Service Consultant’s Food Truck Appears on WCCO

Thomas Bady, Service Consultant at Brookdale Chevrolet Buick GMC, runs Flame Mobile Kitchen, a food truck that specializes in smoked meats.  

He started working on the truck two years ago to help his friend, Tommy McNeal, who runs the umbrella company, with the hope that he would start his own food truck one day.  

“I wanted to learn the business, and it was a great way to get exposed to the operations without just buying my own food truck,” said Bady. “I always loved cooking or helping out my parents in the kitchen as a kid, so this was a great chance, and I learned a lot.” 

Before the season started last year, McNeal offered him the opportunity to run it by himself so he could focus on the catering side of Flame Mobile Kitchen.  

It was a little scary, but I seized on the opportunity,” said Bady. “My first event was at a farmers’ market in Robbinsdale, and we just built on the season from there.” 

They focus on smoked meats and barbeque, which is what they started with. Now, their most well-known items are the salmon sandwich and authentic-style tacos. They worked eight events over the summer of 2024, including the Shelby Avenue Jazz Festival, where they were selected as the healthy food option.  

At the end of the season, Flame Mobile Kitchen won the “Tasty Choice of the People” award at the Black Business Ball, where Shayla Reaves, WCCO reporter, was a co-host of the gala.  

In November, WCCO invited Bady, McNeal, and Chef Darren to be a part of their third annual Grateful-Giving Initiative. Flame Mobile Kitchen selected three families in need and gifted them with a Thanksgiving basket. They also brought some fall-inspired dishes to share.  

“This summer, I’m looking forward to going to more events that I missed out on last summer because they get booked up early,” said Bady. “I’m getting a chance to express myself and connect with people and put a smile on their faces with a bite, it’s incredible.” 

Bady made sure to recognize his wife and family. His 16-year-old son Elijah helps run sales on the truck and his wife helps him prep for the weekend.  

“I couldn’t do this without the support of my wife,” Bady added. “I work full-time at Luther, and I love my job here, it’s a great group. I do the food truck on the weekends, and I couldn’t get that done without the support of my loving wife and family.” 

If you want to connect with Flame Mobile Kitchen, you can follow them on Instagram @Flame_Mobile_Kitchen and Facebook, where they post updates on upcoming events.