Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chris Falgout. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Chris thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Stepping away from a 12 year career with a great salary and amazing benefits to open a food truck. Olive Garden was a great place to work, but the company vision on the culinary side didn’t quite match up with the deep passion for food and the culinary arts that myself and my wife share, While on the surface leaving behind stability for uncertainty seemed almost foolish, it felt almost inevitable. I always felt that God had something bigger in store for our family, and the only way to realize that vision was to step out on faith, no safety net, and move forward with a dream. It has been the biggest blessing in my life (outside of my wife and BEAUTIFUL daughter), an amazing experience, and still terrifies me to this day.

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 have worked in restaurants in some capacity since I was 14 years old. I got my first job as a bus boy at Sharky’s Beach Club, and I never looked back. Immediately I fell in love with the fast pace, the comradery with my co-workers. I loved meeting hundreds of people from all walks of life, I loved all of it. I made plans to attend culinary school and pursue a career in the industry. Restaurant life is hard, however, and by my 18th birthday, freshly dropped out of high school and addicted to all manner of things, I took a better paying job in the kitchen at Olive Garden, as I was now on my own. It was there that I found a career, climbing up from line cook, to production staff, to Culinary Professional, and eventually Management. It was an amazing 12 year journey with plenty of ups and downs. I met my wife there, and cultivated relationships and friendships that I will cherish forever, but I always dreamed of more. My wife, Nikki, and I, had dreamed for years of owning a business, but it always seemed just out of reach. Brick and mortar restaurants are wildly expensive to start and difficult to staff, not to mention walking away from a salary that is difficult to find in the industry and benefits that are unmatched almost seemed foolish. But still we were drawn to it. The idea of being our own boss, setting our own standards, and seeing our own creative vision come to life was intoxicating. We longed for a creative outlet, as we both have a deep passion for food and the culinary art form. We spent years praying, dreaming, and bouncing ideas off of one another. Why not us?? The idea of a food truck had been tossed around as a joke, a cost effective alternative to a full fledged restaurant, but still not realistic. I cant say exactly what the turning point was, but somewhere along the line what began as a pipe dream became a singular focus. I was absolutely determined to make this a reality. I spent day and night researching, planning, asking questions, until finally, it was time. After 12 long years, terrified, but trusting God to catch me if I fell, I took a risk and walked away from a great paying career with amazing benefits, to chase a dream. With a young child at home and a mortgage to pay, the prospect of losing a steady income weighed heavy, but not so more than the desire to step out in faith and see what God had in store for our family. And so, Rise and Swine was born. And I owe it all to the support and sacrifice of my wife, currently continuing her career as an Olive Garden General Manager, who kept the family afloat while I learned just how little I actually knew, and the grace of God.

Our offerings are mostly basic, with a few outliers, but what sets us apart is the details. We try to incorporate some of our favorite ethnic flavors in places you would not expect, i.e. sweet soy sauce on a taco with pork belly and watermelon, or crushed Italian Calabrian chilis with maple syrup and butter. I believe that everyone who dines with us deserves a memorable experience, regardless of palate. Sometimes you just want something simple like a breakfast bowl or a bacon egg and cheese sandwich, but a simple, homemade sauce turns it into something more. Priced honestly and fair, and served with a smile, the business model is simple. Be reliable, and treat people well.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

I don’t have a business partner, or even any employees for that matter, but I will take this opportunity to talk about my pseudo business partner, my wife. Without her, none of this would be possible. When I met her, I was a 19 year old line cook looking to make a name for myself, and she was a young, new manager looking to establish herself as a leader in a new environment, We quickly learned, myself and the rest of the staff, that Mrs. Nikki was not to be messed with. She expected things to be done a certain way, and was not afraid to hold you accountable if standards were not followed. I gravitated towards this structure, and absorbed as much about the business as I could from her as I continued to ascend within the company. That relationship continued once I was promoted into management, where she taught me so much about leadership and life in general, and helped me to be confident in leading a team that, at the time, was mostly older and more experienced than myself. We dated, and quickly married, as we both knew that what we had was undeniable, and have now been married for almost 7 years and have the most beautiful, amazing daughter together, Rosalie. She has been beyond instrumental in giving me the tools needed to start this venture, and has supported me completely in every way possible. When we decided I would begin this journey, she sacrificed and stayed with her steady career to make sure we always had income. When I was scratching my head for a name, she spent hours with me brainstorming (we still haven’t decided who really came up with the name, pretty sure it was me, but it was probably her). When I over shot my target opening date and funds became frighteningly low, she never once doubted me or questioned my plan. When jobs were difficult to come by, she shouldered the burden of the household bills, never once questioning when I would finally be able to help her with a light bill. All the while being a wife and a mother, and a great one at that. Never for a moment did I feel pressure, at least from her, to speed up the process. Because of her support and her grace, I was able to take all the time I needed to make what seemed like every mistake possible, because I have always had to learn the hard way, and I would not be in this position today if not for her. I would also like to take the chance to thank my mom, Jeanette. She instilled in me a strong work ethic, and taught me that my word is everything in life, and supported me when I was at my lowest. These 2 women have saved me from myself in so many ways, and given me the tools and the room I needed to grow into the man I am today, which is someone I feel I can be proud of. I love you both more than you know.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

The closest near death experience my business has had was very early on. After a few months of being open, I decided to participate in the Destin Food Truck Festival. Thousands of people had passed through the previous years festival, and it seemed a no brainer opportunity to not only make a lot of money, but get my name and business in front of as many people as possible. I entered the festival on a down week, and between some monthly payments and the cost of participating, I spent multiple thousands on credit to get the product I felt necessary. Surely the festival would be a massive success, and I would pay the debt before it even had a chance to accrue interest. What I had not accounted for was the fact that, being brand new, with no brand recognition, and being in a field with 27 other trucks that people already knew and loved, I would spend most of that day watching as the lines for the trucks around me grew larger and larger while I sat, empty and confused. Needless to say I came nowhere near my earning target for the event, and spent several months chasing my tail, paying massive late fees and interest charges, before I finally recovered. I very nearly went under due to this. If there is a lesson to be learned here, its understand all aspects of a proposition before you commit your time and resources to it. Success in business is predicated upon risk, and its impossible to know exactly what might happen in the future, but taking too large of a risk too early on, or trying to compete in a market that you don’t understand, can backfire in many ways and put all that you have built in jeopardy. Don’t be afraid to take your time and let the business come to you at first. Your first year or so is all about networking and building a reputation for yourself and your business, be prepared to see some losses and don’t try to scramble to make them up in an unsustainable way.

Contact Info:

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