Another chef with fine dining creds has left the white tablecloths behind and opted for a more low-key culinary approach.
Chef-owner Michael Pastor debuted his new pizza-themed food truck, Pie Hard, on Saturday, July 29, at a soft opening event at his commissary kitchen, located at 8201 W. Main St., in Belleville.
Pastor has worked in some impressive kitchens, including Gerard Craft’s Niche and Pastaria, Cielo at Four Seasons, and an externship during his culinary school days at world-renowned Alinea in Chicago. But when he decided to strike out on his own, Pastor chose a more casual focus.
“Fast-casual is a trend that’s been going on for quite a while now,” Pastor said. “People don’t want to sit down and eat three or four hour meals anymore. So I leaned toward a fast-casual concept, and that led to a food truck.”
Pie Hard is decidedly different from many of the rolling eateries in the area. It’s a custom 20-foot shipping container atop a massive flatbed truck that houses the 5,000-pound EarthStone wood and gas pizza oven. The truck measures just shy of 30 feet.
“It’s the biggest St. Louis city allows, ” Pastor said.
Pie Hard will cover a wide swath of real estate. In addition to periodic events at the Belleville commissary, Pastor said the truck will serve south St. Louis County, and St. Clair and Monroe counties in Illinois. Pie Hard will be available for private events as well.
“We can’t do St. Louis city just yet because there are no spots available,” Pastor said, though he hopes to operate within limits soon.
Pastor said initially there will be five staple 10-inch personal pizzas available on the truck, including The Queen, a traditional margherita pie; The Vladi, with vodka sauce, Italian meatballs, pickled shallots and rosemary; The Cuban, a play on a Cuban sandwich that includes a mustard bechamel, speck, porcetta and house pickles; and The King, featuring crunchy peanut butter, banana, bacon and a spicy grape jelly, along with one rotating special.
Pizza fans can keep track of the truck on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Matt Sorrell is staff writer at Sauce Magazine.
This article appears in August 2017.