by Timothy Bristol
TheMeltingTruck.com
What was your motivation to start up a food truck?Â
My original motivation for wanting to open a food truck was I love cooking and food trucks were a booming part of the restaurant industry.
When my business partner, Mike Young, approached me with the idea for a food truck I already had several concepts in mind. We got together and made a grilled cheese truck. It turns out we did it at the perfect time because we both got furloughed from our jobs due to the Covid pandemic.
We pulled my wife, Amanda, in for her financial expertise and to help out on the truck. The three of us together formed the company in August 2020. We didn’t actually open until January 2021 due to issue with the truck and red tape from CT towns
What hurdles did you encounter in becoming a food truck proprietor?Â
First we bought a used food truck and did not anticipate how much repair it needed. But we had enough startup funds to handle all the repairs.
Second we encountered a lot of red tape when it came to licenses and permits. Every town in CT wants something different from you. There is no standard license form or requirement from the towns on getting a permit. It makes working in more than one town expensive and tedious.
The third issue we came across was where to set up the truck. The Town of Stratford has made it impossible to street vend, the only times we operate in town are events we are invited too. We can’t even sell at the Paradise Farmers Market, right down the street from my house. Most other towns have permits you can get to street vend in specific locations. We would love to be able to go to the boat ramp or the beaches and sell there but we aren’t allowed.
Why grilled cheese?
We love grilled cheese, it’s a food I think everyone can get behind and it’s very customizable. Everyone has their favorite kind of grilled cheese
What else do you have besides grilled cheese?
We also serve soups, chili, and Mac and Cheese. Our menu is constantly changing and we are trying out new stuff all the time
How do you decide where to go?
We get catering requests for private parties. Aside from that we get invited to farmer’s markets and fairs. We also try to work with local business as much as we can. It is first come first serve.
Do you go out every day?
Right now we are booked Thursday through Sundays. I get a few days off. Also from the booking we have right now we will be operating throughout the winter.
Do you do parties?
Yes, we do private parties and events. You can book through our website themeltingtruck.com and the trucks phone # is 203 751-4161.
Anything else you think Crier readers should know?
We are a finalist for CT Magazine best food truck in 2021. We will find out in the fall if we won.
We love to work with other local business. We get some of our ingredients from local businesses we meet at the markets and we are always looking for partnerships that benefit everyone.
