2018: A Year of Growth
It is hard to sum up the past year, as it was overwhelming, full of chaos, but full of fun! We managed to fill the calendar with a lot of work, travel, family & friends….we even bought our first home!
We started the year with construction on our, recently purchased, commercial property in Butchertown. We kept the plans underwrap, as we were uncertain on how this space would unfold. We knew we wanted to create a space for people in the industry. A community of Food Truck Owners, Caterers and other entrepreneurs to assist each other and work together to build their individual brands. With much of the work being completed by Chef Noah (the budget was tight), we were uncertain the timeline for completion. Finally, this past November, the day before we left to travel to Ohio, to spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with family, we got the nod of approval. We had a certified commercial kitchen and were approved to start cooking! Details on our Collaborating Kitchen to come, but for now, head over to 240 Adams Facebook page to learn more!
In addition to this big adventure, the Smok’N Cantina had the pleasure of working with many brides and grooms for their big day. We provided food for six beautiful weddings; what an honor! With each wedding, our service became more fine-tuned and as always, Chef Noah knocked the food out of the park!
We traveled…A LOT! Our first adventure started in Gatlinburg; a Christmas gift to my dad! We had a quiet cabin, drank a lot of wine and tried one too many flavors of moonshine. Chef Noah then moved to Lake Tahoe for a long weekend with the boys; I didn’t ask too many questions regarding this trip, I just know that at one point I was asked to sign into “Find My iPhone” to give him an idea as to where he left it! After this trip, it was time to start gearing up for Food Truck season. We had events to schedule, menus to develop, a building to get finished & we were working hard on some rebranding surprises.
The Season was FULL! We made appearances at Bernheim Forest, we missed our time at Foxhollow Farm & also worked in Elizabethtown again! With Chef Noah spending much of his weeks at the building, I found myself learning more and more about becoming a “Sous Chef!” I use quotes here because I am still not a master, but I am one hell of a line cook! Please know Chef Noah will be back on the truck full time this year, and I might be taking a few days off!
Towards the end of the Season, we surprised everyone with a NEW LOOK! We had worked on this for nearly a year, and while sometimes we miss our old, simple, black Chevy, we are beyond pleased with the new wrap and vibrant colors! We hope our loyal customers continue to recognize us and we would love to hear your feedback on that NEW Southwestern look!
As for this year, we are excited to have a home base for prep, marketing & storage at 240 Adams; having this space will only allow for us to get better. We will be exploring a tent set up for some events, allowing the truck to be one place and the tent at another. We are eager to expand, but want to ensure we do it right! We will also be welcoming some NEW MENU items to the everyday Cantina. Stay Tuned for details!
You will continue to see us throughout the winter months. Changes will come about slowly, and we will certainly make sure to keep you in the loop with all things NEW! This past year was long, there were a lot of parts, and at times it was trying, but we know that all that hard work will make for a fantastic 2019! We cannot thank each of you enough! It is because of you, that we get to do what we love. Thank you for all your support; we cannot wait to see you this year!
Cheers,
H. Yates
