Launching a new food concept is never easy. The pandemic and going to the route of a food truck make it an even more unique journey. Run the Pass host Andre Natera spoke with Chef Kevin Truong about doing just that and marrying two cultures in the kitchen with Fil N’ Viet.

“I’m Vietnamese, and my wife is Filipino. There are similarities, and we wanted to combine them in fun ways. Filipino food is underrated, and our offering merges the familiar and unfamiliar.”

“You have to think about space wisely. When you write a menu, you have to think of the whole operation and storage" -Chef Kevin Truong

Getting the concept off the ground wasn’t easy, and Chef Truong urged that it requires “flexibility and adaptability.”

While a food truck cuts down on overhead, it has limitations. “You have to think about space wisely. When you write a menu, you have to think of the whole operation and storage,” Chef Truong explained.

Truong’s menu uses ingredients in multiple dishes to simplify and turn out great food in close quarters. But they also have something new each week. “We do a weekly feature to give returning guests something new to try, and it’s a creative output for me.”

Running a food truck also requires daily grocery runs, unlike traditional restaurants. Other costs include propane tanks and the removal of wastewater.

Chef Truong and his wife opened the food truck just a few months ago. It’s currently in a temporary location and will move to a food garden once it’s open. However, he noted they want to transition to brick and mortar. “A food truck forces you to be creative, but brick and mortar will allow us to do so much more with the food.”