A food truck by any other name - Traditional Catering vs a Food Truck

The great debate ......

One of our posts has sparked a sea of emails, some confusion and even a lynch mob sighting
(Two of those three things are fact)
Let me preface this post by having you read the culprit post -
http://wanderingdago.blogspot.com/2013/12/food-truck-weddings-3-courses-and-over.html

You know by reading that post what you should look for inside a food truck -
Basically a restaurant kitchen on wheels. So, the equipment is there to make anything from
high end street food to classic wedding fare.
Now prepare to have your mind blown....

Imagine what the high end wedding caterers take to a venue to do a wedding.
Does it seem like they would have a lot of the same equipment?
They do.

So can a food truck really just take the place of a traditional caterer ?
The answer depends on you.
To explain this we need to talk about how a wedding service works -
There are a few factors -

1. The Menu
2. The Style of Service
3. Budget

The menu and the budget go hand in hand most of time. A saying that is out there in this catering world is - "They want prime rib on a hot dog budget."
Having a food truck cater your wedding could mean a lot of things. One thing that is not necessarily true is that the catering bill will be less money.
In this day and age, food truckers are covering all the classics and a lot more regarding wedding menus.
Want prime rib? No Problem. Want a pasta station? No Problem. Want roasted salmon? No Problem.

Now to the style of service.
This is where imagination becomes a big factor. Or swap imagination for a good wedding planner.
*** I have met some great ones if you need some ideas ***
When you contact a food trucker or any caterer for that matter, having some ideas on food is a huge benefit. Once a few food ideas are thrown on the table, move straight into the style of service.

Knowing your food trucker has a full arsenal of tools, get crafty and have some fun.
Stations are always a great addition to any wedding. We have a ton of fun with our grilling station.
We can really add some personal touches and flavor profiles through marinades and toppings.
One huge trend is family style service - Huge plates of food on the table for everyone to share and enjoy. This style also makes the experience a lot of fun for the guests.
By adding a few layers to your service style, you can really create a wedding that people will remember for a long time.
Perhaps passed appetizers during the cocktail hour when the guests sit down, then a couple stations for the main course with sides brought to the table family style, ending with a truckside dessert course.
This is just one example of how a food truck can make your wedding one for the ages.
For ideas, you can check out our wedding menu and the service styles we offer -
http://www.wanderingdago.com/events.html

Imagine the truck as a style of service, not as a genre of food.

Please let me know if I can answer any of your questions. If you feel more comfortable, have your wedding planner contact me directly - info@wanderingdago.com or just leave a comment.

Thanks,

Brandon
Chef/ Owner - Wandering Dago Food Truck

Food Truck Weddings - Q & A Session 1 - Contracts

What does the average engaged couple do over the holidays?
Besides eat too much.
Some spend time with family, some travel, some work, some ......, well you get the point.

The down time during the holidays is a good time to find resources that can help with the planning process.
Some couples cruise Pinterest for hours looking at wedding stuff -
From food to flowers, from dresses to desserts, that site is a wonderland for all things weddings.
Then comes old reliable - Google.
From reception images to finding someone local to help out, Google can provide a lot of resources.
Google just can't always provide a specific direction for couples in the decision making process.
Which is where we may be able to help on a few levels.

Working out a catering contract can be simple if you have the right information.

CONTRACTS
How about we cover what you are looking for - Good things that need to be in the contract.

1. Breakdown of the costs - 1st and foremost. You should see NYS Sales Tax, labor costs, any travel costs, gratuity and of course the total food and beverage costs. If you don't see any of the costs broken down, make sure everything is included in the price. Your last question regardless, should be - "Is there any other costs that are not in the contract?" If your food trucker says yes, make them change the contract to include those costs. 
2. Complete Food Descriptions - The big culprit here is sauces, if you agree on three dipping sauces, make sure they are in the contract. What you are looking for is a very thorough food list. The next point in descriptions is the service style and time frame. If you have a cocktail hour for 2 hours, be a stickler and have that added to the agreement. Lastly, if you are having passed appetizers and then buffet style for the main course, ... you know what to do.
3. Menu Changes - You want to see a section about additions and changes to the menu. There should be a time frame for edits - 2 weeks is plenty of time. If you don't see that section, have your food trucker add it - This is very important.  

Making sure those 3 parts of the contract are on point will allow focus to be directed to the important stuff - The Wedding Registry.
Each time I do a Q & A Session, I will answer some questions.
Readers can send their questions to us via comments on the blog or to info@wanderingdago.com.

Insert Ben Stein's Voice.

• Why is a deposit required to hold the date?
• Keep in mind that you could be one of three or four people trying to book the same date. Once that day is "Booked", the other people will have to look elsewhere for catering options. Your food trucker is now off the market. The deposit is just like an engagement band. This YouTube Video explains everything - http://bit.ly/1amvrHn
• What is the cancellation policy?
• I always talk about reading the fine print. The communication between you and your food trucker at the start of this process is the key to success. Each cancellation policy is unique, just make sure you go over the whole contract.
• Is the deposit refundable?
• Each food trucker will have a policy on this little gem. My advice would be this - Don't write the check if you aren't planning on having this food trucker cater your wedding. 
•  Why does a food truck charge a gratuity?
• Nobody wants to hear the truth on this one. Kidding. Most food truckers have a fully trained kitchen staff. Culinary trained, not ninjas. Unlike ninja training, culinary school costs money. That gratuity should be paid out to the staff of the truck - the equivalent of wait staff.
•  Who takes care of the Garbage? 
• This is a great question. Garbage is a huge deal. Most venues have a clear way of handling the garbage setup. Make sure to ask each potential venue this question. If you are doing the family farm or backyard wedding, plan this part out. There are two phases of this question - 1. Bagging - Easy fix. Bring garbage sacks and garbage cans. Get your wedding off with mother earth's blessing and have some recycling cans, please.                2. Disposal - Not so easy. This is mostly a matter of space. A pickup truck is just fine for transport to the appropriate place. I would go back to my old standby, just ask your food trucker. 

Hopefully we offered some insight on how to navigate a catering contract.
Just keep the communication lines open when you are working out contracts. If you have more questions or would like to see our wedding agreement, just leave a comment or message us on our website - http://www.wanderingdago.com/

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is looking forward to making 2014 your best year ever.

Brandon
Chef/Owner - Wandering Dago Food Truck

 

Food Truck Weddings - Will your wedding menu be limited by hiring a food truck to do the catering?

As you are going through your pre-wedding checklist you see:

1. Find the person I want to spend the rest of my life with - CHECK
2. Locked down the date to be married - CHECK
3. Invitations sent - CHECK
4. Menu for the ages ......

Can a food truck handle making the classics?

The answer is - maybe.

Weddings are a great way to celebrate the union between two people. Weddings are also a time for friends to judge the love birds on what food is served.
If you want burgers and chips, that is just fine. Any food truck can handle catering your wedding.
Move up the culinary ladder and not every truck is right for the job.

Homework will be involved today and this exercise will be graded.
The good news - You are the teacher and the food truckers are the students.
How the grading works -

Wedding Proposal (10 Pts)
You need to get a full wedding proposal - Be very particular. No cookie cutter brochures here.
Ask for a customized menu, this is your BIG day. Do you have a favorite dish? Maybe a family classic? Make sure your food trucker includes that dish in the proposal. Is there more than one course? Times and serving style need to ironed out early. No stone left unturned here.
Full Tour (10 Pts)
Check out the truck - I have an earlier blog post on what you should be looking for on the inside.
How will your food trucker prepare this wonderful prime rib with no oven?  Asking questions as you go will help when grading time comes.
Contracts (10 Pts)
Be very critical on this part - Make sure everything is written out. When your food trucker has something that is not written out - i.e., toppings for a station, you need to ask that more detail be added. Ask that all costs are included in the price. Read the small print.
Tasting (20 Pts) 
Sooner or later, the food will do the talking - Make sure you choose sooner.
Some places will not do tastings until you have signed up. I never understood that philosophy and I never will. Imagine marrying your partner without even a single kiss, that is a close analogy.
Be reasonable grading this - Maybe ask for 2 or 3 items to taste. Shoot for 1 Protein.
Pricing (10 Pts)
You may ask why this is separate from the contracts - This is the X Factor. 
Both parties need to be as realistic as possible about pricing. Don't be afraid to tell your food trucker what your budget is on the food side of the wedding. The more information shared, the better.

Time to tally up the points - Here are the details

50 to 60 - This is menu bliss, you are in great hands. Book that food trucker ASAP
40 to 49 - Don't be afraid, you can still pull off a great wedding menu. A 2nd meeting to address concerns may add a couple points to the score.
Under 40  Failing grade. This is not a time for settling on a menu (See Weekend Camping Menu)
You may need to get back into the food truck dating pool.

Feel free to check an example wedding menu on our website -
http://www.wanderingdago.com/events.html

If you have a question - Shoot away.
I will help any way that I can.

Brandon
Chef/Owner - Wandering Dago Food Truck