Two new well-known food trucks in Hamilton talk about their future plans for the business and what they will do when warm-weathered events cease.
HAMILTON - Two Hamilton-based food trucks entered the scene this year, making their mark at several Mercer County events.
Now as food truck season is nearing its end, Alex Martinez of Ma & Pa's Tex-Mex Barbecue and Dan Moran of Jersey Devil Barbecue prepare individually for their time off.
Martinez said after a potential Nov. 2 event, he will try to advertise for private parties, but will primarily focus on his full-time position at the New Jersey Department of Higher Education.
"I want to thank all my friends and family and my customers who helped make our food truck successful this first year and hope we can keep it going for more years to come," Martinez said.
Martinez said he hopes his food truck business grows into being a full-time position for him with an operating restaurant in Hamilton.
Martinez said his ultimate goal is to one day have his truck at the N.J. State Fair at the Meadowlands.
"Events are getting bigger and bigger," Martinez said. "If I'm running two or three units I would have to dedicate myself to the business."
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Moran said he has a few more events scheduled through November, upcoming ones include Hamilton's Septemberfest and the Mercer County Italian American Festival, but after that he will probably do more private parties.
"Once people stop going outside pretty much the season ends," said his son-in-law Rick Austin, who works for the business.
Moran said "food is his passion."
Before Moran started the food truck endeavor, he said he traveled around the country for three years appearing a barbecue competitions.
"I don't do competition anymore because we've spent a lot of time on the truck," Moran said.
Moran, along with his wife Mary Dunn, Austin and a few other family members, do all of the food preparation at night and in the early morning on weekends as the brisket alone takes 14 hours to cook.
The truck, which Moran said bought in Kansas City, Missouri, was transformed into a small restaurant by the company Vending Trucks in East Brunswick.
"Vending Trucks are craftsmen when it comes to designing food trucks," Moran said.
"It's the only truck with a smoker on the actual truck," Austin added.
Smokers usually are separate appliances that stay on the outside of the truck, Austin said.
Whether it is Tex-Mex or traditional barbecue, both Martinez and Moran said they love the food truck business and plan to stay in it.
"I love cooking and watching the reaction of people when they try my food, that's my satisfaction," Moran said.
"I like being busy, getting orders out to people, that's what I like to do," Martinez said.
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.