The Brewing Projekt is sponsoring a new food truck! New local chef Josh Steinmetz will be serving up food from the truck in September. Recently we spoke with Steinmetz about the new endeavor.
Second Opinion: You are a Johnson Wales University graduate. How did that come about? Josh Steinmetz: Well I started washing dishes at Lake Wissota Golf when I was fourteen just to have some extra cash before school. When I went to college the first time, I decided that I wanted to take a year off to get away from school for a while. I called up my old chef and asked him if he had openings, and he did. I stayed working with him for three more years at which point he told me that I would learn everything that I would need if I stayed in the industry and just worked, but it would take many years or I could go to school and learn the bulk of all of it in a matter of four years.
JWU was a great experience and an amazing learning experience. The first two years went by very fast and were routine with what we made and the correct way that they were made. The next two years when I got into my concentration were a blast and an amazing learning experience. I graduated in May with a bachelors in Culinary Food Service and Management with a concentration in Sustainability and Wellness.
SO: How did you get involved in the food truck project? JS: Will and I had been talking for a while when he asked me how I would like to be my own boss. We started discussing the food truck and some ideas, and the rest is history.
SO: What kind of food will you be serving from the truck? JS: I will be serving a Carolina-style BBQ with my own twist. Some of the items will include smoked pulled pork, herb smoked pulled chicken, sharing portions of tator tots and fried Brussel sprouts, house-made pickles and sauces. Once things get rolling I will be having certain weeks where I will be serving different-style ethnic cuisines.
SO: What is your interest in using local foods and how do you hope to incorporate that with the truck? JS: My interest in using local foods is trying to get the best ingredients closest to the source of growth. The closer you buy something to where it was grown the better flavor and more nutrients the ingredients will have.
SO: When will the truck begin serving? JS: We are hoping to have the food truck up and running by the first week in September.
SO: Will the truck be serving Brewing Projekt products too? JS: We won’t be selling Brewing Projekt products, but we will be using some of them in our recipes.
SO: Describe some menu features that will use local products. JS: All of the pickles that I will be making will feature local foods, along with the sauces, and I will be using local cheeses. I will be trying to incorporate as much local as I can right away, but it will be a process that will take some time.
SO: What are your goals for the truck? JS: Some of my goals for the food truck are to offer some big bold flavors that won’t break the bank, trying to be as sustainable as possible, and creating everything I can from scratch.