Bistro Chef Launches Food Truck

Trávon Eley, a staff cook and kitchen manager at Bistro 1907 restaurant in downtown Youngstown, is launching his own food truck.

The 22-year-old Boardman resident will put Trás Gourmet Sandwiches on the road starting this month.

It’s been a goal for Eley but he’s not stopping there.

“It is a steppingstone to my eventual opening of a small diner,” he said. Eley has equipped his truck with two deep fryers and a flat-top grill.

Quick service is a key to both the food truck and diner business, and that means a limited menu.
“Speed is the key,” said the graduate of Mahoning County Career and Technical Center’s culinary program. “Everybody wants it fast.”

Of course, people also expect tasty offerings from a food truck and Eley has developed a menu that he expects will be a crowd pleaser.

It includes a vegan burger; jalapeno cheddar grilled cheese sandwich; DiRusso’s sausage sandwich topped with Papa Canzonetta’s peppers, cheese and onions on a torpedo roll; a traditional smash burger; fried chicken and waffles with maple syrup; and a fried chicken sandwich. All sandwiches come with waffle fries.

Eley will also sell sides of waffle fries (regular or loaded with queso blanco cheese, bacon bites and green onions) and jars of Papa Canzonetta’s peppers.

For this summer, Eley’s logo and menu will be printed on a large flexible magnet and adhered to the side of his truck. In the future, he’ll have the vehicle vinyl wrapped.

As a vendor with Lisko Family Amusements, Eley already has a full schedule in place. Lisko provides a range of vendor trucks and trailers to festivals and other locations throughout the region.

Trás Gourmet Sandwiches food truck will appear at these bars and festivals this summer:

May 27-28: Steel Valley Brew Works, Southern Park Mall, Boardman.

June 10-11: Steel Valley Brew Works, Southern Park Mall, Boardman.

June 15-19: East Liverpool Pottery Festival.

June 29-July 2: New Galilee Carnival, New Galilee, Pa.

July 13-17: Trumbull County Fair.

July 26-31: Parma Fair.

Aug. 2-8: Columbiana County Fair.

To book the truck at an event, brewery or festival, email [email protected] or call 330 942 2713.

Pictured at top: Trávon Eley stands in his food truck.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.