MONCTON – Heavy Kevy’s Food Truck sold out three-days worth of tacos in one hour during Moncton’s Taco Week earlier in May. Now owner Kevin Robert is selling his food truck.
Kevin Robert is the owner of Heavy Kevy’s Food Truck. Image: Submitted
The decision comes as Robert sees an opportunity to teach culinary arts full time at the New Brunswick Community College in Moncton.
Robert is a trained chef and has been an instructor at the college during the winters, running his food truck in the summers.
“This year there’s going to be an opportunity for a full-time position to come up, and once you get full-time, you have two summers of instructor development training that you have to do,” he said.
“That would mean if I’m successful in getting the position, next summer and the summer afterward I would be in school myself. I wouldn’t have time to open the truck.”
Robert had thought of keeping his truck, which he calls Lola, in storage until he can re-open a food truck business. But he wanted to put it up for sale on Kijiji to see what kind of response he could get.
“I sold [the truck] in four days,” he said. “I certainly didn’t expect the response I received.”
Robert said the “stars aligned” with his staff arrangement as well. The two NBCC students who are doing their on-the-job training will finish their contracts two days after Heavy Kevy’s closes.
Robert opened the business two years ago. It had since become a popular lunch option and awaited presence at festivals.
Heavy Kevy’s serves a “heartier and healthier than fast food” menu that includes sandwiches, wraps, salads, fries, poutines and perogies, among others. It sometimes offers special menu items, such as during Taco Week.
The truck’s new owner, Chef Lucia Richardson of Lucia’s Catering Services, will rebrand it and aims to have it running July 1.
“I just purchased the food truck and I’m in the process of setting up, so there’s lots of work still to be done,” she said. “But basically we’re rebranding the vehicle Chef Lucia [with] a new menu, a new owner.”
Richardson launched her catering service and food truck business in Regina, Sask. last year, serving schools, government agencies, corporate clients and social events like weddings and parties. She has now brought the business to Moncton.
“I decided I need to move back to my roots here,” she said. “Here I am, freshly starting and getting really pumped up to see what kind of reception I’ll be getting on the menu.”
Born in Tracadie, Richardson grew up in Moncton. She moved away and worked in the IT sector for almost 20 years. Although she enjoys technology and science, she wanted more interaction with people and to feel more satisfied with her work. Two years ago, she decided to leave the industry to study culinary arts at Ashworth College.
“I’ve always had the passion for cooking and sort of always cooked on the side,” she said.
The catering side of the company serves more gourmet menu items, but the food truck will serve “conventional comfort foods,” she said. The truck’s menu includes chicken fajita, vegetarian burger, smoked meat sandwich, jerk chicken burrito and lobster roll, among others. Richardson won’t serve desserts from the truck.
It will mainly operate in Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview. But as demand grows, Richardson is hoping to serve at events like the National Acadian Day festival in Caraquet and others.
Heavy Kevy’s Food Truck will still be open until June 9, stopping at Dan’s Damages in Salisbury on May 30 and ending at the Nitro Circus at the Moncton Stadium.
Robert plans to start another food truck when he will have more time.
“I’ll never close that door. I love doing the food truck,” he said. “So once the training is over in two years, if I’m successful with the [full-time instructor] position, I’ll definitely look at opening another food truck without a doubt.”
For the full schedule for heavy Kevy’s whereabouts in its last two weeks, click here.
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