Equipment

Equipment should earn its keep in a tight kitchen. Buy for the menu you actually serve, the power you can really provide, and the health and fire rules in the places you vend, not for a catalog spread you will use twice a year. We do not currently have an equipment partner on this page. The notes below are practical questions, not a shopping list we get paid for.

Power, heat, and cold

Start with power. Size the generator for the real load (including start-up surge on refrigeration and A/C), and ask about noise limits at the events you care about. Inverter generators are often quieter; conventional units may be cheaper. Have a plan for fuel, for refueling safely, and for shore power when a site offers it. If quiet hours or residential nights are part of your year, test the noise before you depend on the machine.

Cold storage has to survive a door that opens all day. There is a difference between a unit that holds already-cold food and one that can pull temperature down in summer weather. Know your holding versus prep needs, and what you will do if a unit fails on a Saturday. Cooking equipment should match ventilation and fire-suppression rules; those are set by the health department and the fire marshal where you are inspected, and they vary.

What to verify before you buy

Where the rules require it, look for commercial (often NSF or equivalent) equipment, not a residential piece that will fail inspection. Confirm parts and service are available, especially for used pieces. Check water, wastewater, and hand-wash arrangements against the same code that will inspect you. A cheap used prep table is one kind of risk; a used refrigeration compressor with no parts support is another.

Be honest about space and weight. Every extra piece of gear is fuel, axle load, and something that has to be cleaned. If a tool does not change the ticket time or the food, it may not belong in the truck.