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Behind the Scenes: Hanuman Express Food Truck

posted on 8/25/2021 1:07:25 PM

Maybe you’ve seen it: a big orange truck traveling around central Wisconsin leaving delicious smells (and happy customers) in its wake. Festivals, concerts, local brewery events, you name it: this vehicle is there!

Any ideas? We’re talking about the Hanuman Express Food Truck, of course!

All vehicles need routine maintenance to keep them in great condition. No surprise there! But, what about food trucks? What specialized equipment do they require, and what goes into running a successful mobile catering business?

Our All About The Car Podcast Team wanted to find out. So, the group traveled to Wausau, WI to meet Chumpot, the owner of Hanuman Express. He invited the team to record on-site at the food truck’s home base, equipped with full kitchens and LOTS of storage space. There, the team got the inside scoop on the growth of the food truck business, the origins of Hanuman Express, food truck maintenance AND sampled delicious dishes from the Hanuman Express menu. Read on to learn more and listen to the full conversation in the podcast episode at AllAboutTheCarPodcast.com!

History of the Food Truck

The very first food truck got its start 130 years ago. Entrepreneur Walter Scott sold sandwiches, pie and coffee out of his vehicle to journalists and pressmen working late shifts in a Rhode Island town. Since then, food trucks have expanded across the country and across cuisine genres. If you can dream it, chances are there’s a food truck selling it!

The modern food truck boom started in 2008, and the popularity of food trucks has been steadily increasing ever since. This isn’t just happening in big cities, either - you may have noticed food truck rallies in local communities, like the festivals organized by District 1 Brewing Company in Stevens Point, WI.

So, What Makes a Food Truck a Food Truck?

Technically speaking, food trucks are classified as “Mobile Food Vendors”. Every food truck is required to have proper licensing to sell food in the specific state and county they’re in, and they’re subject to health and safety inspections, just like restaurants. Each food truck also needs to have a “commissary”. This functions as a “home base” offering prep kitchen space, electrical hookups, storage, and shelter for the food truck itself.

Depending on the size and model of the vehicle, you may need a special license to drive a food truck. For example, Chumpot narrowly missed the cutoff for a CDL license with his truck...it’s just under the weight limit. It still took a while to get comfortable behind the wheel of such a large (and tall) vehicle, though!

Food trucks can come in many shapes and sizes. In Chumpot’s case, he purchased a Snap-On Tool Truck and converted it into a food truck from the inside out. He and a friend gutted the vehicle, added proper electrical wiring, gas lines, and plumping to get the vehicle up to code, and found appliances and refrigeration that fit snuggly in the truck’s layout. It was a labor of love, and the whole process took two people 8 months of work!

Food Truck Maintenance

Just like your car, SUV or truck, food trucks need routine maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Staying on schedule with tune-ups and oil changes is a necessity – if the vehicle breaks down, you’re out of business until it’s fixed! With so many extra electrical components contained within food trucks, regular battery checks are also key.

Plus, investing in quality generators is sure to save owners a headache or two. In fact, although Chumpot has never had his vehicle break down, he did have a generator fail just a week before recording the podcast! Luckily, the talented team at King’s Campers in Wausau was able to hook him up with two generators that run in tandem. They’re quieter, supply more energy, and are just what he needed to power the Hanuman Express.

The Hanuman Express Story

Before owning and operating Hanuman Express, Chumpot worked as a web developer in Chicago. He enjoyed cooking for his friends, and when he left his career to be near family in central Wisconsin, he knew he wanted to own a food truck. As his first step, Chumpot worked at a local country club to gain culinary experience and understand the flow of a kitchen. This knowledge helped him create an efficient layout for the interior of his truck.

Chumpot knew he wanted to incorporate Thai food into his menu while adapting it for the Wisconsin palate. He gathers inspiration from traditional Thai dishes, ingredients, and his family and friends when cooking up new additions for his menu.

The Hanuman Express is easy to spot in a crowd thanks to its bold appearance. Chumpot chose his favorite color for the paint: bright orange! Then a friend hand-painted the beautiful mural on the side of the truck. The image depicts Hanuman, a persona in eastern Hinduism who is half man and half monkey. Hanuman is the god of mischief and wind, a figure who has always appealed to Chumpot. Of course, Hanuman is the namesake of the food truck, too, paying homage to the Thai flare incorporated in Chumpot’s dishes.

Hungry for more? Check out the full conversation in our All About The Car Podcast episode! The team learns more about Chumpot’s journey as an entrepreneur, discusses the future of the food truck industry and takes a Wisconsin Road Trip to the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI. Plus, the crew taste tests samples from the Hanuman Express menu...including bacon cheese curd wontons! YUM.

Hanuman Express Thai Food Truck Samples Taste Test

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Behind the Scenes: Hanuman Express Food Truck

Maybe you’ve seen it: a big orange truck traveling around central Wisconsin leaving delicious smells (and happy customers) in its wake. Festivals, concerts, local brewery events, you name it: this vehicle is there!

Any ideas? We’re talking about the Hanuman Express Food Truck, of course!

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