The result of a partnership between Chef Mike Fox and event planner Jordan Hieshetter, Fox Pizza Bus made its debut three years ago with wood fired pizzas made from scratch with only local and organic ingredients.
The truck—a double-decker bus, to be exact—mostly specializes in catered events but it can still be found at various locations throughout the Southland.
Truck Name: Fox Pizza Bus
Cuisine style: California market-driven wood fired foods.
Owner/Chef: Mike Fox, owner and chef; Jordan Hieshetter, co-founder, catering & events.
Hometown: Mike Fox, Los Angeles; Jordan Hieshetter, Grand Rapids, MI
Usual Locations: Downtown Los Angeles at Handsome Roasters Coffee and the Altadena Farmers Market. We are catering-focused and have limited street service locations.
Years in Business: 3 years
Background: Mike Fox (Le Cordon Bleu trained) has worked professionally in fine dining kitchens for a decade and also as a private chef in Santa Barbara, Scottsdale and Los Angeles. Jordan Hieshetter’s background is in wedding and event design.
Where did you find the double-decker bus and what made this one the right fit for you?
We worked with the British Bus Company out of San Diego to import the bus from Scotland. It is a 1984 Leyland Olympian and was previously a school bus. The bus had the height requirements we needed and also had the staircase in the front which allowed for a bigger kitchen. It was imported in July 2009 and we immediately went into construction.
What are you doing with the top half?
The top half is storage at the moment. We are currently seeking out sponsorship and investor opportunities to turn it into an upstairs dining deck with a pop-up canopy roof, which has always been our dream.
What are your favorite locally sourced ingredients of the moment?
Tomatoes. We only have a few weeks left in the season and we are gearing up to preserve as many as we can! Our go-to guy is Hugo from Munak Ranch. Their tomatoes are unbelievable and we have been using them since the beginning. Munak is at the Santa Monica Farmers Market (Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday) and the Venice Farmers Market.
Specialty menu items?
Our pizza is our specialty. We make everything from scratch on the bus using only locally sourced, organic ingredients. We then cook every single pizza to order, which is why we serve whole pizzas and don’t have slices sitting around. For catering, our menu varies from burgers and sandwiches to steaks and five-course market-driven dinners.
What is your most difficult item to prepare and serve?
That would be our pizza because we make everything from scratch. Dough is made daily to proof for the following day’s service, fresh mozzarella is drained and local heirloom tomatoes blended into a sauce. We even bring in whole pigs (from a local ranch) to make our own house sausage on the bus.
Once a guest orders, their dough begins getting worked by hand, topped with fresh sauce and toppings then into the oven for about 3-4 minutes to get cooked. Guests enjoy their pizza within minutes of it coming out of the oven.
Top seller?
Our classic red pizza: fresh tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, herbs and Spicy Bush basil from Windrose Farm.
Your favorite food trucks?
Heirloom LA, they are the only other truck that shares our philosophy of strictly locally sourced farm-to-table food.
You’re favorite brick and mortar pizza joints?
Pizzeria Bianco-worth the drive to Phoenix.
What makes the perfect the perfect pizza?
The ingredients.
If you could meet one chef who would it be and why?
My idol is Chris Bianco from Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix. His philosophy is how I try to run the bus. I have been fortunate enough to sit down with him several times when I was a culinary student in Phoenix.
Favorite music to listen to in the truck?
Jordan controls the music stations. Boston and Fleetwood Mac are her favorites.
Favorite location?
Altadena Farmers Market-seeing families out at the market and hanging out at the picnic tables while enjoying their purchases is the best.
Social Sites?
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Photo Credit: Jesse Ashton Photography (top image); Jordan Hieshetter (second image).
