Today we’d like to introduce you to Tristen Fultz
Hi Tristen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At the age of six, I was diagnosed with diabetes. So at a very young age I was being taught the importance of what goes into the body, how food affects the body’s functions, and how some foods take longer than others to absorb. I began to learn more by watching Food Network, reading cookbooks, and when I was old enough, by cooking and creating recipes myself.
When it came time for me to start thinking of what I wanted to do when I grew up, I didn’t have to think very long. There was really only one option in my mind, I wanted to cook. When the time came, I decided to further that dream by going to Springfield-Clark CTC for my last two years of high school. Those two years cemented that relationship with cooking for me. My instructors gave me the tools and skills I needed to go even further, so I did.
I graduated CTC in 2015 and was accepted to Hocking College for Culinary Arts in the fall. Hocking College was another two year program that I learned the basics and fundamentals of the industry I had fallen in love with as a child. I discovered that the Culinary Industry isn’t just about food. It’s about passion, creativity, commitment, community, among many other things. But that’s the thing about food, it’s always more than just a meal, it’s the experience you’re really looking for.
After College, I worked in every type of restaurant, searching for my calling in someone else’s kitchen. From diners and breweries to country clubs and fine dining, there was just something more that I wanted. So, I left the industry completely. I changed my career and started to realize it was never in the cards for me to sacrifice my career for someone else’s business, I needed to showcase my skills in my own way. On my own.
In 2023, I made the leap. I went back to the culinary industry with a different perspective and intention in mind. This time, I was doing things my way. In February I bought a bus and decided that this was my way of doing things the way I was taught and the way I wanted. I took the next year to renovate a school bus into a mobile kitchen. With no training or experience on most of the projects I had to accomplish, I worked day in and day out to make a dream turn into a reality.
In July of 2024, Fat Hammies opened to the public. We specialize in Gourmet Burgers and Hand Cut Fries, the way burgers are meant to be, BIG. Fat Hammies’ Burger Bus has been a dream of mine for many years. To see it happen makes me believe this may just be the start of something even better.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to opening a food truck has been littered with pot holes and debris. What I mean by that is, I have had my fair share of obstacles along my journey to get here. The act of turning a school bus into a food truck is itself an obstacle unlike any other. I had to cut every floor bolt off using a grinder to remove the bus seats, the floors had to come up, sheet metal fabrication had to be done to cover removed windows and holes in the floor, the bus had to be painted with farm equipment paint. All in all, it was an adventure overcoming each project. The final result is still a surprise to me, even after doing the work myself, to see what has come from a far fetched dream.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Fat Hammies is a Gourmet Burger Bus. Hand crafted 1/2lb Burgers, on branded Potato Buns, Housemade Aioli’s, and Hand Cut Fries. What sets Fat Hammies apart from the rest is the details we pay attention to with our food. From the Seasoning Salt crafted to pair with Fries and Burgers, to our logo branded on the top of every Bun. We give you an experience that you’ll be craving once you open the box. We utilize fresh ingredients to bring the best flavors to our customers.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Growing up, I always found myself in the kitchen. Standing on a stool next to the stove, stirring a pot with a wooden spoon, or peeking to make sure the water didn’t boil over. My fondest memories as a child were spent in the kitchen; cooking, talking, tasting, laughing. To me, the kitchen will always be my favorite room of any house because of the joy it always brought me in my childhood.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fathammiesllc?igsh=dWRxbGtvMDdjNzc5&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/sCzXNjtsaXXh1Zcq/?mibextid=kFxxJD
