What an amazing 4 years we have had. GourMelt has changed our lives in so many ways. We have been blessed to have such a fantastic business and to have met so many great people along the way. We loved every minute of it. There was never a dull moment. We felt every emotion: happiness, sadness, stress, anticipation, excitement, drama, fear, exhilaration, the full gamut. Jessie and I will certainly have stories to tell our grandchildren about the time we ran a food truck. But nothing lasts forever. The intention of the truck was always to get a foot in the door to the restaurant industry, to learn and to grow. We are extremely proud of what we accomplished with GourMelt. We feel that our years with the truck have given us so much valuable experience but it is time to move on. For a while, we thought about running Two Chicks and the GourMelt truck at the same time, but in reality it just wouldn't be good for either business. We are the type of women want to focus on putting everything we have into our projects. We put our hearts and souls into GourMelt for almost 4 years. It became the center of our worlds. Now we want to put that same effort into Two Chicks. There are some selfish reasons behind it as well (such as air conditioning, space, hours and restrooms). We feel that it's time to retire the food truck and graduate to the brick and mortar world. We hope you will support us in this decision and come on in to the restaurant, where we will be everyday just like before with the GourMelt menu and more. The Two Chicks from GourMelt: still slinging cheese, still making delicious comfort food, just in a larger, permanent space.
Thank you so much for the years of support and encouragement. We are lucky to have such wonderful and loyal customers. We love you, Reno. Come see us at Two Chicks, open daily from 6:00am - 2:00 pm.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Reno Food Truck Events 2014
As you may or may not know, Jessie and I were the organizers of Reno Food Truck Fridays over the last two seasons. Reno Food Truck Fridays was the original food truck event held at Citicenter in downtown Reno. We did it to promote food truck culture and to bring folks back downtown for a fun Friday night event and we are proud of what we accomplished. We really enjoyed running RFTF, it was a lot of fun. Local food trucks were able to gain exposure and sell lots of food on those summer nights downtown. People ate delicious culinary delights and listened to great local music at a free, local, grassroots event. I'm sure we will look back at those nights at Citicenter with fondness in the years to come. We hope you got a chance to enjoy a night with us at least once or twice. With the opening of our restaurant, Two Chicks coming up in the beginning of summer, we've decided that running the truck, the restaurant and the event would be too much for the two of us. But don't worry! There are more food trucks like Mellow Yellow Food and Battle Born Food Truck who are bringing more food truck EVENTS than ever before in Reno and Sparks! Go out and support all of our wonderful mobile eateries this season.
Friday nights - South Reno Food Truck Fest (bi-monthly) through May 30, 5-9 pm. Damonte Family Event Center at Sage Hill 7370 Desert Way, Reno. Food trucks, music, full bar, indoor seating
Wednesday nights- Feed the Camel- at McKinley Arts Center (weekly) 5-8 pm May 7th until Wednesday, October 29th. Food trucks, local crafters and artisans, beer and wine.
Friday nights- Reno Street Food at Idlewild Park- (weekly) 5-9 pm May- October
Saturday nights- Sparks Food Truck Drive-In at Victorian Square (bi-monthly) 5- 9 pm May- October 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Food trucks, and a movie at the Victorian Square amphitheater.
Enjoy!
~Haley
Friday nights - South Reno Food Truck Fest (bi-monthly) through May 30, 5-9 pm. Damonte Family Event Center at Sage Hill 7370 Desert Way, Reno. Food trucks, music, full bar, indoor seating
Wednesday nights- Feed the Camel- at McKinley Arts Center (weekly) 5-8 pm May 7th until Wednesday, October 29th. Food trucks, local crafters and artisans, beer and wine.
Friday nights- Reno Street Food at Idlewild Park- (weekly) 5-9 pm May- October
Saturday nights- Sparks Food Truck Drive-In at Victorian Square (bi-monthly) 5- 9 pm May- October 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Food trucks, and a movie at the Victorian Square amphitheater.
Enjoy!
~Haley
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Onward and Upward
We are coming to the close of Reno Food Truck Fridays 2013. The last event of the season is October 18. Jessie and I are so very proud of the event we created in Reno and what it has done for the food truck culture. Organizing and running a food truck event has been a very emotional journey. Only when you care so much about something does it affect you so deeply. Every week we hold an event we are full of anxiety and worry. Will all the trucks show up? Will the band be there? Will there be enough people? Will the trucks be happy? Will the guests be happy? At the end of the night, we are both usually emotionally spent and raw. Some would say we are too sensitive, but you can't change that about yourself (although many times we both wish we had thicker skins or simply cared less). But the whole reason we started this event was because we care and because we wanted our local food trucks to have a platform to showcase their talents and for our beloved Reno to have a fun, free event to enjoy. In the end we are very satisfied and feel that our mission was accomplished. We hope you all enjoyed the event as much as we did and that you were able to try some new delicious mobile culinary creations. We would like to give a great big THANK YOU to everyone that attended and supported Reno Food Truck Fridays. Please join us for the grand finale of the event.
Now the question is: What about Reno Food Truck Fridays next season?
And the answer: GourMelt will not continue to host Reno Food Truck Fridays.
It remains up in the air if another Food Truck owner or other organization will take it on for 2014. The simple answer is that Jessie and I are going to have our hands full by Spring. We will not have the time to run the event another year.
Now for the big announcement: We are working toward a new endeavor! We will be opening a brand new restaurant in MidTown Reno called Two Chicks. It will be traditional American breakfast with a little twist and a limited lunch menu. The space will be located in the Sticks development on Virginia Street, we are hoping it will be finished being built in the beginning of the new year. Many people share the news with are very concerned for the future of GourMelt. Don't worry! GourMelt will continue to run for as long as there is demand. Although, we will scale back our schedule a bit and only run 2-3 times a week for lunch and big local events. Also, the Two Chicks menu will feature some of our best selling Melts for lunch. Please follow along with us as we dive into our new venture! We hope you are as excited as we are. Thank you for all of your love and support.
Haley
GourMelt
Two Chicks
Now the question is: What about Reno Food Truck Fridays next season?
And the answer: GourMelt will not continue to host Reno Food Truck Fridays.
It remains up in the air if another Food Truck owner or other organization will take it on for 2014. The simple answer is that Jessie and I are going to have our hands full by Spring. We will not have the time to run the event another year.
Now for the big announcement: We are working toward a new endeavor! We will be opening a brand new restaurant in MidTown Reno called Two Chicks. It will be traditional American breakfast with a little twist and a limited lunch menu. The space will be located in the Sticks development on Virginia Street, we are hoping it will be finished being built in the beginning of the new year. Many people share the news with are very concerned for the future of GourMelt. Don't worry! GourMelt will continue to run for as long as there is demand. Although, we will scale back our schedule a bit and only run 2-3 times a week for lunch and big local events. Also, the Two Chicks menu will feature some of our best selling Melts for lunch. Please follow along with us as we dive into our new venture! We hope you are as excited as we are. Thank you for all of your love and support.
Haley
GourMelt
Two Chicks
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Reno Food Truck Fridays Back for 2nd Season
We are very pleased to bring back Reno Food Truck Fridays for the 2013 season. Reno's first and only all food truck event is held the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, April - October at Citicenter downtown from 5-9 pm. Please join us for an evening of delicious food, music and fun!
Food Trucks have been a growing trend over the last few years here in the Reno area and there is no doubt they are here to stay. Everyday a growing number of mobile delicacies can be found around town, posting their locations on social media much to the delight of folks nearby. There are many different food truck options available from burgers to tacos, ribs to grits, shave ice to homemade ice cream sandwiches. We are proud to promote these small business owners and showcase their culinary creations.
Alongside area food trucks, we are excited to present local musicians at each event. Bring your dancing shoes and prepare to groove to local talent in the center of Citicenter. Once again, Great Basin Brewing Co. will host the beer garden. Reno's own Tumblebus, a full-sized school bus is converted into a safe and fun gymnasium, will be on site for the kids to expend some energy. The event is fun for all and a great way to support small business and get to know the best food trucks in Reno!
10 Tips for #RFTF.
1. Be early: The early bird gets the rice plate. Don't be let down by showing up too late.
2. Don't be afraid to try something new. There are a lot of new trucks this season, support new businesses!
3. Divide and conquer: Hit up a few different trucks with friends, then share the goodies.
4. Prepare for the weather. Reno is known for rapidly changing temperatures, our event starts in Spring and ends in Fall, a jacket might be nice for the cooler months.
5. Utilize Reno's many downtown parking garages and street parking.
6. Make a night of it: Enjoy the community atmosphere while waiting in line, enjoying a beer and listening to music.
7. Bring I.D. if you would like to enjoy an adult beverage. Please remember that open containers are not allowed beyond the event parameters.
8. Tell your friends: The Twitter hashtag is #RFTF, @FoodTrucksReno, share the Facebook page www.facebook.com/RenoFoodTruckFridays. Spread the word that Reno Food Truck Fridays is the 1st and 3rd Friday, April- October.
9. Throw trash in the trash cans and keep our city clean. Clearly marked cans and bins will be all along the line, making it easy to keep the park as clean as it was when you arrived.
10. Most of all, have fun! This is an event where some of the city’s most driven (no pun intended) culinary minds come together. Explore and enjoy our city, the food, the music and each other!
Here's some of the trucks we have signed up for the season so far, truck line-ups vary each date:
GourMelt Grilled Cheese Truck
Kenji's Food Truck
Sauce Wagon
Red Truck Tahoe
Traffic Jam
Mellow Yellow Food
Lazy Sundae
Battle Born Food Truck
Waffle Wagon
St. Lawrence Pizza Co.
Island Ice
Mount MoGrit Gourmet
Taster's Paradise
Food Trucks have been a growing trend over the last few years here in the Reno area and there is no doubt they are here to stay. Everyday a growing number of mobile delicacies can be found around town, posting their locations on social media much to the delight of folks nearby. There are many different food truck options available from burgers to tacos, ribs to grits, shave ice to homemade ice cream sandwiches. We are proud to promote these small business owners and showcase their culinary creations.
Alongside area food trucks, we are excited to present local musicians at each event. Bring your dancing shoes and prepare to groove to local talent in the center of Citicenter. Once again, Great Basin Brewing Co. will host the beer garden. Reno's own Tumblebus, a full-sized school bus is converted into a safe and fun gymnasium, will be on site for the kids to expend some energy. The event is fun for all and a great way to support small business and get to know the best food trucks in Reno!
10 Tips for #RFTF.
1. Be early: The early bird gets the rice plate. Don't be let down by showing up too late.
2. Don't be afraid to try something new. There are a lot of new trucks this season, support new businesses!
3. Divide and conquer: Hit up a few different trucks with friends, then share the goodies.
4. Prepare for the weather. Reno is known for rapidly changing temperatures, our event starts in Spring and ends in Fall, a jacket might be nice for the cooler months.
5. Utilize Reno's many downtown parking garages and street parking.
6. Make a night of it: Enjoy the community atmosphere while waiting in line, enjoying a beer and listening to music.
7. Bring I.D. if you would like to enjoy an adult beverage. Please remember that open containers are not allowed beyond the event parameters.
8. Tell your friends: The Twitter hashtag is #RFTF, @FoodTrucksReno, share the Facebook page www.facebook.com/RenoFoodTruckFridays. Spread the word that Reno Food Truck Fridays is the 1st and 3rd Friday, April- October.
9. Throw trash in the trash cans and keep our city clean. Clearly marked cans and bins will be all along the line, making it easy to keep the park as clean as it was when you arrived.
10. Most of all, have fun! This is an event where some of the city’s most driven (no pun intended) culinary minds come together. Explore and enjoy our city, the food, the music and each other!
Here's some of the trucks we have signed up for the season so far, truck line-ups vary each date:
GourMelt Grilled Cheese Truck
Kenji's Food Truck
Sauce Wagon
Red Truck Tahoe
Traffic Jam
Mellow Yellow Food
Lazy Sundae
Battle Born Food Truck
Waffle Wagon
St. Lawrence Pizza Co.
Island Ice
Mount MoGrit Gourmet
Taster's Paradise
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Business Women of Reno Calendar 2012
The Business Women of Reno calendar is a project my partner Jessie and I thought of as a way to promote local business women and help local charities. When we first opened GourMelt, we found a lot of fellow business women who were very forthcoming with helpful advice and support. I love to see the strong women of our community doing well and helping others. We got together with a friend of ours, Jason Spencer, who did all the photography for free. Most of the hair and makeup was also donated by Tyler DePetro of Society Salon who is also featured in the calendar.
We approached people we have become close with through business and asked them to be a part of the project. We know there are so many other female business owners who deserve recognition, this was just a small sample of what our area has to offer! The calendars are for sale at each of the businesses featured, all proceeds go to the charity chosen by the business owner.
The business women are:
Kristin Reagan -Tumblebus /Charity- Girls on the Run
Mary Allstead- Mix Cupcake Company / Charity- Children's Cancer Foundation
Kasey Christensen- Sup / Charity- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada
Haley Wood & Jessie Watnes- GourMelt/ Charity- Step2
Abbi Whitaker- The Abbi Agency/ Charity- Susan G. Komen
Jessica Schneider- Junkee/ Charity- Washoe County School District
Kristen Gil- Midtown Development Group/ Charity- Moms on the Run
Tyler DePetro- Society Salon/ Charity- Nevada Youth Empowerment Project
Camie Cragg- Camie Cragg Fitness/ Charity- Committee to Aid Abused Women
Angela Watson- Black Hole Body Piercing/ Charity- Build Our Center
Cynthia Lewis- Dressed Like That/ Charity- Brain Injury Alliance Nevada
Angela Swindells- LoKa Tile Group/ Charity- LoKa Cares
Please support these female entrepreneurs and their great charities!
We approached people we have become close with through business and asked them to be a part of the project. We know there are so many other female business owners who deserve recognition, this was just a small sample of what our area has to offer! The calendars are for sale at each of the businesses featured, all proceeds go to the charity chosen by the business owner.
The business women are:
Kristin Reagan -Tumblebus /Charity- Girls on the Run
Mary Allstead- Mix Cupcake Company / Charity- Children's Cancer Foundation
Kasey Christensen- Sup / Charity- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada
Haley Wood & Jessie Watnes- GourMelt/ Charity- Step2
Abbi Whitaker- The Abbi Agency/ Charity- Susan G. Komen
Jessica Schneider- Junkee/ Charity- Washoe County School District
Kristen Gil- Midtown Development Group/ Charity- Moms on the Run
Tyler DePetro- Society Salon/ Charity- Nevada Youth Empowerment Project
Camie Cragg- Camie Cragg Fitness/ Charity- Committee to Aid Abused Women
Angela Watson- Black Hole Body Piercing/ Charity- Build Our Center
Cynthia Lewis- Dressed Like That/ Charity- Brain Injury Alliance Nevada
Angela Swindells- LoKa Tile Group/ Charity- LoKa Cares
Please support these female entrepreneurs and their great charities!
Friday, August 10, 2012
The Cheese Truck
A local film maker named Jason Spencer approached us last summer. He asked if he could spend some time in the truck with us to film for a documentary he was making. We said yes, having no idea what to expect but hoping for the best. What he made went well beyond our expectations. We are so proud of have been a part of this experience! Please watch the short film below and share with your friends.
www.stormfrontreno.com
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Food Trucks for Your Event
Food trucks are a wonderful food option to have at your event. They require no set up or tear down, there are many different types of cuisine to choose from, they already have health permits, and they feed a lot of people easily. If you are planning a party or event, a food truck is a fun and feasible option to feed your guests. Here are some things to consider when booking one or more food trucks:
How many people will attend? This is the biggest question to consider in the success of your event. Too many food trucks at your event can really hurt the operators of these small business and the success of your affair. Behind every food truck service of 2-4 hours is many more hours of preparation, stocking, and cleaning. Your local food truck operator will do their very best to provide you with an estimate of how many people they can feed in an allotted amount of time. On the other hand, not having enough food trucks will make the wait longer and you may run the risk of the truck running out of food. Please remember that there is limited storage in a food truck and if the operators run out of something, that's it, they can't run to the store or into the walk-in to restock. If you have a specific truck or two in mind, chat with the owners to see what they recommend for you specifically. Please give the operators the courtesy of letting them know if you plan on having more than one food option at your party, this will help them plan for the amount of food they need to buy and prep.
How long is this event? A food truck may be able to handle quite a few people for a few hours. But as stated before, there is limited room for food storage on a food truck. After a while, resources will begin to get depleted. If you are planning a very long event, it is better to have several food options to take the stress off of each other, and to keep your guests fed and happy.
Have I promoted my event enough? Please do not rely on the fan base of a food truck to create attendance at your event. Although many loyal followers will come to visit their favorite truck just about anywhere, the food truck's social media cannot be the only advertisement. Do your best to help everyone succeed by promoting and marketing your event yourself. There are may ways of getting attention to your event such as sending press releases, creating Facebook pages and event pages, email invitations, or using marketing agencies.
How do I get in touch with a food truck? Food trucks are very easy to get in touch with! Most of them have a Facebook page with contact info or at the very least, a telephone number. If you have a specific truck in mind, call or email them directly with questions. Be cautious of using third party "food truck handlers". The best person to contact about a business is the business owner themselves, they will be able to provide you with details about pricing and scheduling. If the truck you wanted has prior commitments, they will be able to give you with contact information or names of other food trucks. We have almost all worked together and know each other in this little city! There are also various websites that list food trucks:
renotahoefoodtrucks.com
renofoodtrucks.com
roaminghunger.com
Have fun planning your event and enjoying the great food Reno's great food trucks have to offer!!
How many people will attend? This is the biggest question to consider in the success of your event. Too many food trucks at your event can really hurt the operators of these small business and the success of your affair. Behind every food truck service of 2-4 hours is many more hours of preparation, stocking, and cleaning. Your local food truck operator will do their very best to provide you with an estimate of how many people they can feed in an allotted amount of time. On the other hand, not having enough food trucks will make the wait longer and you may run the risk of the truck running out of food. Please remember that there is limited storage in a food truck and if the operators run out of something, that's it, they can't run to the store or into the walk-in to restock. If you have a specific truck or two in mind, chat with the owners to see what they recommend for you specifically. Please give the operators the courtesy of letting them know if you plan on having more than one food option at your party, this will help them plan for the amount of food they need to buy and prep.
How long is this event? A food truck may be able to handle quite a few people for a few hours. But as stated before, there is limited room for food storage on a food truck. After a while, resources will begin to get depleted. If you are planning a very long event, it is better to have several food options to take the stress off of each other, and to keep your guests fed and happy.
Have I promoted my event enough? Please do not rely on the fan base of a food truck to create attendance at your event. Although many loyal followers will come to visit their favorite truck just about anywhere, the food truck's social media cannot be the only advertisement. Do your best to help everyone succeed by promoting and marketing your event yourself. There are may ways of getting attention to your event such as sending press releases, creating Facebook pages and event pages, email invitations, or using marketing agencies.
How do I get in touch with a food truck? Food trucks are very easy to get in touch with! Most of them have a Facebook page with contact info or at the very least, a telephone number. If you have a specific truck in mind, call or email them directly with questions. Be cautious of using third party "food truck handlers". The best person to contact about a business is the business owner themselves, they will be able to provide you with details about pricing and scheduling. If the truck you wanted has prior commitments, they will be able to give you with contact information or names of other food trucks. We have almost all worked together and know each other in this little city! There are also various websites that list food trucks:
renotahoefoodtrucks.com
renofoodtrucks.com
roaminghunger.com
Have fun planning your event and enjoying the great food Reno's great food trucks have to offer!!
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