, et cetera, et cetera. It is as rewarding as it is challenging, but one thing is for sure: it is a 24/7/365 job. Food truck life is a hustle.

MY PLACE OR YOURS

Nathan Holmes

When I started, I thought the truck would be ready by May, but it wasn’t until September. Fall into winter was rough, but then spring hits and things go gangbusters.

It is a truck; you better know how to fix stuff. I helped to build mine from the ground up.

NATIVE EATS

Alyssa Block

Be resourceful. Have a small menu that uses many of the same ingredients in different ways. Lessen the risk. Unify your menu.

Be active in the community. Play a positive role in the community. Giving back to the community is not only emotionally fulfilling but also builds a positive image for your company.

Take a break! Exercise, read and commit one day a week to yourself and your family. You need down time; you need to relax. Even if you are having the busiest week of your life, reserve this day for your mental health.

PADDY WAGON

Zach “the Sheriff” James

It never hurts to know how to turn a wrench. The best combination of type of person is one who is half mechanic, half line cook, with a small sprinkle of accountant.

Branding is everything. Food trucks are as much a mobile art installment as they are mobile restaurant. It doesn’t have to be cheesy/punny. Whatever your brand is, make sure your truck represents the message you want to get across to your customer. Personality makes you stand out.

PITABILITIES

Jim Pashovich

Know who you are and who your customer is. Keep your menu simple. Don’t try to do everything: do what you do best and do it exceptionally. Your goal is not to have a lot of customers but to have fanatically loyal fans. You are selling an experience, not just food. My challenge is to build a great staff that has the same passion as I do.

POR’KETTA

Tony Layne

Just stick with it. Work hard. Pay attention to your new endeavor. It will require constant attention. Mistakes get made, just don’t repeat them. Everyday is a learning experience. Finally, never underestimate the power of social media and networking.

RAY RAY’S HOG PIT

James Ray Anderson

Its not about how nice and fancy your truck is; its about the brain, passion and soul behind the person driving it. Move faster; you’re too slow. Learn the basics to being a handyman.

SAVIER STREET

Mike Zerby

I’m assuming that anyone in the food truck business is already a great cook/ chef. Be an automotive mechanic; they are almost impossible to find. Know food safety inside and out—it’s much harder to control things like temps and storage in a mobile restaurant. It requires constant attention.

You can never spend too much monitoring your food cost. Due to the fact that many trucks don’t operate every day, the possibility for waste is much greater.

SHORT NORTH BAGEL DELI

Jeremy Fox

It’s not as romantic as TV makes it out to be like the Great American Food Truck Race. It’s way more hard work (kind of like being a chef). However hard you are prepared to work, triple it and then multiple by one hundred.

My motto is always prepare for the worst, hope for the best and expect something in the middle. There are a lot of moving parts—literally—everyday. With regards to maintenance on cart/truck, learn the truck as if it’s a part of your body.

I never make a mistake; I just learn something every day. It’s OK to mess up as long as you learn from it and don’t do it again. Be prepared to get your butt kicked and be good at adapting.

You need to be there; you can’t just finance the truck. It’s hard to not micromanage.

It’s tough to find good people. I went through ten before I found my current manager. In order to grow, you need to delegate and find good people. We make the best product we can, but that’s not what gets them to tell their friends and become regulars. The customer still needs to have a good experience with the staff; word of mouth is gold. Make the person like you before they even try the sandwich, so they feel like they are buying from a friend. The staff has to sell their personalities first.

SOPHIE’S GOURMET PIEROGI

Stephen Redzinak

Make sure you were born to be a cook. Make sure you have worked behind a kitchen restaurant line. Make sure you have management experience. Make sure you love people.

SMOK’N CANTINA

Noah and Heather Yates

Prepare to sweat.

Anything and everything will sooner or later go wrong. But everything is fixable! With a little optimism, sweat and determination, things will come together. Prepare to revise your plan daily. Things will forever be changing. Be flexible.

Alphabetical Soups & Salads. Photo credit Megan Leigh Barnard (see page 87).

STREET THYME

Alex Emrich

You are a chef, line cook, mechanic, marketer, plumber, truck driver, HR, manager and so much more. Be ready for a lot of different job titles all at once.

Work on a truck during July and August; it can get up to 140 degrees. Also work one during December; it can get very cold on there.

Cook what you love.

TIMMY’S MELTDOWN

Tim Cullenen and John Whittington

Don’t.

When “they” tell you it will take longer and be more expensive than you thought—believe them. Be ready to smell like grease for the rest of your life—or Greece, depending on your cuisine.

TORTILLA

Walter Eguez

This is hard work. That is key: you have to put in the time and effort.

Know the streets. If you are not familiar with the people in your community, then you cannot grow and adapt to their needs.

It can be challenging to find opportunities. Booking can be hard, as can knowing which events to participate in and which ones to pass on. Gaining experience and knowing the community is the only way to figure out which ones are right for your business.

CONTRIBUTING TRUCK LIST

Ajumama

Alphabetical Soups & Salads

Bacon the Food Cart

Buckeye Donuts

Buckeye Snack Shack

Challah!

The Early Bird Food Truck

En Place

The Explorers Club

The Flat Top Pizza Company

Kinetic

LoveBug

Mai Chau

My Place or Yours

Native Eats

Paddy Wagon

Papaya

Pitabilities

Por’Ketta Food Truck

Ray Ray’s Hog Pit

Savier Street

Short North Bagel Deli

Smok’N Cantina

Sophie’s Gourmet Pierogi

Street Thyme

Timmy’s Meltdown

Tortilla

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

TIFFANY HARELIK

Born in Austin, raised in Buffalo Gap, Tiffany Harelik is Texas to the bone. She is an acclaimed writer and creator for people who love a choose-your-ownadventure lifestyle. Through her books and workshops, she gives you tools to increase a sense of magic and adventure in your daily life. From her first project, The Trailer Food Diaries Cookbook Series, to her more recent titles, including The Big Bend Cookbook and The Terlingua Chili Cookbook, Tiffany is on the road trip of a lifetime. Her portfolio spans creative work, including being published in multiple genres, from more than a dozen cookbooks filled with heirloom recipes to advice card decks featuring photography from her world travels, all written in her trademark anecdotal style.

Tiffany has been featured in Eater, Thrillist, Examiner, the Austin Chronicle, the Austin American Statesman, the Houston Chronicle, the Abilene Reporter News, Austin Woman Magazine and more. She has been a featured speaker at the Texas Women’s Conference, Country Living Magazine Expo, Mom Com, the Metropolitan Breakfast Club, West Texas Fair and Rodeo and various civic clubs throughout Texas and Oregon. She has spoken on radio programs across the country, including in Chicago, Portland and Austin, and been seen on Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, as well as Eat Street.

She has conducted book signings at Powell’s, BookPeople, Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods, Central Market and elsewhere. She has been a celebrity guest judge at several food and wine festivals throughout the country, including South by Southwest, the Texas Food Truck Showdown and the Llano Cobbler Contest and Bluegrass Festival.

Alongside her writing, Tiffany pursued a career in event production from 2000 to 2015, working with iconic brands like ACL music festival, Lollapalooza music festival, Google Fiber, Torchy’s Tacos, Western Heritage Classic Rodeo and West Texas Fair & Rodeo. She remains an active partner in Trailer Food Tuesdays, a popular food truck and live music event in Austin that was developed as a smaller offshoot from her Gypsy Picnic food truck and music festival. She is a founding member of the Viva Big Bend music festival in far West Texas as well.

She holds a master’s degree in health psychology and has various professional certificates. When she’s not writing books or developing tools, she is fishing, riding horses with her daughter, rescuing dogs or drinking Sherpa chai on her yoga mat. Look for exciting new up-andcoming titles in multiple genres at www.tiffanyharelik.com.

RENEE CASTEEL COOK

A Chicago native, Renee first discovered Ohio on a college visit, falling in love with the idyllic college town of Athens, as well as her future husband, while at Ohio University. Without much of a hard sell, Renee convinced then boyfriend and a few fellow Bobcat friends to head back to the Windy City after graduation. Over ten years, Renee built a successful career in advertising, working at such agencies as Leo Burnett, DraftFCB and Wunderman, among others. Though a businesswoman by trade, Renee’s passion for writing, fueled by a love of travel and exploring cultures through food, now comes to the forefront through this exploration of her new hometown, Columbus, and the opportunity to learn the ropes as coauthor of this book. Renee also writes for Columbus Crave, the food-focused sister magazine to Columbus Monthly. www.reneecasteelcook.com.

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