Our Food Truck Adventures
One of my goals with this blog is to take you on our adventures, as well as educate you on what its like to own a food truck. I have decided to start documenting our journey and I would love for you to follow along!
I intend for some of these blog posts to be filled with laughter as well as provide some serious input into what it is like to own a food truck business. So hope you follow along on our adventures and mishaps.
How It All Began…
I first started my private chef business some 15 years ago. One of my very first clients gave me a shot at doing her annual high end Halloween Party for her. It’s a huge event.
I built an actual commercial kitchen in her back yard to do all the cooking in front of the guests. I had food stations set up throughout the property. And did an ice carving of a skull and cross bones for all the cold shellfish to be displayed. It was a great event. And the food was a hit!!!
After this party I was her go to Chef for anything she did that needed food. Over time she and I became friends and have remained so to this day.
This client likes to collect unique things from here and all over the world. She travels a lot! About 10 years ago I was doing a party for her at a friend of hers house and there was this old vintage ice cream truck parked in this lot behind the house. I said to my client, that’s really cool. A lot could be done with that. She said that the truck was hers, she said she had to buy it as it was a staple many years ago here in Tucson and she didn’t want it to end up on the junk heap. I said that’s so cooled and forgot about it.
Since then my client has moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a while to be closer to family. But kept her home in Tucson. Last year she was in town for a visit and her and I were at lunch, catching up. At one point in the conversation I asked about the truck. She said, she still had it, and that it was parked at her home (here in Tucson). She then went on to say, you can have it Craig, it’s yours. I said no way. I can’t just take the truck. She said oh yes you can. She wanted something done with it and I was the guy to do it. The only stipulation was that once I got it up and running I would do a couple of charity events a year. Which of course I said yes to. She then said, she would pay for any food to do these events. What a great lady. And not just because she gave me the truck!!!!!!!!!
The adventure begins!!!!
Congratulations Chef Craig on a new and exciting food adventure. Great story about you and your client and the enduring friendship that evolved. Look forward to seeing how The Practical Chef will turn this truck into a new business. Cheers!
Thanks Nell I appreciate it!
How cool is that Craig.. Perhaps I’ll see you and the food truck somewhere in town in the future.. Hope all is well with you.
-Aaron
Thanks Aaron! Hope all is well!
You go Craig! Congratulations ! It’s a gem! Can’t wait to follow your adventures😉
Thanks Linda!
Can’t wait to watch the progress of your food truck over time! It’s such a cool, vintage truck. I especially love the inside. Hope you’re able to keep some of it’s authenticity!
Thanks Julie!
Congrats Chef!!! Such a great journey with your client, and it looks as though its going to motor on, on many more special roads. Wow, perfect size truck for that big specialty you will create..a little jealous right now Chef, just saying. While I’m sayin…My Daughters wedding that was blessed by your presence was in her words ” More than she imagined” Thank you again..I will be a weekly Food Truck Monday junkie !!!
Thanks Theresa! I’ll be in touch in the fall.
You’re official first blog was wonderful – what a story. I love a good adventure so I’ll be following along the way. My brother lives in Tucson so when a certain food truck is up and running, I’m coming out that way for a taste test! Good luck to you!!
I swear I need to disable autocorrect….grrrr. “Your official”
Thanks Sherry. I look forward to seeing you out here in Tucson. I’ll be working it next summer in Cape Cod as well……….lol lol