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We are so excited to welcome Gastros to the food truck line up in Kennedy Plaza. Technically more of a food cart than truck, they have been serving up delicious homemade food on Tuesdays. I sat down with Owen Doyle last week, or more actually I stood there and tried not to be distracted by the delicious hot dog he made for me, to find out more about his business. Owen, and his business partner Travis Gervasio started Gastros in June 2015 and this year were able to quit their full time corporate jobs to work full time at Gastros.
Tell us a little bit about your menu.
We classify our food as American Modern Charcuterie. We specialize in creating House-Made Sausages, Bratwursts, Hot Dogs, and Beef Jerkies. We use fresh meat, local spices, and all natural casings. We take pride on making everything from scratch. We also have a Veg of the day that rotates frequently. The only two items we do not make ourselves is our gourmet brioche bun, and the ketchup, because no one does it better than Heinz.
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What inspired you to start a food truck?
Food and service mean the world to us. The corporate type jobs we had, hindered us from being creative and we did not agree with some of their practices. Money doesn’t entice us, but the passion does. The fact that we can create our menu, pick our events, and choose to work with the people we choose, puts a smile on our faces. The people of Rhode Island truly inspired us as well. Living in a small city packed with art, food, and diversity really makes it the place to be. Some of the original food trucks were truly an inspiration for us, as well. Patricia Natter-Meneguzzo and Joe Meneguzzo from the Rocket Truck were absolutely a positive influence in our life. We both worked for the Rocket Truck for a couple of events, and the experience really opened up our eyes to the quality of food you can pump out of a truck. Peter Gobin, the owner of Los Mijos Taco Truck was the absolute first food truck Owen has ever eaten at. Owen later worked for Peter and really started to realize what he had. Peter’s passion and story were so real it had a special place in Owen’s heart. Gastros is very lucky to have so much support from these two great local trucks.
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What’s your top selling item?
Our top selling item depends on the event because the menu does change frequently. If I had to pick one thing though, I would say the Bacon-Cheddarwurst. Packed full of bacon and cheddar, it leaves people speechless.
What’s your connection to Providence?
My partner, Travis Gervasio, was born in Coventry RI, and frequently visited Providence with his family. He was a Sous Chef under his mentor Aaron Thorpe at the Providence G. Travis obtained the proper training and knowledge to be fast, positive, and creative in the kitchen. I came to Providence for Johnson & Wales for a degree in hospitality management. After graduation, I worked briefly at Hemenway’s in Providence, before taking a job at Foxwoods as a Banquet Supervisor where I managed multiple events of up to 5,000 guests. This fast paced environment gave me the tools and confidence to set up events anywhere, while always focusing on the guests needs.
What makes the Kennedy Plaza crowd unique?
Kennedy Plaza, has a diverse group of people. It is a blast to be out there during the busy days and seeing what Kennedy Plaza has to offer.
Gastros is in Kennedy Plaza each Tuesday from 11:30am – 2:00pm. Follow them on Twitter to stay up to date.
Want to know which food trucks are in Kennedy Plaza each day? Check out our schedule, and follow us on Twitter.
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