FALL 2016 EVE S E TH
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T S E B THIE
O S! SMO N O I AT N I B C O M PA G E 11
INSIDE THE FOOD TRUCK INDUSTRY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW PAGE 18
LOVE FOOD? WANT TO VOLUNTEER IN AUSTIN? WE’VE GOT THE OPPORTUNIT Y FOR YOU! PAGE 12
THE INSIDE SCOOP:
SALA & BETTY PAGE 22
Table of Contents 4
contributors letter from the editor
6
the chefs behind your food Explore the stories of the people coking your meals in fast food, casual and upscale restaurants.
7 best smoothie combinations These fresh, delicious smoothie combinations will help boast your energy and your happiness.
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5 10
food volunteering in austin Discover unique places to cook food and volunteer.
16
ice cream ideas
Try fresh takes on ice cream for a deliccious sweet treat.
what it takes to own a food truck
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The ins and outs of running and managing a succesful food truck business in Austin.
expenses of a food truck The truth about every cost to operate your food truck.
sala & betty
Get to know the wholesome, fast restraunt and why you should eat here.
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6 healthy restaurants in austin Need a place to eat? Look here!
BE OUR GUEST | 3
Letter From the Editor
Food is a necessity for humans and animals alike throughout the world. It impacts our culture and the way we act as a community. In this issue of Be Our Guest, you will discover the stories of the people behind the food you eat in The Chefs Behind Your Food by Emma Zuckerman. You’ll find out what it takes to own a food truck, a new booming food industry, in What it Takes to Own a Food Truck by Jackie Meisel, and learn about Sala and Betty, a new healthy place to eat fast food in Sala and Betty by Alexia Gallegos. Finally, you will read about the different places you can volunteer to cook food in Food Volunteering in Austin by Rosalind Yang. Our goal was to create an enjoyable magazine, filled with interesting stories and fun pictures. Each page was made with hard work and dedication. We hope you enjoy reading Be Our Guest as much as we loved creating it. It took many hours each day, but after four months of hard work, our magazine is complete. Happy reading! Sincerely,
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Meet The Authors
Jackie Meisel is a freshman at LASA and loves exploring new things. Her love for exploration and travel is what inspired her feature story. Her dream as an adult is to be able to travel and experience as many cultures as possible. She believes the understanding and acceptance of other cultures is one of the most important aspects of our world. Sadly, there wasn’t a simple way that she could incorporate these world cultures into her feature so she looked to two of her other favorite things: Austin and food. She figured that she could focus on a different type of culture. Which is why she chose to feature the new trending “food truck culture” in Austin.
Rosalind Yang is a freshman at LASA and she loves living in Austin! She also loves food. Some of her favorite foods are Chick-Fil-A, ice cream, and cantaloupe. Rosalind loves exploring her neighborhood and places around Austin, and experiencing new things. In fact, she has a collection of souvenir pennies from various places. She wrote about volunteering because it is a fun way to give back to the community and have a good time.
Alexia Gallegos is a freshman at LASA High School and enjoys photography. She enjoys playing volleyball and hopes to play Division I in college. Not only does she love volleyball, but she loves to eat. Pizza, caesar salad, and french fries are her favorite. Alexia’s favorite restaurant is Hopdoddy because of their elevated burger style. With a vegan and ex-vegan as parents, Alexia has tried a variety of foods from tofu to Daiya, a vegan cheese.
BE OUR GUEST | 5
The Chefs Behind Your Food Discover the pros and cons of cooking in fast food, casual, and upscale restaurants. By Emma Zuckerman
B
ehind a P. Terry’s juicy hamburger, a La Madeleine’s Tomato Basil Pesto Pasta Salade, or a Spiazzo’s cream puff is the person in restaurant’s kitchen who prepared the food. Each person’s training, experience, responsibilities and even title are as different as a hamburger is to a pasta salad is to a cream puff. According to a recent report, fast food cooks earn on average $18,0114 annually while line cooks earn $25,092 annually. Pastry chefs working in fine restaurants can earn up to $60,000 a year. The difference between each job is the amount of training, education and experience. For Joe Shin, frying up burgers at the grill in the kitchen at P. Terry’s is simply an easy way to make a little extra cash. No experience required. “I was just cooking at home,” Shin says. He
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Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
learned to cook by watching his mother in the kitchen. Now, he lives away from home and cooks for himself and his sister, sometimes. Shin is an undergraduate, computer science student at UT. He only started working at P. Terry’s six months ago. The only requirements for the fast food job are taking the Texas Food Workers test online and being over 18. Shin said that the managers are very flexible and help to assign schedules that work for both the restaurant and their cooks. Shin decided to become a cook because working the counter or the drive through seemed boring. “You do that for six hours a day and that’s the only thing you do,” Shin says. “It’s terrible.” Although grilling the burgers is a more appealing job to some, it also comes with its challenges. After his shift, Shin has to clean up the kitchen which can take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. “I hate cleaning so much,” Shin says. “You have to do it everyday before you leave.” According the Culinary Schools Network, cleaning up is common job for most fast food cooks. Most of Shin’s work is on the grill. “Whenever you’re on the grill you have to make all the burgers or grilled cheeses.” Before he starts cooking, he makes sure there’s meat in the refrigerator and under the grill. This is important, Shin says, “because you don’t want to be looking for bacon or veggies when it’s busy.” In P. Terry’s, guests are served delicious plates of savory burgers and salty fries, but the action happens behind the dining area.
For Shin, the best part of working at P Terry’s is the friends he’s made. “They’re really chill and we get to just hangout and talk whenever it’s not too fast and it’s really slow.” In contrast to Shin’s fast food cooking gig, William Covington is a line cook at La Madeleine. He’s only been working at La Madeleine for six months, but he has been cooking in restaurants for 25 years. He supports himself and his 2 daughters. His many years of experience makes him a great candidate for the job. As opposed to no experience necessary in P. Terry’s, La Madeleine requires experience. “My moms a chef and I’ve always been in the kitchen,” Covington says. “ I always took it upon myself to try to take in all the knowledge I could. I was young and it payed off.” He knew it was a good tool to have in his life, especially with a family. Covington has also worked at many fast food restaurants. In fact, he’s been a third key right under the assistant manager. Covington prefers working at casual restaurants like La Madeleine because they have a bigger variety of food they get to make. “We [La Madeleine] change with the seasons, sandwiches change. But with fast food, it’s basically the same thing every day.” He was trained as sandwich maker but now is in charge of making everything from pastas to salads. He also has to do prep in the morning. “I gotta make all the deli sandwiches for the people that have to take all the orders out,” says Covington. He can have from 30 to 50 sandwiches to make each morning. Now, it takes him about an hour to complete all the sandwiches. Just like P. Terry’s, the managers are very flexible with Coving-
La Madeleine serves delicious pastas, sandwiches and green salads.
ton’s schedule. “I coach football so it’s good to have an accommodating job,” says Covington. The restaurant also offers health benefits after six months, unlike fast food restaurants, which never offer benefits. Finally, we meet Christina Haverty, who is very different than Shin and Covington. She has the most experience and training as pastry chef. She also offers the unique perspective of a female chef. According to the American Culinary Federation’s 2011 survey, women represent only 20 percent of the chef population. She is no longer counted in that 20 percent, because she left the male dominated profession out of frustration. Now she’s a realtor. Haverty attended the Culinary Arts Institute in Hyde Park,
“We [La Madeleine] change with the seasons, sandwiches change. But with fast food, it’s basically the same thing every day.”
Photo taken by Emma Zuckerman
New York. She went to the Institute because she believed she would receive equal pay as the men she worked with if she had a culinary degree. Instead, the reality was she was female and they were male. “In the industry their mentality is that it’s a man’s world, especially back then,” Haverty says. “They use screaming and smelling things to intimidate you as well as changing the flame on the stove top or oven temperature,” Haverty says. “To me it’s very immature and bully tactics. Grow up.” According to a recent ACF survey, there is an average $20,000 difference between female and male chefs. Haverty’s been in the culinary field for more than 20 years. She started making pastries as well as being a chef when she was pregnant with her first child. She worked as a pastry chef at many upscale Italian restaurants including Spiazzo and Siena Ristorante Toscana. She was also an executive chef in Manhattan. “My husband is an executive chef and I think subconsciously I kind of knew that [being a pastry chef] was going to be the next journey in order to continue in the food industry,” Haverty says. Unlike Shin
BE OUR GUEST| 7
Photo taken by Emma Zuckerman
An employee at P. Terry’s , located in central Austin, grills burgers in the kitchen.
“If my kids wanted to go into the food industry, I would do everything in my power to talk them out of it.”
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Picture used with permission from Christina Haverty
Christina Haverty with her two kids, Dani and Jean.
extremely long depending on what your position is,” Haverty says. “On a seven day week you might have one day off. It’s not nine to five, it’s Monday through Friday.” Unlike Shin and Covington with their flexible schedules, chefs get almost no days off and it can be a very stressful environment. When Christina Haverty cooks, she has to follow recipes, but they’re not any recipes. Haverty creates her own. When she creates the recipes, she has to think about maintaining the food costs and the seasonal aspects. She also utilizes certain items because they are going to go bad. She also always tastes the food she’s making. “If you’re not tasting what you’re making, you probably shouldn’t be doing it for a living,” Christina Haverty says. Haverty tastes what she makes not just at the end, but through the whole process. Eventually Haverty quit working as a chef because she wasn’t spending enough time with her family. “The perception for many people is that chefs are in the kitchen; they cook the food,” Haverty says. “No. They run the front of the house, they run the back of the house. They’re responsible
“They use screaming and smelling things to intimidate you as well as changing the flame on the stove top or oven temperature.” and Covington, Haverty has both the experience and the education necessary to be a chef. When she was baking, Christina Haverty enjoyed creating different seasonal desserts and teaching cooking classes. She said she enjoyed teaching “not just the desserts, but I would also incorporate an appetizer and a main course with it.” Haverty also enjoyed working with the local growers and cheese makers throughout her career. Although it’s trendy to do that now, it wasn’t the style when Haverty was cooking. When working in an upscale five star restaurant as an executive chef, you have to do almost everything. The chefs design the menu, get the ingredients, and do the prep. When someone doesn’t show up for work, you have to do their job. “ In the industry, it takes a specific personality because you don’t have holidays off, your shifts can be
for the training of the staff, the hiring, the firing, the ordering of food, the designing of the menu.” Although Haverty loved being a chef and did it for many years, it was a hard job to do. “If my kids wanted to go into the food industry, I would do everything in my power to talk them out of it.” The people who create the food we eat in restaurants are unique as the meals they cook. For the fast food worker, cooking is just a short term gig while going to college. For the line cook in a fast casual restaurant, it is the job that supports a family. For the professionally trained pastry chef turned realtor, the industry only offers barriers for women, regardless of training and experience. Eating out will never be the same because behind each menu item, is a personal story.
BE OUR GUEST | 9
TO P 7 B E S T S M O OT H
Smoothies are a delicious snack for any time of day. Here are some smoothie combinations to
1
THE ORIGINAL
½ cup strawberries, 1 banana, 1 cup low-fat milk and ½ tablespoon honey If you’re looking for a quick way to satisfy your hunger, this smoothie is the perfect match!
2
THE POWER PUNCHER
¼ cup kale, ¼ cup apples, half of a banana, ¼ cup spinach, ¼ cup pear and 1 cup almond milk This smoothie gives a big boost of energy and will help you get through the day. It provides a healthy amount of fruits and vegetables to keep your body strong!
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H I E C O M B I N AT I O N S
o create at any occasion. Each one provides nutritious ingredients to keep your body strong! By Emma Zuckerman
3
THE HAWAIIAN
½ cup pineapple, ½ cup papaya, ¼ cup grapefruit and 1 cup coconut milk An aloha bliss that’s perfect on a hot summer day. Looks and tastes great with fresh pineapple on the side!
6
THE LEGEND
¼ cup strawberries, ¼ cup blueberries, ¼ cup raspberries, ¼ cup blackberries, 1 banana, ¼ cup yogurt and ½ cup apple juice
4
THE BERRY BLAST
This smoothie makes any day enjoyable with its tangy taste and sweet smell! The yogurt also helps create a thicker consistency.
¼ cup strawberries, ¼ cup blueberries, ¼ cup raspberries, ¼ cup blackberries and 1 cup cranberry juice If you love berries, this smoothie is an ideal snack for you. Complete with five types of berries, this refreshment can satisfy any fruit craving!
5
THE FRESH DRAGON
¼ cup mango, 3 ounces acai, ¼ cup dates, ½ cup dragon fruit and 1 cup coconut water
7
THE COFFEE KICK
1 banana, a cup of coffee, 1/8 tsp Cinnamon, ground, 1 tbsp Cocoa powder, 1 tbsp Flax Seeds meal, 1 tsp Honey, 1/4 cup Rolled oats and 1 cup almond milk This creamy smoothie will wake you right up! It’s a perfect blend of smoothie and coffee that’s perfect on the go!
This tropical, refreshing smoothie comes together in minutes for a relaxing snack or party treat!
BE OUR GUEST | 11
T
Food Volunteerin g In Austin
he smell of soup wafts through the air, as the clacking of vegetables being chopped resonates through the kitchen. Pots bang together as people squeeze whipped cream from an icing bag onto pastries. Cooking is something we might take for granted. But what about people who cannot cook because of their current situation? All around Austin there are many places where volunteers can help cook and prepare food for those in need. Some examples are Street Youth Ministry, Angel House Soup Kitchen, and Ronald McDonald House. Street Youth Ministry was started by Terry Cole in 2008. It helps street youth achieve stability and sobriety, and connect with the Christian community. They provide meals, snacks, socks, toiletries, clothing, and dog food, as well as bus passes to clients who have jobs. They also provide college textbooks for clients enrolled in school. They hold Bible study nights to guide clients through any issues. It is a safe place where street youth can get meals and interact with other people. You can volunteer by helping cook food their for the week, making sandwiches and breakfast tacos, or you can set up a room, greet, or clean-up. Street Youth Ministry has 700 to 800 volunteers a year now. Most of the food is donated and some of it is from grocery stores, through their compost program. So Street Youth Ministry ends up with a lot of whole, fresh, and organic
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Exploring P l
Volunteers getting ready to participate in the Street Outreach program at SYM Photo Courtesy of streetyouthministry.org
vegetables and fruits. They now offer that at two of their meals a week. Something that is lacking in the homeless youths’ diet is fruits and vegetables so this can help provide nutrition. S t r e e t Youth Ministry serves the homeless, who are often mistreated. Many people want them to go away because they are on the street, or consider them as bad people. “I just wish people would stop and see them as human beings,” Terry Cole says. “I think if you have a faith as I do, see them
through the maker’s eyes instead of society’s eyes.” He also thinks some laws applying to the homeless should be changed. “We’re not interested in them enough to actually catch them breaking laws that matter,” Cole says. “So, instead, we make them laws that are easy to catch them at and I think that’s wrong. And those laws are sitting on the sidewalk or sleeping in the park at night … and those
“I just wish people would stop and see them as human beings.”
laces to vol unteer in A ustin are things that you do because you’re homeless, they’re really not criminal.” The best part of Cole’s job is seeing his clients become independent. “In terms of day-to-day interacting with clients, I think it’s seeing them do something they didn’t think they could do,” Cole says. “Whether that’s controlling anger, or stay sober, or not steal, or go to college or graduate, or get a job, or hold a job. I mean, it’s seeing them achieving things by themselves.” In fact, his clients inspire him everyday. “The strength and resilience of my clients is amazing,” says Cole. “There was one client who was always using drugs, was always stupid, and in fact he got in a car accident that was incredibly serious and it put him in a coma for 3 months. He texts me every single day, every morning, he wakes up and he says, thank god I’m alive.” Another volunteer place that helps the homeless is Angel House Soup Kitchen. It is a soup kitchen run by Austin Baptist Chapel and they cook food for the homeless people of Austin everyday. Mark Smith, the di-
By Rosalin d Yang
Mark Smith, and his wife Cindy, the co-directors of Angel house Soup Kitchen Photo Courtesy of Mark Smith
rector of the soup kitchen talks about the joy of giving back. “I told my wife by the time I’m 50, I want to spend the second part of my life giving back,” he said. “My wife and I are the director and co director of the soup kitchen. We’ve been doing it since 2015 memorial day and absolutely having a ball.”
The soup kitchen offers food, showers, a clothes closet and restrooms. Volunteers can cook a meal for the homeless with donated food. There is a variety of food and a variety of volunteers. Some of the food is from four and five star restaurants.
BE OUR GUEST|13
In fact, one of the restaurants has an appetizer on the menu that’s $100. Different catering companies and restaurants donate food so it’s different every day. “I eat it every day and the day I can’t eat it anymore it’s time for us to leave,” Smith says. They noticed the lack of lunch meals for the homeless people in Austin and decided to do something about it. Breakfast is from 9:30 a.m. to about 9:45 a.m., and lunch is from 11:00 in the morning to noon. The soup kitchen was started by a local missions director. “He just had a burden for folks are on the street and whatnot and he just felt he wanted to start something,” says Smith. He found a building that was donated to the church, and that’s where it all started. “It was just by faith and its been there for over 30 years,” says Cole. The soup kitchen feeds an average of 315 people the first of the
month, between 300 and 350 towards the middle of the month, and about 350 to 400 people by the end of the month. Smith is motivated by compassion for others. “Just love and people, I think if we can love people like Jesus does, we can make a difference if we do,” Smith says. “You know if we could ever love people half as much as we love our dogs and we could change this world. But we act like people don’t matter, but they really all matter.” Ronald McDonald House and Charities is an organization sponsored by McDonald’s. The house is local to Austin hospitals and just steps away from the Dell Children’s hospital. They assist individuals with children who are receiving treatment for cancer.
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The kitchen at Ronald McDonald House in Austin
“It was just by faith, and it’s been there for over 30 years.”
Like a hotel, families can stay there, eat meals, and use the spaces provided by the house. They take care of the chores that you would have to take care of at your own homes, like laundry, so families can focus on taking care of their children. Rene Carlin, volunteer coordinator, discusses why this is rewarding. “I can try to ease their lives a little bit by making sure their rooms are clean, they have toiletries, that they don’t have to worry about going to a store to purchase snacks or shampoo or soap, or other things like that,” says Carlin. “I can kind of ease their burden with those things, so I think that’s what I enjoy most being able to help them in the little way that I can.” The most popular volunteer opportunity is preparing meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared 365 days a year. Volunteer groups create the menu, they purchase the food, they bring the food to the house, and they cook and serve it.
Photo courtesy of rmhc-ctx.org/
The house has a large kitchen with all the utensils and cookware and people come and cook. It is a fun way to share your culinary skills with the families. Breakfast is served at 9 a.m. for 10 to 15 people, lunch at noon for 15 to 20 people and dinner is served at 6 p.m. for 25 to 30 people. Rene Carlin, the volunteer coordinator for Ronald McDonald says the biggest challenge is getting volunteers to show up for their shift. “You know, being a volunteer they’re not getting paid so you know they don’t have to show up...If there’s a schedule change or conflict they’re not going to come for their shift so it can be a little difficult and making sure someone’s at the shift, a volunteer there at all times whenever we need them.” Despite the reliability issue, Carlin enjoys working with volunteers who have “different back-
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grounds, different experiences, points of view,” Carlin says. “It’s all different spectrums, different experiences and then learning about who they are.” Although these places are all around Austin and were created for different reasons, they all have one thing in common. They bring people together to serve the others in need and can make a real difference in people’s lives. “Well every week I probably hear 2 to 3 stories from somebody who’s gotten a job, gotten clean clothes, or someone who’s willing to hire them,” says Mark Smith. “People aren’t willing to give a lot of folks a chance if they look like they’re living on the streets...but we just need to help others and we can really make a difference if we do.”
BE OUR GUEST | 15
ICE CREAM IDEAS
Here are some fresh and fun takes on ice cream. You can use it in some unex BY ROSALIND YANG
You will need: graham crackers, vanilla ice cream, marshmallow fluff (optional), chocolate (chopped). Directions: Spread marshmallow fluff on one graham cracker. Put a scoop of ice cream on the other. Place the two graham crackers together. Microwave chocolate on high in 20-second intervals, whisking in between, until melted and smooth. Dip half of the sandwich into the chocolate and place on a piece of wax paper. Freeze and enjoy!
Ice Cream S’mores
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You will need: Cookie dough, Ice cream, various toppings(for example sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, peanut butter, fruit, chopped nuts, whipped cream, caramel, chocolate syrup)
Directions: Bake cookies, let them cool (but not for too long! You want them to be warm- this is the secret to a good ice cream sandwich- warm cookie and cold ice cream). Quickly put whatever toppings you want on your cookies. Take your ice cream out of the freezer and scoop your ice cream. Make sure it is not too round or big. Place the ice cream on a cookie and put another on top. Eat it quickly!
Super Ice Cream Sandwich
Ice Cream Parfait
xpected ways for a tasty treat! You will need: ice cream, blueberries, raspberries, cut strawberries (but you can use whatever fruit you have), granola or crushed cookies, honey (optional), and a tall glass
You will need: pancake mix, powdered sugar (optional), chocolate chips, ice cream flavor of your choice, chocolate syrup, whipped cream.
Directions: Place a spoonful of crushed cookies at the bottom of a glass. Layer a spoonful of ice cream, then fruit, then cookies, then ice cream, then fruit, and so on until you reach the top of the glass. Drizzle some honey on top and eat it!
Directions: make as much pancake mix as you’d like, stir in chocolate chips. Cook pancakes. Put a large scoop (or two!) on top of your pancakes and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top. Drizzle maple syrup or chocolate syrup and dig in!
Instead of putting chocolate syrup on top of your ice cream, put chocolate syrup in between layers of ice cream for more evenly distributed syrup!
Ice Cream and Pancakes
Ice Cream Tip! BE OUR GUEST | 17
On the Move
How to Run a Successful Food Truck Business in Austin
Photos and Story by Jackie Meisel
Stacked Sliders is a Food T South A ustin ow r ned by b uck in Brian, Br rothers: uce and Michael Tamayo .
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Serving swe Food Tru et indulgences since 20 ck now r 09 un by Jo popular e Doherty , this stop in th is e Trailer Park Eate a ry
ou have to be willing to fail before you even think about starting.” Joseph Doherty, owner of Holy Cacao said. Failure is a concept that food truck owners are all too familiar with. Whether you’re selling sweet treats or savory meats, this line of business is no walk in the park. Austin is a great place to own a food truck because of its increasing popularity, but there are still three crucial factors you must have accounted for before your business can get off the ground. You need time, money, and a niche. A food truck is less costly than a brick-and-mortar, but owning and managing your own trailer is easier said than done. Between Joseph Doherty, the owner of Holy Cacao food truck, and his brother they work more than 100 hours every week. Owning and operating a food truck is a colossal time and financial commitment. Though you’d save more than 70 percent having a truck rather that a brick-and-mortar, you still need nearly $50,000 to get started. While, money is a big component of your business, the most important factor is your niche, “Your product is the most important part of your business, make sure that you have a great product before you do anything else” Doherty explained. In total, the cost of your trailer, permits, cooking equipment, menus, and advertising can range anywhere from $30,000 to $120,000. And this base level cost doesn’t even include the most costly aspect of your business: employees.
“
“Payroll is the biggest thing,”As Brian Tamayo, owner of Stacked Sliders remembered you can pay for all this but when you start hiring if you don’t work for yourself, payroll is the biggest thing”. For most food truck owners, especially at the beginning of their business, they don’t have the extra money to not work for themselves. “It would be great to eventually be able to just oversee the business, but at this point in our careers it is very important that we work a lot of hours ourselves in order to not spend too much money on labor” Doherty clarified. Though one of the up-sides about having a food truck, Pathomwong Suwanpanich of Little Thai Food explained, is that “You don’t need a lot of people to work with you, you can run it by yourself so you save the employment,” This one person operation we commonly see in food trucks would not be possible for a brick-and-mortar in most circumstances and that will be the biggest money saver for you. “Buying a food trailer takes tens of thousands of dollars to get the business off the ground,” Doherty said. “However when compared to a traditional brick and mortar restaurant, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to start, food trucks are relatively inexpensive to start.” There are still multiple downsides to having a food truck such as renting a truck commissary which can be extremely difficult at times and also adds to the total cost weighing in at about $1000 per month.
Be creative, don’t try to follow everybody because you won’t stand out -Brian Tamayo
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Little Th ai Food run in p Suwanpa art nich ser ves Auth by Pathomwong from 11 entic Th a.m to 3 ai Food a.m.
”
In addition to truck commissary, you will have to follow all of the state regulated restrictions and obtain all of your permits before you sell food. These permits regulate the specific areas that your mobile food establishment is allowed and the compatibility with surrounding establishments and properties. Luckily “The city is very good about providing you with a list of everything that you need to pass inspection,” Doherty explained, “and as long as you follow that list exactly and check off each item it is not difficult to get a permit.” Now, while these will get you up to code, you have to know what will get you up to par with your competitors. The most important component is advertising. One way of advertisement you already have to your advantage is your location. Austin has nearly 40 festivals a year and these are a great way to gain a customer following and income too. “We’ll do events and stuff… it’s the big money maker for you”, Tamayo explained. Festivals like ACL are definitely one of the best ways to gain popularity, The Mighty Cone food truck that started with their focus on “easy festival food” and now they’ve grown to one of the most well known food trucks in Austin. “We also rely very heavily on social media to promote new items and deals and to expand our customer base,” Doherty said. Owning a food truck is much different than owning a restaurant. There are ups and downs to the both but the advantages of the food truck tend to fall short of those in a brick-and-mortar, food trucks are much cheaper and that leads to a lot of luxuries of a brickand-mortar not being met. For instance the weather, “In a food truck, if it’s too cold in winter or too hot people won’t want to spend their time outside. That is an advantage to the restaurant.” Suwanpanich said. . And if you’re trying to save money on the employment you better be ready for the hectic days of trying to man a truck by yourself.
South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery complete with picnic tables and umbrellas is a spot Austinites love to go and enjoy all the unique foods these food trucks in the area have to offer!
And if you’re trying to save money on the employment you better be ready for the hectic days of trying to man a truck by yourself. “We usually operate our trailer with just one employee at a time,” Doherty explained, “Most restaurants that I’ve worked in have had a least a dozen people working at any given time”. There is a trade off that has to be made, what is more important, the money saved from not paying employees or not having to spend over 10 hours daily crammed in a 80 sq ft trailer. Most food truck owners plan to eventually oversee the business or grow it into a brick-and-mortar. “This is the beginning, it’s a way in, an easy way in,” Tamayo said “Starting a food truck is much easier I mean, you start this way and you grow into a brick-and-mortar”. In Austin especially, the food truck to restaurant method has become a popular trend, businesses like Torchy’s starting in 2006 as a truck and is now one of the top 50 best taco places in the nation. This move from a truck to a brick-and-mortar is a very big deal in terms of product and company popularity but also a big deal in terms of commitment to your niche. “This is small time, it’s the beginning. Some people get away with just selling tacos. To me that’s not a concept, there’s nothing proprietary about that. You don’t own that idea. A hundred taco trucks down this road and the big companies are going to eat you alive,” Brian Tamayo, owner of Stacked Sliders, explained. “You have to come up with a concept you can’t just sell food it doesn’t work, you gotta have a niche...Be creative, don’t try to follow everybody because you won’t stand out”. A niche is defined as a specialized, profitable market. A vast misconception about marketing your food brand is to market to what you know your customers will like. Austin can’t get enough of it’s tacos. There are over 2,000 taco businesses in Austin, the chances that your product will outdo the other 1,999 and enough times for you to make a profit are extremely slim. Brian Tamayo explained to me that if you have a unique product, it’s more likely that you’ll gain a unique set of returning customers “We sell good food we have good service so just it’s gonna take some time to get to that repeat customer stage,” he said. This repeat customer stage is what a lot of food trucks and restaurants aim for and once you’ve got this as Suwanpanich put it “I don’t think it’s a matter of if you’re a food truck or a restaurant, if they like your food they won’t go and eat somewhere else.” Even though these are good things to keep in mind when aspiring to start or manage your own food truck, it’s important to note that every owner has a different view of the way their business is run and what’s effective for them. Once you’ve got your niche, you’ve got your business. Ones you’ve got the business, the time and the money, you’re golden. “There’s just something about being a small business owner,” Tamayo explained. Throughout business, there will be ups and downs but the important thing to remember is that there is no success without failure.
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h c u M w o H d o o F a s e o D t s o C k c u r T
Repairs/Truck Maintenance can cost around $1,000
kie by Jac
per month
Phone and Internet can cost from $100 to $200 per month
Truck Commissary can cost from $400 to $1,200 per month
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There are over 1,500 food trucks in Austin, Texas!
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Permits and Licensing cost from $100 to $500 Food Trucks cost from $25,000 to $100,000
Cash Registers can cost from $200 to $1,000
Small Kitchen Ware, and Utensils can cost from $500 to $5,000
Website and Advertising cost from $100 to $5,000
Initial Product Inventory cost from $1,000 to $2,000 Employee and Labor costs range from $8 to $15 per hour BE OUR GUEST | 21
by Alexia Gallegos
Sala & Betty W
Wholesome is the New Fast
hen we hear the word “fast food,” we immediately think of high fat-fat, high carb food from a restaurant like McDonalds, Burger King or Wendy’s. What if “fast food” had a new definition? What if it meant a fast-paced restaurant with healthy, high quality meals with a reasonable and affordable price. Most of us yearn for a healthy meal like those served at Whole Foods or Central Market, but with high prices and busy schedules, it is not realistic So, we end up in the fast-food lane, with time zooming past us everyday. Until now, a fast-paced restaurant with healthy, high quality meals named “Sala & Betty” is in town. Sala & Betty opened in early 2015 a wholesome restaurant located in north central Austin, say fast food right? Owned by Teresa Wilson, the previous owner of French restaurant, Aquarelle, and an award-winning chef, Sala & Betty is definitely a one-of-a-kind drive-thru and dine-in restaurant serving wholesome, quality meals. The ambiance of Sala & Betty is also very relaxed and home-like. Located in Austin at 5201 Airport Blvd, Sala & Betty is close to downtown Austin. Sala is the nickname for Teresa and Betty is the nickname of her sister, Toni. Teresa is a married mother of four, and pursuing her love for cooking. Teresa believes that it is important that her restaurant has wholesome food ready to go to the public.
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Being the owner of a fastpaced restaurant, Wilson is a busy woman working around the clock. “Unfortunately, right now, that is the truth, I have to be here way more than I would like to” she says, “It is not a good balance of life and work, but there is a lot of restaurants in town and there’s not enough workers so I’ve had to work more than I wanted to.” The drive-thru at Sala & Betty was not Teresa’s original plan, but was built in by the previous restaurant. Living in a fast-paced world with people
The Betty Sandwhich by Alexia Gallegos
rushing between work and family, like her and her sister, she decided to take advantage of this opportunity. “What makes it special is that you do not have to get out of your car to pick up food and people love that. I have moms come thru with sleeping babies and they are really thrilled that they can get a nice quality meal and not have to get out of their car. They can also order a bottle of wine through the drive-thru. They really like that,” says Teresa with a laugh. There are many exceptional things about Sala & Betty including their wholesome more elaborate meals. An important way to stay healthy is to eat the right kind of foods. “With the animals you know they are treated individually, not mass produced, and chickens are
Side View of Drive Thru at Sala & Betty By Alexia Gallegos
free ranged. There is a thing that ranchers do where they add an additive to food to make cows want to eat more so that way they can get a bigger cow and our ranchers don’t do that,” describes Teresa. Most customers do not know what ingredients and food they are buying, unlike Sala & Betty that knows and even lists all their sources on their website. To prove that Sala & Betty is wholesome asked nutritionist, Jackie Gramlich, from Nutritional Wisdom in Austin exclaims, “They source their produce from local Texas farms and ranches.” These local ingredients are what make this fast-paced restaurant a favorite to many. Gramlich explains the difference between natural and wholesome “A meal that’s a balance of high quality protein and a variety of organic colorful veggies,” she said. “You have people like P Terry’s who say they use a natural ground beef, but natural is a word that is really misused. It is labeled natural for the public to think, ‘Oh it’s a good ingredient,’ but it is very misleading because it does not mean a lot. It is just a marketing ploy, “ Teresa believes. The food at Sala & Betty is also refined and has crafting skills through various styles, flavors, and cuisines than other typical casual
restaurants and has reasonable prices ranging to four to thirteen dollars per meal. Trying to feed your family right while being a part of your families’ life is a challenge everyday. “People are always rushing to go to work to home, you know, juggling kids and the activities that kids are involved in because you want to be involved in your kid’s life. So that means they are not at home being able to cook dinner and all the fast options are not necessarily healthy; you know or wholesome options,” says Teresa. Gamlich agrees, “Their quality of the food is significantly better. You should always try to eat the highest quality foods to make sure you’re not putting any toxins in your body. Rushing is always something that stresses many people when going out to eat.” Sala & Betty provides fast on-the-go
“Rushing is always something that stresses many people when going out to eat.” -Jackie Gramlich BE OUR GUEST | 23
The Menu of Sala & Betty by Alexia Gallegos
Soda Fountain includes Sala & Betty’s Motto by Alexia Gallegos
Bar at Sala & Betty by Alejandra Gallegos
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Owner Teresa Wilson by Alejandra Gallegos
“There are dishes that have seasoning from other parts of the world and that is what America is all about; it is just kind of a melting pot.” -Teresa Wilson meals, or elevated, several course meals that are served at a more relaxed pace. One of Sala & Betty’s fans is Hayden Covert, who also lives a busy high school life balancing tennis and school, says that Sala & Betty is one of his favorite restaurants and loves “The Betty,” which is a pork sandwich. “The food quality is very good and you always know it’s a good meal going there,” says Hayden. Gramlich relates, “I’m always on the lookout for local restaurants serving high quality creative meals.” Sala & Betty’s motto that fits the bill is “TLC Served PDQ,” meaning Tender Loving Care served Pretty Darn Quick. Another great quality about Sala & Betty is the new genre of food that is not like a typical restaurant. Instead of serving the typical fast-food for example burgers or fried chicken, Sala & Betty offers modern contemporary American food. “There are dishes that have seasoning from other parts of the world and that is what America is all about; it is just kind of a melting pot.,” says Teresa, “You have a blend of different types of food. We have a meatloaf that has Mexican spices in it because that’s my her-
itage. But, traditionally, you would not have all those ingredients in it. You have a blend of different types of food,” states Teresa. This genre of food surprises many customers. Also Gramlich said, “It sounds like this restaurant was founded with love and I’m sure that shows through in their menu and vibe.” Hayden who values the type of quality in restaurants says, “I don’t really have any complaints about it except that it’s kind of far from me. But, it’s always worth it. I just think that people should try this genre of new American food and we’re trying to recreate the image of ... a healthy eating image for America.” Instead of resorting to unhealthy, fast-food restaurants, try Teresa’s new vision of healthy fast food. “You are eliminating all of the toxins that are prevalent in those foods” says Gramlich, “I’m big on reading ingredients labels and if you Google the ingredients in fast food meals, you will see how unhealthy it is.” Wilson’s wholesome drive-thru offers a fast way to enjoy a healthy, wholesome meal and a new definition of fast food. Sala & Betty: The Evolution of Healthy, Wholesome Fast Food.
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six healthy in
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Teresa Wilson, owner of Sala & Betty, believes in always eating healthy. Here are six healthy restaurants with many different options and styles of foods. From a organic breakfast to a gluten-free dessert, there are meals for everybody. Casa de Luz serving all-organic is a restaurant in northwest Austin. They also have vegan and gluten-free meals. It is a self-serving restaurant with meals starting at 12$. Their methods include health and freedom.
Blue Dahlia is a European bistro with many meals that contain local and organic ingredients. They are located in both East Austin and Westlake. Blue Dahlia has been known for its great praises of service.
Eastside Cafe is a restaurant in east Austin serving comfort food with many meals made from scratch. Also cooking with many herbs and vegetables from its next-door garden. Earning its praise, Eastside Cafe now has many cafes, taco joints, coffee shops, and pubs.
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restaurants austin xia by Ale
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Mother’s Cafe is a restaurant in northeast Austin serving vegetarian and vegan food. They have food for everyone including organic and gluten free, or if you have allergies or dietary needs, they have a great meal waiting for you.
Counter Culture serves vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free foods locally grown in Austin and made from scratch. This organic restaurant is located in east Austin. Their menu contains oil free, gluten-free, and soy-free options and always emphasize on nutritious, unprocessed foods.
What a better way to end a meal with a dessert from Sweet Ritual? Sweet Ritual is an ice cream shop in east Austin. With many different non-dairy, gluten-free, or allergen options, Sweet Ritual makes sure nobody is left out. The ice cream is also made right at the store from scratch. BE OUR GUEST | 27