We always wanted to own a restaurant, but we weren’t ready to start a brick-and-mortar location. We discussed buying a ready-made food truck, and making it our own, but didn’t see anything that peaked our interest (or our imaginations). So, we decided to start from scratch.
We narrowed down our options, and finally decided on a trailer that we would convert into a mobile kitchen. We had it delivered while we were at work, and could not wait to check it out!
Our New Baby
We were very eager to get started, so we decided (good or bad) to start with something we knew we could tackle in an afternoon. We started with the flooring.
The grout had to dry over the weekend, so we finished smaller tasks outside of the trailer.
More Progress
Over several weeks, the trailer started to come together. We only had nights and weekends to work on the trailer, so progress was slow, but steady.
We researched special wall materials and flashing that is required for commercial kitchens, and did our best to find supplies that would fit into a condensed space.
We scoured the entire state to find commercial-grade kitchen supplies that would suit our needs, and still provide enough room to walk between. Many weekends were spent driving and picking up equipment to avoid shipping costs. We met lots of nice people who own food trucks, work in restaurants, and are involved in construction. We received helpful advice, and well wishes, which kept us going during more difficult points in our food truck assembly.
One of the most difficult aspects of assembling the food truck was mounting the hood. It took three people, lots of trial and error, and a few readjustments to get it in the correct position.
The electrical came next. Our first attempt was to complete the design on our own, but we eventually consulted an expert. Luckily, my dad (an electrician) stopped by one afternoon and helped get us on the right track.
(Almost) Finished!
We still have a few odds and ends to complete, then we will be ready for the road!
Before we go, we have to thank our many friends who have encouraged us along the way (and can’t wait to eat!), our families for volunteering their time and expertise, and our local restaurant community, which has been so very welcoming.
