A teenage food truck chef’s culinary rebellion

A few weeks ago, Rebelz Mobile Cuisine was set up at an event at J&L Cidery in State College. The first hour was slow, but then it seemed like everyone arrived at once. The line was 10 minutes long, then 20, then 30. So many pagers were handed out that they ran out. It was a moment that would make any food truck chef panic — but Karley Miller isn’t just any food truck chef. She’s 20, she started her business at the tender age of 17, and she has a message for everyone who has a startup dream: “You are going to be OK. Take the risks, and even if you fail, you’ll have learned from it.”

Miller took her own advice at the event at J&L Cidery. “We got everyone fed and they loved it. It was a really good night.”

She says that the idea of starting a food truck started when she was in 8th grade. “I realized how much I loved to cook, and be my own boss. I wanted to choose when I was going to work, and at what events. She took classes in culinary arts at Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center, and soon added dual enrollment classes at Juniata College so she could study business. She started a job at Arby’s with the goal of saving up for a food truck.

By the next year, her family started going on family trips to look for a second-hand truck. They found one in Delaware and her dad, Adam, helped her outfit it for her grand venture. Fortunately, they had some help with the business side while they were hard at work on the menu and equipment.

“Getting introduced to Startup Alleghenies Coach Christa McGeary was really lovely,” Miller said. “She reviewed my proposal and plans. She helped us navigate all the aspects of getting started. She guided me from the very beginning …. And was there when we cut the ribbon … and is still there for me now, three years later.”

McGeary helped Karley and her dad procure a grant that they said came at a “clutch time,” giving them money for radio, newspaper and social media ads to get the word out. “There are a lot of people out there serving food,” Miller said. “She helped to set us up as a brand more than just cuisine.”

Their first location was at  ReKlaimed Vines, a Huntingdon-based wine tasting room. Because Rebelz was a food truck and served food outdoors, it was able to operate during COVID when many other food venues were closed. At their second location, Juniata Brewing Company, they actually helped to keep the brewing company open, since the law dictated that establishments had to serve food along with alcohol. “We were two small businesses who kept each other alive and going during the pandemic,” she said.

Today, Miller and her crew — made up of Karley, her dad and sister in the truck, and mom on customer service — are in their third season. And before the snow thawed, their 2022 calendar was full. They’ve worked out some of the kinks, learning how full to fill their propane tanks, how much butter to order, and the best way to serve up their pierogies.

Every event is a new opportunity to create “fast, great food and happy people.” Among their favorite opportunities are feeding medical professionals. “During one of the hardest months of COVID, we set up during the third shift at UPMC Altoona,” Miller said. “It was so humbling to see the looks on their faces when we got their food for them. They said, ‘No one feeds us in the middle of the night.’ They were so appreciative. I was just there to serve food, but it turned into so much more than that.”

She says that young entrepreneurs shouldn’t be afraid to take the risk to start their own company. “I’m just fresh out of high school,” she said. “Ask the questions, even if you are nervous, even if you aren’t sure. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. 90% of the time, people will help you or find someone who can, especially in a small community like this. If you give your best, there will always be some good result and that will help you with the next thing.”

In Miller’s case, having McGeary as a central hub got her connected to the right resources at the right time — and out serving up her delicious dishes — quickly.

“If someone would have told me no, I probably would have given up,” she added. “I’m here because of the power of no one telling me no. I was determined to make this succeed.”

 

Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.