good food to go
John Sellers is a chef. He chops, simmers, sautés, sears, and blends ingredients into masterful dishes that are pleasing to both the eyes and the pallet. And like most chefs, Sellers is an artist in the kitchen, utilizing his flat cook top, convection oven and deep basket fryer with a cadence similar to that of a painter with his brushes.
But Sellers does it from a mobile unit, often traveling while food is cooking, and brings his creations directly to the customer. What must be prepared onsite he completes when he gets to his destination.
“I just roll down the highway and cook while I’m driving,” he said. “When you’re mobile like this, you have to be on the edge of everything.”
Food trucks are not so uncommon. But for Hernando County, a fully-equipped kitchen on wheels that delivers the kinds of choices Chef Images offers is indeed unique. Juicy rib eye or prime rib steaks, sautéed muscles in wine, scallops or shrimp scampi, oven baked lasagna, cooked to order and with all the condiments, are only samplings of what Seller’s has prepared.
A traditional chef for 25 years, Sellers took a gamble after being laid off and decided to shift his career to operate his own facility. “I have worked in hotels, restaurants, other catering companies,” he said. “My last big job was as the executive chef and food and beverage director at MOSI.”
Tired of “renting” kitchens from someone else, and rather than risk opening a restaurant in a dragging economy, he instead purchased a trailer, had it customized to his specifications, and filled it with the type of equipment he preferred to work with.
A flat cook top, a warming oven, and a refrigerator that almost instantly drops temperatures to 32 degrees are his signature tools; all of which he found at different supply houses across the state.
Everything fit perfectly into his small space, allowing for ventilation as required and in conformity to all Florida food service codes.
He was even told by the Business & Professional Regulations in Tallahassee that it was a “well thought out trailer.”
Sellers had never done anything like this before. But he was a seasoned chef. “I just knew what I needed,” he said. “I punched it out and everything came together.”
He picked the trailer up in early December, empty except for the cabinetry, air conditioning, and windows. In mid April the unit was ready to travel the roads, equipped with everything Sellers needed to prepare his amazing dishes.
Six months later, Chef Images schedules events five days a week, some overlapping two or three times in a single day.
On Monday evenings, the trailer stops at the Hernando Beach Marina, preparing and serving dinner specials like $8 rib eye, $10 grouper, and $10 muscles. Sellers also provides concession foods like conch fritters, grouper baskets with fries and cole slaw. Tuesday afternoons the trailer is parked at the Spring Hill campus of Pasco Hernando Community College where different wraps, chips and fresh iced tea are on the menu.
“I am out every day except Thursdays and Sundays,” Sellers said.
Chef Images offers full catering services for weddings, parties, or any scheduled event. But Sellers doesn’t use a standard menu. “I use a ‘guideline’ that explains my prices”, he said. “The ‘menu selections’ are personal to each client. It reflects their personality.”
Chef Images is licensed to go anywhere in the state of Florida. But Sellers chooses to stay within a comfortable radius so he can provide the quality and attention each client deserves. It is a focus on detail that makes each event special.
Sellers has perfected his craft, learned to be fluent and accurate as he plans each event with precision. He often works alone, sometimes even serving when necessary, and does it with an infectious enthusiasm that indicates John Sellers is indeed following his dream.
While stress is typical in any business, maintaining a sense of calm in the fast paced food service industry takes organization, dedication, and focus. But Sellers has a healthy appreciation for the emotion. “If you don’t have stress, you lose the edge.”
Biz at a Glance
Name: Chef Images
Telephone: (352) 428-4848
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.chefimages.net
