A brand new Inverurie meals truck serves up Scottish classics

As a chef within the North East for 25 years, John Paul Johnston has at all times liked cooking Scottish meals.

So when he launched his meals truck, he knew precisely what to do.

“There are lots of burgers and fries on the market, however not many individuals who do correct Scottish house cooking,” he says.

Simply over every week in the past, John Paul, often known as JP, opened his cellular meals trailer on Burghmuir Circle in Inverurie.

Brilliant orange and arduous to overlook, JP’s Kitchen is simply meters from Morrisons and serves Scottish breakfasts and conventional home-cooked classics.

After greater than 20 years of working for different individuals, beginning his personal enterprise is the fruits of a lifelong dream for JP.

In a diverse profession, the 47-year-old has been head chef at Aberdeen metropolis middle pub The Stag and most not too long ago at Bennachie Lodge, Kemnay, Aberdeenshire.

“I considered it years in the past, however it by no means occurred to me. However then I believed, you realize what, let’s do it. Why not?”

What can I get from JP’s Kitchen?

JP and his spouse Jenny, who runs the enterprise with him, begin early to arrange breakfast in a rush. The menu is diverse, however there is not any doubting JP’s favorites.

“Stovies, mince and tatties, skirlie and others,” he says.

The Blackburn resident provides: “All the things is do-it-yourself. And folks appear to adore it. Now we have solely been open for every week and it has been very busy.

“There was nice assist from native residents, which may be very good.”

As for suggestions, JP says individuals ought to attempt his “cracking” mac and macaroni and cheese with black – Scottish black pudding.

Its steak ovens include “simply the precise cuts,” with a particular emphasis on burgers and chips with black pudding and house-made chili.

To not point out the mac and cheese burger, which comes with an additional slice of cheese for good measure.

“All the things is of top quality; good high quality butcher meat,” explains JP.

The meals truck helps JP preserve costs down. A steak burger is £4, a mince and tatty is £6.50 and a soba is £7.

“It’s extremely moderately priced,” he says.

JP’s seek for the right meals truck

Beginning a enterprise was not simple.

JP labored 17 hours the primary week to set every thing up, cooking within the trailer early within the morning.

He had already been on the lookout for the right meals truck for months, and ended up shopping for a custom-made Caterpod as an alternative of selecting up a extra standard cellular kitchen second-hand.

“We needed to go all the way in which to England to choose it up,” JP says of the Caterpod, a light-weight kitchen on wheels that may be pulled by a automotive. “It was a 9 and a half hour drive to get it again.”

The journey was value it. The pod has every thing JP wants, together with a combi oven and scorching working water.

“We have been taking a look at second hand, however you do not know how outdated the gear is and if it breaks, you need to change it. That is why we thought that we are able to purchase every thing new.”

JP has large plans for his kitchen, together with taking the pod to occasions across the space.

For now, he is specializing in making extra Scottish meals for his Inverurie clients.

He additionally targeted on Burn Evening on Wednesday, January 25.

“We’ll be doing haggis, neeps and tatties that week,” says JP. “We’ll make it particular.”