LTHS to Host Food Truck Festival Next Week

Submitted by Lyons Township High School.

There’s more to a food truck than the food. The marketing, pricing and theme all play into the business. Lyons Township High School Advanced Culinary classes will find that out as they get ready to host a Food Truck Festival Tuesday, December 13. Judges with $30 in “Lyons Cash” will visit each food truck and purchase as much or as little food as they choose. The winning truck will be the one whose profit is largest.

A total of 12 kitchens, comprised of 3-4 students each, were charged with coming up with a concept for a truck after learning what makes a successful food truck business. They had to find a target market and create a slogan, logo and a physical 3D mini-model of a truck, as well as a menu to fit their theme. They are responsible for pricing their grocery order per unit and figuring the price they would like to sell their items. For the festival, they are to make six samples of their truck’s “famous dish.” The food must be plated and garnished to fit their truck and theme.

On the day of the festival, judges will use their $30 “Lyon’s Cash” and decide where to buy from and how much. They can visit one truck, or as many as they have money in their pockets and room in their stomachs for.

The day after the festival, students will count their money and decide if their truck made a profit or a loss based on the total price to produce the samples. They will fill out a review and reflect on their choices and what worked and what they would improve on if they had a second chance.

Advanced Culinary teacher Lauren Engelhardt says, “My goal is to get students thinking more about the professional business world in terms of our culinary content. I would like them to know how much time, effort and creativity is needed to start a business, or to take an idea and turn it into a reality.”

The Food Truck Festival goes well beyond the food. Students will practice safety/sanitation, knife skills, customer service, advertisement, money management and plating/garnishing techniques.

“I want them to think about money and consumer education in terms of starting a culinary-based business; how to make it grow and what a fair profit margin would look like. Although it will only be a one day simulation and they will not cook in an actual food truck, I am excited for them to expand their skills and get a small taste of that world,” said Engelhard.

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