The Pittsburgh Po’boy: Authentic, traditional (and some non traditional) cajun creole inspired comfort food in a fast casual atmosphere

Hi! My name is Ben, and I’m a chef and business owner in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. When I was younger, I spent some time in New Orleans training under other chefs. In that time, I developed a deep love and passion for the food and culture of New Orleans. Eventually, I moved back home and continued working in restaurants, but in the back of my mind I kept a dream alive of making incredible Cajun/Creole inspired food in Pittsburgh.

This past summer, I opened my first place, a sandwich shop called The Pittsburgh Po’boy, which operates out of an indoor community market. I make everything from scratch – po’boys, of course, along with classics like red beans and rice, muffalettas, bread pudding and gumbo that’s simmered all day long. My original goal was to have a food truck roaming the streets of Pittsburgh serving this amazing food. I’m so close now!

I make authentic, traditional (and some non traditional) cajun creole inspired comfort food in a fast casual atmosphere. I currently have a shop setup inside The Pittsburgh Public Market, which is proof of concept to my dream of operating a food truck! I’ll be able to go where the people are! I decided to start my business over a year ago, and now it’s finally turned into a reality! We have a lot of great and loyal customers. Many who work nearby and walk to the market, and many who head down to Pittsburgh looking for great food, and also many raving food truck fans. (Hint!) I always knew when I was ready to start my business that I wanted to make amazing food from New Orleans. I have a deep love and passion for the food and culture there, and wanted to share it with my hometown of Pittsburgh.

We’ll be at the Market until the end of February, when the market closes its doors for good. So, there’s a major sense of urgency to get the truck built and on the road! Having to put a new engine in was a major challenge for me. It blew up in the middle of the highway on our way to a catering event. oh no! But with your help, we’ll get there very soon!

My goal for this business is to have a recognized brand all over Pittsburgh, with a food truck and eventually a physical location. The food truck will setup for lunches at corporate offices, dinners at local breweries, along with special events and private catering. I will bring The BEST New Orleans inspired food and atmosphere everywhere we go!

I am so proud of my business, that I can bring happiness to my customers through great food and conversation. With the very loyal following I have, and dedication to serving the absolute best, this company is poised to grow tremendously!

Thank you!

My truck was not able to be driven until I had a new engine put in. It ended up costing a lot more than anticipated. Now that it is installed, I can have the kitchen build out done and I’ll be able to get on the road, serving my great cajun food all over Pittsburgh. I’ve already got lots of locations and clients lined up ready for us to serve!