We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Austin Benz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Austin below.

Austin, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I always enjoyed cooking, but it’s tough to make a career out of it. I knew I needed branch out and make my own way. The plan was to start with a very approachable comfort food, and go as many directions as we could with it. The grilled cheese sandwich is an awesome vessel for so many styles of cuisine!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a chef from a dishwasher, with almost every job in between. I enjoyed a short stint in the army and came right back to what I loved. With a newfound discipline, I was blessed to work under some great chefs and true mentors. I had to walk away from the service industry, however, in pursuit of things like PTO and a savings account. As soon as I had saved enough, I came back with my own dream. Now I’m living it!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I knew I needed to make a move, and there are no quick fixes when you are building from scratch. I made a plan, not knowing how long it would take, only knowing the direction I would drive. No matter what opportunity would find… I was going to learn it, and commit to being the best at it. I found a company with the structure I wanted and the “on the job” training to make it happen. I found myself fixing hospital beds for as many hours a week as I could. It took me five years. In that five years I had rewritten menus and rebranded ideas for a food truck several times over. Driving down to the low country to purchase a gently used food trailer was one of the best days of my life, and there would be more days just like that to follow.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

If you know me, you know I love to laugh. When It’s time to taste my food however, it’s my time to show the work I put in behind the scenes. A lot of people I love and respect were ready to see what I would do. I had so much support from great people throughout the community. It was an amazing place to start from. I hope that people are continuing to get to know me by trying my food and sharing a laugh with me, wherever we happen to be set up. I literally live for it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Cheesethankyou
• Facebook: Cheesethankyoumobile