VAN BUREN, Maine — The Food Dudes have served Mexican food in Van Buren, Houlton and Fort Fairfield since opening their food truck in June.
They’re going to Caribou later this week, and plan to appear at festivals throughout Aroostook County.
The business is run by Devin Parent, his wife Heather Parent and his cousin Lance Caron.
“Lance’s passion for food, my entrepreneurial spirit, and Heather’s organizational skills make us a great team,” said Devin Parent.
The Food Dudes, based in Van Buren, had its grand opening on June 23 alongside The PLAYground, another local business that sells pickleball gear and custom apparel. They are based in the same building as the new town office at 320 Main St. These businesses are the latest additions to Van Buren’s revitalization efforts.
The three came up with the idea in December, and have been working to turn that dream into a reality since January.
“We were just hanging out in the garage and talking about different ideas,” he said. “We didn’t know what route we were going to take food-wise. We had an idea of burgers and our trailer came equipped to do that, but the equipment wasn’t big enough.”
So they veered away from burgers and fries and instead decided to start out by serving strictly Mexican food — quesadillas, burritos, burrito bowls and nachos.
But in the future, the three may expand their offerings. Parent said this is why they chose a name that didn’t reflect a particular style of cuisine.
Parent said the businesses received an excellent reception.
“We had so much support from the community and surrounding community,” he said. “People were coming saying ‘Hey we saw you on Facebook. We’re from Madawaska and we’d like to see you up there.’ It went well.”
He said the best way to follow The Food Dudes is via their Facebook page, as future appearances are currently spontaneous.
“We’re gearing more toward events, but we do want to open in a community at least one evening per week, whether it’s just here in Van Buren or we go to one of the surrounding towns,” he said.
“It’s a challenge,” said Parent, “but it’s one that we’re having a good time taking on. It’s fun.”
