CATERING TO DIVERSITY (CONTINUED)
different cuisines. There are even caterers using food trucks as satellite kitchens at large events to ease the load on the primary prep area. “The food truck experience and catered experience are two different bottles,” says DeAngelo, “but that doesn’t mean they can’t mesh together.” But before adding food trucks to your catering company’s repertoire, the first step is to establish the intended use of the truck. Will it primarily be a retail business on street corners, at public spaces (such as breweries, wineries, business parks, etc.), and during festivals and fairs? Or are you looking to leverage it during private events as an alternative to traditional catering? Maybe you simply just want it for use as a field kitchen during offsite events where kitchen access is minimal. “As a caterer, we always start with scope and objective—what are you trying to do and how are you going to achieve that,” says DeAngelo. “Before you take the plunge, you have to think about those things.” Or, perhaps operating a food truck isn’t something you’re even considering, but rather you want to explore partnering with outside food trucks during your events. “Being a truck wrangler still pays you money, but you don’t have the maintenance costs,” says Mark Lopez (Crave Catering). Each one of these business models has its own unique challenges and approaches, so answering this question up front will help you facilitate your next steps.
BF Street Kitchen renovated a vintage school bus into a mobile kitchen to serve up woodfired pizzas at weddings a All photos courtesy Studio Veil
Getting your business in gear
Before venturing into the world of food trucks, there’s a lot of upfront homework that needs to happen first.
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SUMMER 2025 ■ CATERSOURCE
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