And Now the Real Work Begins!

Hello all!  Britt here.  It certainly has been an interesting couple of weeks for the Saucy Mamas!  I woke up one morning a few weeks ago and started my daily routine of searching the internet for a food truck.  I came across one that immediately caught my eye.  It had everything we need to prepare all of the items on our delectable menu.  The problem(s)?  First off, it was all the way in Florida.  Secondly, it was an Ebay auction item that was ending in two hours.  I was unable to get ahold of my mom until mere minutes before bidding was going to end.  Somehow I actually convinced her that this was OUR TRUCK and that I needed to place a bid.  I scrambled to place a bid with only 2 minutes left on the auction, but the bid was rejected and the item removed from Ebay.  Sigh!

As depression set in, (dramatic perhaps, but this has been a long process!) we thought about our options.  We decided to contact the seller to see if he would be willing to hold the truck for us for two days so that we could fly to Florida to see it.  To our surprise, he agreed!  With more knots in our stomachs than we ever thought possible, we booked two round trip airfare tickets to Florida for two days later.  We sure were sad Meg couldn't go but she had to hold down the fort in Pittsburgh.

What were we thinking???  Here we are at the airport.. scared out of our minds!

After we arrived in Florida, the nerves really kicked in.  What if the seller was a scam artist?  What if he ran off with our money or worse, killed us? (Yes, I'm a bit of a worry wart) What if he sold the truck to someone else?  What if it was a piece of junk and we just wasted several hundred dollars to fly down there?  Or even scarier, what if we actually wanted to buy it?  

We spent an entire Sunday morning with the seller, Dave.  He showed us the ins and outs of the truck and told us all about the laborious process of turning a bare bones truck into a commercial-grade mobile kitchen, and wow, did he have some horror stories!  Apparently everything that could go wrong went wrong but he finally developed  a thriving business.  He taught us a lot and gave a lot of good suggestions.  We shook his hand and agreed to purchase the truck the next morning.

After our agreement, mom and I had to have a celebratory drink.. I mean really, who buys a food truck??

The next morning we met Dave at the bank and filled out all of the paperwork to turn ownership over.  Here's Mom & Dave after the deal!

A few days after the purchase, the truck was shipped to Pittsburgh.  Of course it arrived in style.. as in it wouldn't start!  Thank God for our Uncle Jimmy who came to our rescue.  Him & dad helped us a lot.

The truth of the matter is that the truck needs a lot of work and we didn't fully know what we were getting ourselves into.  But the way we figure, there's nowhere to go but up.  For that one day we were thrilled to be inside OUR very own food truck!  The kids enjoyed it too!

  The truck has a lot of rehabbing to go and the real test will be passing the PA inspection.  We are currently sitting on pins & needles waiting to hear from the mechanic on just how much rehabbing needs to be done.  Once we have the inspection, we will work to get our Saucy Mamas wrap on the outside of the truck and start the process of getting the truck approved by the health department.

For now we are super busy working to perfect our recipes (mmm..Meg's delicious meatballs!), scouting out locations for a commissary which is required in Pennsylvania (meaning we need a health department approved facility where we go to get rid of our waste, clean dishes, etc), and forming working relationships with local businesses who will allow us to serve food at their locations.

As always, we thank you for all of your support!  Our facebook page has close to 150 likes and we couldn't be more grateful!  Please continue to spread the word and let us know any ideas you may have!  Once we get the truck up and running the real challenge will be finding locations to sell our food from so any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Until next time Pittsburgh!

Britt

We're really doing it!

WHAT?!?  We're starting a food truck?!?!  Never in a million years did we imagine we would do such a thing!  But here we are, taking the risk, ready to work hard, and more excited/anxious than ever!  A new Italian food truck is coming to Pittsburgh so get ready!  With high hopes of opening our truck in November 2013, this blog will be a way for you to get to know us and follow us on our (crazy) journey.

Our menu concept is a modern twist on Italian comfort favorites.  Think fresh herbs, yummy red sauces and the best breads!  (Just to name a few ingredients).  Ready to hear about the owners/operators?  We're a mother/daughter trio and we're ready for business!

Megan (Meg), the oldest sister, is the mastermind behind the whole operation.  A passionate home cook, she first started using her culinary skills outside of the home by running a lunch business for a car dealership in Virginia where her husband was the manager.  The guys went CRAZY for her comfort food dishes and from there her passion only grew.  Meg moved back to Pittsburgh in the summer of 2011 with her husband Rob and two children, Robbie and Arianna.  Meg loves being in the kitchen with her kids, and they've already learned so much from her!  Meg also loves baking (so look for something sweet), and enjoys taking classes at her local gym, shooting hoops with her son Robbie, and enjoying a margarita or two every once in a while.

Brittany (Britt), the youngest, has always loved to cook.  Never one to follow recipes, she enjoys using her imagination and coming up with new dishes all the time usually centered around some pasta or pizza dish.  After a whole lot of job dissatisfaction with her finance career in Washington, DC, Britt decided it was time to go after her passion and is moving back to Pittsburgh to get the family business going.  Her husband Bill will be moving to the Burgh early next year and hopes to start a new career himself.  Besides cooking, Britt enjoys spending time with her dogs Jake and Lola, having wine nights, and exercising with her former military hubby.  

Diane (Di), the mama, has always been her children's biggest supporter.  Every crazy dream or wild idea that they've had over the years, she's always been on board.  When the girls started thinking about a food truck business, Diane realized that maybe she could share in their dreams and decided to take a big leap of faith.  The conservative and cautious one of the group, Diane thinks of the little things and keeps the girls on track.  A passionate cook herself, she's taught her daughters what it is to make good down home food.  Diane lives in the North Hills with her husband of 39 years, Tom, who owns his own plumbing and renovations business.  She loves spending time with her three grandchildren, working in her garden, and making her own beauty products.  

So Pittsburgh, what should you expect from the Saucy Mamas?  We are the hardest working, most passionate group of ladies you will ever meet.  We enjoy what we do, and love talking to people.  We love to laugh and don't take life too seriously, so don't be surprised if you see us dancing around the truck as we prepare your lunch!  We are open to any/all suggestions and feedback and our primary focus is providing our customers with the best dining experience money can buy.  We hope to win you over with our delicious food, quick service, and bubbly personalities :)

See ya soon yinzers!  

Di, Meg and Britt