CASPER, Wyo. – Dolly Parton's unmistakable friendly face smiles from a small photo sticker placed just above the driver's seat. She's added a few other quirky touches inside the chrome mobile kitchen, which is now owned by Casper chef Leah Burbach.
The exterior of the vehicle was painted bright red.
“We didn't repaint it. It was already red, so we just put all the logos on it,” she said. This color and whimsy comes from a small food company in Saratoga that rebranded and went in a different direction, and Leah believes it's the perfect fit for her next move at All Heirloom & Native .
Leah officially launched her catering, prepared meals and events business, Heirloom & Native, in May 2022 after running small events while working other full-time jobs.
“I had been making cakes for people's weddings, baby showers and private events for a long time, but I decided this couldn't just be a side hustle anymore,” she said. “Then I [started] We go to places like Funky Junk and Blue Mary 307 and other places that have a very similar vision to Casper, bringing people what Casper truly believes in. ”
Leah's vision is highlighted in the name Heirloom & Native. “Most of it comes from Wyoming,” she says. “We're trying to bring stories from local producers to people. A lot of times we, as chefs, take it over and it becomes our own and we forget where it actually came from. I’ll put it away.”
“We have people here doing the hard work bringing our food to us, so we don't have to order it from thousands of miles away,” said Falkenberg Finest in Douglas, a meat supplier. She added that she relies on Eat Wyoming as a vendor. food markets etc.
One of the challenges is being flexible enough to not only source local ingredients, but also to design dishes based on what's available seasonally.
“It depends on the weather that year,” she said, using berries as an example. “If we don't have a bumper berry year, like we had last year with heavy rain, we'll cut down on the berry harvest a lot in the fall. We'll adjust and introduce it.'' Don't try to force something on the menu that isn't there. ”
The seeds of Leah's regional vision were planted many years ago while attending the University of Wyoming to earn a degree in chemical engineering. As she progressed through the complex program, she began to become disillusioned with the process.
“I realized I couldn’t share with people,” she said. “That’s not the satisfaction you get from engineering.” [because] I'm the type of person who works alone, and when I get great results from that work later on, I can see that my boss is very happy about it. ”
“So I started cooking while my friends were doing their homework, and when I finished my homework, I decided to cook together and share the experience with my friends.”
She decided to change course and pursue a bachelor's degree in Food and Beverage Management from the Colorado Art Institute.
She compared the engineering thought process to cooking and found similarities between the two. “I decided I was still a chemical engineer and just wanted to eat the results.”
Her food is served in small portions for several reasons. She says processed foods are loaded with fillers and preservatives that have no nutritional value. Natural foods are filling and allow your body to absorb more.
“That's part of why I start with small portions, so I can also introduce more foods,” she said. “You can buy a small plate and enjoy it all. You don't have to eat so much and not know what to do with it.”
Additionally, Leah designs food based on people's specific needs and makes modifications based on allergies and vegetarian and vegan needs.
Leah already has a strong fan base, but the mobile kitchen will allow her to host more events and cover more territory. It is a completely self-contained prep and cooking kitchen, and only a few changes were needed before it received all licenses and health department certifications, she said.
“We used to have to use temporary kitchens and get temporary permits, but now we can move in with food trucks and the kitchens are already set up,” she said.
The first event in Leah's big red mobile kitchen will be Taylor Swift's record release party on Friday, April 19th at Frontier Brewing Company in downtown Casper, from 1 p.m. until closing time. Will be held. Since then, she's already racked up bookings for events and catering work throughout the summer season. That's what gives Leah and Dolly Parton a reason to keep their smiles in the photos.
Heirloom & Native can be found on Facebook and on our online website.
